"We are the real circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh." Philippians 3:3
Circumcision typified judgement [1] and served to foreshadow the "cutting off" in death of the Male Heir to whom the Abrahamic promises were ultimately made [2], the Seed of the Woman [3], the Messiah. The visceral act of circumcision pictured the violent, atoning death of Christ, and portrayed through ceremonial uncleanness the fact that He would be loaded under the guilt of our sins and cast away from the presence of God to bear judgment for His people. Thus circumcision always pointed forward as a sign of the imputed righteousness which Abraham had by faith. [4]
In this text Paul contrasts real circumcision with those who place confidence in the flesh, which is to trust outward religious signs or personal merits as sufficient to appease the justice of God in the Covenant of Works. Rather, true heirs of Abraham "put no confidence in the flesh", laying their hope entirely in Christ for justification. Doing so, we have been truly "cut off" in the death of Christ; that is, we have been crucified to the demands of the Law, being reconciled to justice through the sufferings of Christ on our behalf. [5] Through this shared identity, we who believe are made recipients of all that belongs to Christ in His resurrection. [6] The difference, therefore, between real and unreal circumcision is like that of shadows and material objects: the significance of the temporary sign of circumcision is realized by those who have been united through faith with the Heir of Abraham who died, was cut off, in their place.
In this text Paul contrasts real circumcision with those who place confidence in the flesh, which is to trust outward religious signs or personal merits as sufficient to appease the justice of God in the Covenant of Works. Rather, true heirs of Abraham "put no confidence in the flesh", laying their hope entirely in Christ for justification. Doing so, we have been truly "cut off" in the death of Christ; that is, we have been crucified to the demands of the Law, being reconciled to justice through the sufferings of Christ on our behalf. [5] Through this shared identity, we who believe are made recipients of all that belongs to Christ in His resurrection. [6] The difference, therefore, between real and unreal circumcision is like that of shadows and material objects: the significance of the temporary sign of circumcision is realized by those who have been united through faith with the Heir of Abraham who died, was cut off, in their place.
[1] The Hebraism, "cutting off", portrays capital and spiritual judgement, to be severed from communion with God and the people of God:
- Gen. 9:11, "I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth."
- Gen. 17:14, "Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."
- Ex. 9:15, "For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth."
- Ex. 12:19, "If anyone eats what is leavened, that person will be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land."
- Lev. 7:27, "Whoever eats any blood, that person shall be cut off from his people."
- Psm. 37:9, "For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land."
- Prov. 2:22, "The wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous will be rooted out of it."
[2]
Gal.3:16, "The promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It
does not say, "And to offsprings," referring to many, but referring to
one, "And to your offspring," who is Christ." The word translated
offspring is the Greek, "sperma", seed, and would have been recognizable
for its association to the Protoevangelion, the promise of Messiah
given in Genesis 3:15.
[3] Gen. 3:15, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."
[4] Rom. 4:11 - "He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised."
[5] Through faith we are united with Christ as our Representative Head, as if we had experienced all which He experienced in our place,
- Rom. 6:6, "We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin."
- Gal. 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
- Col. 2:11,12, "In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead."
[6] Through union with Christ in faith, we are heirs of all the promises made through Abraham to Christ,
- Gal. 3:29, "And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise."
- Rom. 8:16-17, "The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."
- Rom. 8:32, "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"
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© Michael Spotts:. 2011
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You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this article in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge any fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For printed copies, as well as web posting, please include the following statement:
By M. Benjamin Spotts:.
Copyright © The Open Life
www.theopenlife.com
Titus 3:3-8
© Michael Spotts:. 2011
———————
You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this article in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge any fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For printed copies, as well as web posting, please include the following statement:
By M. Benjamin Spotts:.
Copyright © The Open Life
www.theopenlife.com
Titus 3:3-8
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