New Testament Circumcision
New Testament Circumcision
Genesis 17:10–11 (AV)
10This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
11And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
God established circumcision as a token of the covenant He made with Abraham. The word token is used throughout scripture and means sign, mark, or token. It is the indication of the authenticity of something. It is the word used in the Genesis account of Noah to explain the rainbow that appeared after the flood. Paul uses the Greek word in 2 Thessalonians 3:17 (AV) “The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write. It is also used by John when talking about the miracles Jesus performed as signs.”
In Luke 2:21 (AV) we read, “And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.”
I find this verse remarkable. Jesus is God in human flesh. Philippians 2:7-8 tell us that He made Himself of no reputation and took upon Himself the form of a servant. It says that He humbled Himself. This verse shows that in stark relief. Jesus, the Messiah, the God of the Universe through whom everything that exists was created—including us—allowed Himself to be subjected to physical circumcision. He came to us totally dependent upon us for survival and was treated exactly as we are treated—no exceptions.
Circumcision under the old covenant was established as a sign or token of God’s covenant promise. For the Hebrews this was a constant reminder that they belonged to God. It also showed them that those who were not God’s people were outside the tent, so to speak.
After the cross something changed. In Acts 10:45 (AV) we read, “And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
This was very difficult for the Jewish people to understand and accept. We find evidence of this in many of Paul’s letters, but perhaps Acts 15:1 (AV) makes the issue most clear. It tells us that, “…certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.” This caused no small dispute.
Acts 15:6–9 (AV) tells us that “…the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. 7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.”
Here, a link is established between circumcision and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is the key to understanding new covenant circumcision. Paul makes this clear in Romans 2:25–29 (AV), where we find, “25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. 26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? 27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? 28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
We find in this passage that it is not about the token or sign. That is a shadow from the old covenant. Instead, it is about the substance that cast that shadow. Verse 27 tells us that those who do not have the token or sign yet fulfill the law will judge, or show the fault in, those who break the law. The Jews knew that they could not keep the law. Peter said so in Acts 15:10 where he said that the burden of the Law could not be borne by him or anyone else. Paul reveals how the Law can be fulfilled. He wrote in Romans 8:4 (AV) “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Finally, verses 28-29 of Romans 2 (which we read a moment ago) conclude, “he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
This is a new kind of circumcision. It is not something we do. It is something God does. Paul links the token of physical circumcision with a seal. We find this in Romans 4:9–12 (AV) “9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 And he received the sign (the same word as “token” from Genesis) of circumcision, a seal (the same as the seal in 2 Corinthians 1:22) of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.”
2 Corinthians 1:22 (AV) refers to that seal. It reads, “Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” In Colossians 2:9–11 (AV) we read more about the circumcision performed in us by God. In speaking of Jesus it says, “9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:”
Verse eleven says that Jesus circumcised you at the level of your spirit. You are set apart, sanctified. Circumcision signifies that there is a covenant between you and God. We saw this in Genesis 17:11 and the surrounding verses. Verse eleven says it like this: “putting off the body of the sins of the flesh.”
Interestingly, the Greek behind this says that it is removal of the soma of the sarx. The physicality (soma) of the worldly way of navigating life (sarx). This sanctification, this circumcision of the heart, removed our old stony heart, our sinful nature, and replaced it with a soft loving heart, a glorious and godly nature. That is why you really do not want to sin anymore. It is why you are drawn to doing the right thing.
This was promised in the Old Testament in Ezekiel 11:19 (AV) “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:” and again in Ezekiel 36:26–27 (AV) “26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”
The result is a new kind of person. A person that is actually righteous and acceptable to God. A person actually indwelt by the Spirit of God. Colossians 3:9–11 (AV) lays it out for us. “9b …ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.”
The new covenant has fully replaced the old. This is true because the old provided shadows and promises and Jesus is the one who cast those shadows and delivered on those promises. Mixing the two covenants has been going on since the days of Acts. There are still many who would push us to live by rules and laws that are too stringent to be obeyed. The truth is that the commands of God are not burdensome. (see 1 John 5:3) The truth is that His yoke is easy and His burden light. (see Matthew 11:30)
Those who teach that we much observe old covenant rules, signs and tokens are like those Paul warned about in Titus 1:10–11 (AV) where we read, “10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not…”
Do not be fooled by poor teaching. The Spirit of truth lives in you. You have fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law fully because you have believed God and it has been credited to you as righteousness. In that moment, your heart was circumcised, and you were added to the family of God never to be removed.
