Baptism, a Colosse Paradigm

In Colossians 2 Paul begins a section on baptism by mentioning circumcision. He makes a puzzling reference to a circumcision not made with hands. This is curious because by definition circumcision is something done "with hands," in particular, the cutting off and removal of a section of skin from a male human. How, especially in the first century AD, could anyone accomplish this without hands? What is Paul talking about?

In Ephesians 2 Paul also mentions circumcision in a very similar context to what he is discussing in Colossians 2. However, in Ephesians, Paul makes it clear that he is talking about circumcision that is made with hands. Also, in Ephesians, Paul makes clear a symbolic spiritual significance of circumcision. In verses 11-12 he says, ". . . remember, that once ye, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision, in the flesh, made by hands; that ye were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world."

In saying "remember" and "once," Paul is referring to the time before Jesus, through the cross, had ended the separation between Jews and Gentiles, and brought the Gentiles into His church along with the Jews. ^"There can be neither Jew nor Greek, . . . for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus," Galatians 3:28.

We must remember that to the Old Testament Jew, there were two types of people, Jews and Gentiles. Jews considered Gentiles to be second tier people. God’s people, the Jews, were the circumcised ones. Those who were not circumcised, the Gentiles, we’re not God’s people. Circumcision was the “de facto” separating line between the saved and the unsaved. In the New Testament, all people faithful to God are equal members of His church. That is what Paul is pointing out in both Ephesians and Colossians.

In Ephesians, as noted above, Paul speaks of the Old Testament significance of the difference in those who were circumcised, Jews, and those who were uncircumcised, Gentiles. The Gentiles, who did not practice circumcision were 1.) separate from Christ, 2.) alienated from Israel (God's people), 3.) strangers from the covenants of the promise, 4.) without hope, and 5.) without God. When someone was referred to as uncircumcised, this is what was being said about them.

Paul's words in Colossians 2:11-15 , are meant to be reassuring and uplifting to a group of Gentiles who were formerly categorized as uncircumcised but had become members of Christ's church at Colosse. Paul tells them in verse 11, " in [Christ] ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ."

Here is what Paul is saying to these Gentiles. You are just as circumcised as any Jew, in fact, more so. The circumcision of the Jews was physical, made with hands. Your circumcision is not made with hands, is not physical. It is spiritual. The circumcision of the Jews by hand cut off some meaningless skin. The circumcision that you experienced without hands cut off the whole sin-controlled body of flesh. Paul explains this more in Romans 6:6, "knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, so that we should no longer be in bondage to sin." You have a better circumcision, Paul tells them, the circumcision of Christ. The circumcishion of Christ is now the separating line between those in Christ and those not in, or out of Christ.

But how was this "circumcision of Christ" accomplished? How does a person obtain it? We just read verse 11, let's continue reading in verse 12, "having been buried with Him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead." Paul clearly says these people obtained Christ's circumcision by having been buried with Christ in baptism. Compare the "buried with Him in baptism" of Colossians 2 with Paul's words in Romans 6: 4-5, "We were buried therefore with Him through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection."

Paul sums up his words regarding this subject to the church at Colosse with Colossians 2:13, "And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did He make alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses." So, there was a time when the Colossian Gentiles were spiritually dead due to their trespasses (sins) and those five items attached to uncircumcision listed above. But they were made alive with Christ and forgiven their trespasses.

What occurred between "spiritually dead" and "alive with Christ and forgiven their trespasses?" The "circumcision of Christ" happened and cut off the body of flesh with its sinful leanings. How was the circumcision of Christ accomplished? It was accomplished by being buried with Christ in baptism.

Romans 6 is a good study of Biblical baptism. There is not room to include it in this article. I suggest strongly that the reader study that chapter seriously for the understanding it can add of baptism being a form of the death, burial, and ressurection of Jesus and where we contact His death and His blood. I’ll have to put my thoughts in another blog.

1 Peter 3:20-21 provides a conclusion of this study, “the [patience] of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water: which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Most people would say that Noah's family was saved from the water by the ark. The Bible does not say that Noah was saved from the water. It says Noah was saved by the water. What was he saved from? He was saved from the sin of the world. The water destroyed the sinners and carried Noah and his family away from them. The Bible says that baptism works the same way for us and it says that baptism saves us.

Baptism is the circumcision of Christ that separates us from sin just as the flood waters separated Noah from sin. No one that understands baptism has ever claimed that there is a magical power in the water that saves us. Rather, the power is of God to cleanse us from our sin and raise us to a new life in which our sins are forgiven through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ as we trust in Him and are faithful to do His will.