Title: The Circumcision of Christ
Contents
Salvation says, “For children are of flesh and blood, and he also belongs to flesh and blood in one way, to put away those who had overpowered the power of death through death, the devil, and also to set free all those who were enslaved by life because of fear of death. Indeed, not to sustain the angels, but to support the offspring of Abraham. Therefore, in all respects, he deserved to be made like his brothers, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the work of God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. It will be done” (Hebrews 2:14-17).
Because God the Father of Christ made the devil exist only in flesh and blood, the devil does not exist in the descendants of Abraham, who have been stripped of the flesh through the circumcision of Christ in Christ. Therefore, the Bible testifies, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Because of the long time, the son of flesh and blood said, “As the Father sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world, and for their sake I sanctify myself, that they too may be sanctified by the truth.
I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who believe in me because of their word, so that they may all be one in us, just as you are in me and I in you, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. please
I have given them the glory that you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:18-22).
As he prayed, “I pray not only for these people, but also for those who believe in me because of their word.” All the words of those who hear the words of Christ are also the words of the Father. It is written, "I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and what to say" (John 12:49), and also, "... These are the words of the Father whom you sent” (John 14:24).
Therefore, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? This salvation was first spoken of by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us by those who heard it, which God also gave with signs and wonders and with various powers and by the Spirit, He testified with them” (Hebrews 2:3-4).
Therefore, although we did not see the physical face of the apostle Paul, who was sent by the Lord Jesus, the circumcision of Christ was accomplished through the same word of God, which he spoke to us as a son at the beginning, and also to us the apostle Paul. It is to put off the body and put on the spiritual body, the body of Christ.
It is written, “I want you to know how I work for you and for those who are in Laodicea and for all who have not seen the face of my flesh, that they may be comforted in their hearts, and united in love, with all the riches of understanding, so that they may understand Christ, the mystery of God.
In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say these things so that no one can deceive you with clever words, for I am absent in the flesh, but with you in spirit I am with you according to your size and your faith in Christ. See with joy the firmness of the faith
Therefore, since you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted and built up in him, standing firm in the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Beware lest anyone prey on you with philosophy and vain deceit, this is according to the tradition of men and the elementary sciences of the world, not according to Christ, in whom all the fullness of the divinity dwells bodily, and in him you are also filled, who and the head of power
And in him you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, that is, putting off the fleshly body, which is the circumcision of Christ” (Colossians 2:1-11).
Also, regarding circumcision, “For he is not a Jew outwardly, and circumcision in the flesh is not circumcision, but he is a Jew inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit and not in the ceremonies. Neira” (Romans 2:28-29).
Therefore, by being justified by the cross of Christ, and by the circumcision of Christ, by stripping off the fleshly body, and attaining holiness, we are perfected as children of God. In other words, as it is written, “The day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread for the slaughter of the Passover lamb has come” (Luke 22:7), he accomplished the Passover through the cross of Christ and the Feast of Unleavened Bread through the circumcision of Christ.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread, in which we cast off old leaven, that is, our physical body, is a spiritual worship that God is pleased with. As it is written, “Therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1). You are unleavened, and cast away the old leaven so that it may become a new lump, for Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7).
The circumcision of Christ, that is, the taking off of the natural body, is to participate in the divine nature, and to receive the inheritance among the sanctified crowd by fulfilling the testimony of “It is written, Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). is. Therefore, the circumcision of Christ is a sign of God's covenant, which removes the flesh from the flesh by removing the sheepskin of the old man.
It is written, “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be perfect.
I will make my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.” Abram fell on his face, and God spoke to him again, saying, “I have made my covenant with you, and you will become the father of nations.
From now on, your name will not be called Abram, but will be called Abraham, because I will make you the father of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and nations will rise from you, and kings will come from you.
I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants for generations to come, as an everlasting covenant, to be the God of you and your descendants. I will give you and your descendants the land in which you are living, the whole of Canaan, for an everlasting inheritance, and I will be their God.
And God said to Abraham, "Therefore, keep my covenant, and keep your descendants from generation to generation. All males among you must be circumcised. This is my covenant that you will keep between me and you and your descendants. Cut your sheepskins, and this is the covenant between me and you. a sign
From generation to generation a male shall be circumcised on the eighth day, whether he is born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner who is not your descendant. This will be an everlasting covenant in your flesh, but the uncircumcised male, who has not cut his sheep, shall be cut off from among the people, for he has betrayed my covenant” (Genesis 17:1-14). Reproduction is the two-faced circumcision of Christ, at the end of which the glorious reproduction of Abraham begins.
The circumcision that cuts off the sheepskin on the eighth day is the circumcision of the holy Christ that puts away the fleshly body that belongs to the seventh day, that is, the days of this world, that is, sexual immorality. For this reason, the Bible says, “This is the will of God, your sanctification, that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality, and each of you should know how to take his own wife in holiness and honor. Do not pursue lust like the Gentiles who do not know God. For in all these things, as we have told and testified to you in advance, the Lord is the vindication” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-6).
This is what God said first as a prophet: “Do not let the Gentiles who are united with the Lord say that the Lord will surely separate me from among his people, and let the eunuchs say that I am a dry tree. To the eunuchs who hold fast to the covenant, I will give a better monument and name than the children in my house and in my city;
Again, as a son, “I tell you, whoever divorces his wife and marries another, except because of fornication, commits adultery.” The disciples said to him, “If a man does this to his wife, it is better not to marry him.” Jesus said, “Every man Those who do not receive this word must be born, but there are eunuchs born from their mother's womb, there are man-made eunuchs, and there are eunuchs who are self-made for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. testified,
Another Gospel says, "Jesus said, "The children of this world marry and are given in marriage; but those who are counted worthy to be found in the other world and in the resurrection from the dead, marry and are not given in marriage; they cannot die again. There is none, for they are equal with angels, and as children of the resurrection, they are children of God” (Luke 20:34-36).
“And I saw a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and forty-four thousand with him, with the name of the Lamb and the name of his father written on his forehead. I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and loud thunders. But the sound I heard was like those playing on the harp, and they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, and no one was able to learn this song except the fourteen and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. They are pure and undefiled with women, they follow the Lamb wherever it goes, having been redeemed from among men and having the firstfruits, they belong to God and the Lamb, and in their mouth there is no lie or blemish.” (Rev. 14:1-5) Amen, thank you Lord.