Colossians 2:11-12 - Baptism and Circumcision

Colossians 2:11-12 - And in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.  

Message: Baptism and Circumcision

Time: Paul penned this letter to the Colossian church in AD 60-61 during his first imprisonment in Rome after the church was under attack and denigrating the deity of Christ. He penned it before visiting the church. Christ was and is the visible image of the invisible God, containing within Himself the fullness of Deity. 

What the Lord is Saying: I continue to study baptism and it has been a joy. I appreciate these lessons and how each of them communicate something and I continue to build an understanding. Initially as I read this text in Colossians, the first thing that stands out to me is the words "without hands." Thus the circumcision wasn't an actual circumcision but a sign that occurred. My flesh, my old life, my old nature was cut away and removed by Christ. How was this done? By what I studied in the last lesson - I was "buried with Him in baptism." And then also I was "raised up with Him through faith." What? I was hoping it was going to say my raising up occurred with the baptism but instead it says it occurred through faith. And faith is "the working of God, who raised Him (Jesus) from the dead." Once again, a loaded text. 

God raised Jesus from the dead. I joined Jesus in baptism. Faith is the working of God. Circumcision is not a physical but something done without hands. Okay - this is my observation of this text. 

According to Tabletalk writers, this verse in Colossians communicates that in the Old Covenant there was circumcision and now in the new covenant there is baptism. And so they are to work the same way - done to infants. In both, people are set aside to be God's children. Circumcision did not save and nor does baptism, but they both point to the need for regeneration. People must be circumcised to inherit the kingdom of God and so baptism now works the same way. 

So I think I am understanding this belief now that the reformers have in infant baptism. Maybe it is not mandatory at a young age only, but it can occur at a young age just as it can occur later. 

For me, I think there is a parallel picture given here between circumcision of the Old Covenant and baptism of the new covenant. For circumcision -- "in the removal of the body of the flesh." Circumcision showed the sign of the removal of the flesh or God setting aside his people to be his. He consecrates His People for His Purpose. He removes their flesh. And with baptism in the New Testament is the same setting aside. But in water, it is "having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith." And so in baptism we have been buried with Christ, as we looked in the previous lesson (Romans 6:4) and raised up with Him through faith. Both are pictures of the new life we have. 

Summary: Both circumcision and baptism are signs of the new life we have with God in Christ -- having been set apart from all the world to Him. 

Promise: Both with circumcision and baptism, people must repent and believe in order to be of God's people and of eternal salvation. 

Prayer: Lord, you continue to take me on a journey about baptism and I hope I am coming to a better conclusion about it. You are using this sacrament to confirm your people as your people. As you used circumcision in the past, baptism is used today. But people must repent and believe. Thank you for these truths and Lord I do trust you for you have a plan that I can trust. I do trust in You.