“In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ”
by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh
Some call the “flesh” the sin nature, but it may be better to name it capacity rather than nature. The word “body” then refers to the sin capacity of the Christian. It is that faculty that produces lusts and personal sins. Jesus put off that faculty from us judicially, which is the source of our sin.
“Putting off” means to strip off clothes. Because of our position with Christ, Jesus took off the body of our sin like a suit of clothes at Christ’s death. This “putting off” is an entire judicial strip of the sins of the flesh.
The Greek noun for “putting off” refers to the death of Christ. God put off our sins of the flesh at the moment we exercised faith in the death of Christ to forgive sins. Jesus destroyed all that we were in Adam. God identified us with Christ in his death.
by the circumcision of Christ
Jesus executed our spiritual circumcision positionally upon the cross.
PRINCIPLE:
Jesus spiritually circumcised our sin capacity upon the cross.
APPLICATION:
Jesus not only dealt with our sins on the cross, but he also destroyed the factory that produces sin– the sin capacity. This fact does not mean that God eradicates our sin capacity. It means that the principle of our sin capacity died when Christ died (Romans 6). Because we positionally died to sin, we are free to deal with what Christ already judged. An understanding of this principle is a key to Christian living. Positional truth is the basis for our victory; it is not victory over practicing sin itself. Positional truth means that God views us as dead and risen in Christ. It constitutes a milestone of spiritual experience in the Christian life when the believer himself begins to consider himself this way.
Do you take by faith the work of Christ for you? Do you try to live the Christian life by operation bootstraps? We cannot live the Christian way of life by legalism.
Many believer's have a very difficult time understanding this verse because they have been taught that the moment they are saved their sin nature is removed and they will no longer sin. Then when they realize that they still have this nature within them to sin they begin to question their salvation or wonder what's wrong. Do you have any more thoughts on cutting away of the flesh that might make clear this thinking up. Thanks for your commentary, Jim
Hi Grant,
In one of your commentaries you spoke of Adam who had human nature and then obtained the sin capacity after the fall. You also explained the change in your nature that occurs after salvation, having a disposition towards God.
Can you please remind me where those comments were written, as I would like to refer back to it.
Thank you very much!
C, I am not sure which passage to which you refer but you may check Romans 5:12 to end of the chapter: https://versebyversecommentary.com/2012/01/12/romans-512/