New Covenant Circumcision

New Covenant Circumcision

Philippians 3:3 (NIV) "For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—"

Such a powerful statement. Under the new covenant circumcision, the cutting away of tender flesh, as a mark of belonging and consecration to God, takes on an even boarder deeper meaning/application.

Under the new covenant those who are truly circumcised are those who put no dependence and no confidence in the flesh (all those things we can do and characterizes and skill that are good and godly "whatever were gains"(v7)/"what we are in the flesh and on outward privileges and physical advantages and external appearances"(AMP v3). It is the cutting away of the flesh so to speak, living and serving God by His Spirit, through faith in Christ, "progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly, and ...in that same way come to know the power out flowing from His resurrection which it exerts over believers, and ... so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, in the hope that if possible I may attain to the spiritual and moral resurrection that lifts [me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].

Like most (if not all things) under the new covenant, circumcision takes on such an exponentially greater application in the Spirit. It is now not just the cutting off of some flesh as a sign of belonging and consecration unto God. It is now the cutting off of ALL flesh to make room for continued growth in knowledge and continuing empowered application of His grace and love in our lives, setting us aside holy & wholly different, becoming like Jesus in all ways.

Paul states he hadn't achieved this ideal at his writing of this letter, and so much less have I. But I follow his appeal and example and I empty my hands, mind, and heart of me and my stuff and in faith reach out to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 

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