True circumcision, performed by the Spirit of God, fits us for citizenship in the Kingdom of God, driving us to the hope of the resurrection from the dead. Paul encourages the church to “Rejoice in the Lord,” and assures them that discussion of the gospel in all its angles and connections does not weary him in the least—“no trouble to me.” It is a joy for him and a faith-securing privilege for them.
How often we need to be reminded of the perfection, completeness of effectuality of God’s work. Paul was painfully aware of the attempts of false teachers to infiltrate the churches and win followers to themselves by their strange doctrine, so he does not mind sticking with this historically accomplished, revealed truth. He found it necessary to reiterate his teaching—the true gospel revealed to the apostles—in order to protect both the faith and the faithful. So, Paul found it no trouble to “write the same things” for it was a “safeguard” for the church (1). Peter had this same purpose in mind (2 Peter 1:12-15) when he reminded the churches within his sphere of influence of the truth he had taught them—“I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things.”
Paul issued a strong warning against false teaching, because false teaching, purposefully erroneous content, produces false faith and deluded followers. He calls these heresy-mongers “dogs, . . . evil workers, . . . the false circumcision” (2 NASB). Their performance is a mere “mutilation of the flesh” (NKJV combined with ESV). Evidently some of the same group that challenged the Galatian churches had also made their way to Philippi (Gal. 5:1-11). Throughout the letter to the Galatians, Paul warned against embracing this false gospel. He warned against a yoke of slavery, that Christ would be of “no benefit” and that they would be “severed from Christ” and “fallen from grace” if they adopted the ceremony of circumcision as a qualification for the gospel. Instead, Paul urged that they continue in their obedience to the truth, to follow no other persuasion, and adopt no other view (Galatians 5:1-10).
The gospel has a particular content, nothing superfluous, all vital. True faith includes a persuasion of both its truthfulness and its necessity. We confess, therefore, that not only was Jesus born of a virgin as a matter of fact, but we concede that such an event was necessary for the demands of salvation. So too do we confess the fact of Jesus’ sinless and positively righteous life, but we embrace its necessity for our right standing before God. Not only do we see the crucifixion of Christ as a historical reality, but we believe its substitutionary, propitiatory, expiatory character to be essential if sinners are to be saved. We point to the resurrection as a demonstrable and certain historical fact and also embrace its power over death as an inextricable component of the gift of eternal life.
Paul issued a theological statement about the true meaning of circumcision (3). This could have been dispensed with quickly and clearly had he written, “Don’t you know that Circumcision has now been replaced with the baptism of your children? The old covenant for membership in the covenantal people of Israel required circumcision of all male progeny. That rite is now replaced by the baptism of all children—male as well as female. Baptism of children is now the true circumcision.” Paul did not write that. Instead, he gave concise discussion of the work of the Spirit in his work of calling and transformation of heart.
Circumcision was a ceremony that prefigured the work of the Spirit in removing a sinner’s hardness of heart. The Spirit would create a free flow of trust and love from a sinner to Christ. The true circumcision of regeneration establishes three things, at least, in the spiritual response of a believer.
First, the one who has true circumcision worships by the Spirit of God, that is, according to the work of the Sprit in the new covenant. The law is written on his heart (Jeremiah 31:33), the heart of stone has been removed, the Spirit of God has been put within us to cause us to walk in God’s statutes (Ezekiel 36:26, 27). This circumcision is evidenced in true and observable moral change and spiritual perception. The “circumcised’ person worships “in the Spirit of God.”
Second, the true believer, the person who has entered the followship of the covenant people, glories in Christ Jesus. The person has a conscious awareness of those objective gospel facts discussed above and has assented to them and consented to their eternal relevance in his standing before God. The participant in this covenant has forgiveness of sins, iniquities no longer remembered against them (Jeremiah 31:34) for the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin (1 John 1:5). In Christ alone he trusts, for Christ has accomplished all righteousness.
Third, the true believer puts no confidence in the flesh. “Flesh” refers to any status that we may claim from natural relations or from accomplishments from any talents or attempts at personal virtue. All that we are and do is so interpenetrated by the principle of the “flesh” that wars against the Spirit (Galatians 5:17) that it can avail nothing before God, can accomplish no reconciliation, no righteousness. Paul never misses an opportunity to seal this truth: “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his own mercy” (Titus 3:5); “not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:9); “not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and grace” (2 Timothy 1:9); “To the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly” (Romans 4:5). Worshipping by the Spirit and taking part in the work of Christ through faith is the true circumcision. Are you circumcised?
