Rooted in Christ- Part 17- New Life in Christ

Introduction

Paul has just reminded the believers in the church at Colosse that they are complete in Christ and now he goes into greater detail concerning the effects of their union with Christ.

There is a wonderful change that takes place when any individual is by faith brought into union with Jesus Christ and Paul shares the truth of these operations in these verses.

Here he takes two physical acts and details the underlying spiritual realities which they are representative of and how in Christ these are realized.

In Christ believers experience:

The Spiritual Reality of Circumcision (Vs. 11)

Circumcision in the Old Testament was a unique sign of a man’s union with the nation of Israel. The first mention of circumcision is found in the life of Abraham.

Genesis 17:9-14- circumcision given as a sign of the covenant between Abraham and God. Would be the unique sign of the people of God- ultimately of the Jewish people. Anyone who desired to be a part of this people must be circumcised. It was a matter of identification with God’s chosen people.

This took place after Abraham had already believed God and been counted righteous.

Genesis 15:6 KJV 1900

And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

However, it becomes clear that God’s primary concern was not the circumcision of the flesh but rather the circumcision of the heart.

Deuteronomy 10:16 KJV 1900

Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

Deuteronomy 30:6 KJV 1900

And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

Jeremiah 4:4 KJV 1900

Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

This was true even of the Jewish people in the sight of God they were only truly his people if their heart was circumcised.

Romans 2:29 KJV 1900

But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

The circumcision which Paul speaks of is a circumcision made without hands, it is that circumcision of the heart which is found throughout the scriptures.

Philippians 3:3 KJV 1900

For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

The spiritual reality behind circumcision is that the body of the flesh has been stripped away and we are no more in bondage to its sinful desires.

It is through our identification with Christ by faith that we experience this circumcision of the heart which leads to our liberty.

The moment that we place our faith in Christ our heart is circumcised, we are made new creatures in Christ and the old nature is stripped away.

2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV 1900

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Ephesians 4:20-24- put off old man and put on the new-only possible in Christ

The Spiritual Reality of Baptism (Vs. 12)

Next Paul moves to the spiritual reality which baptism represents. In baptism we are identified with Jesus Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection.

This is a physical illustration of a present spiritual reality. Peter speaks of “the figure of baptism.

1 Peter 3:21 KJV 1900

The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Baptism therefore is a physical illustration of the spiritual resurrection which has taken place in the lives of those who have been united with Christ by faith.

The same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead has now given to us spiritual life.

This process is described in greater detail in Ephesians 2:1-5- and you hath he quickened...

We were dead in our sins with no spiritual life at all until we were united with Christ by faith. At that point we were given spiritual life and raised from the dead.

Romans 6:1-11- presents a wonderful picture of this present reality for the believer- we are dead to sin but alive unto God in Christ!

Let us live out this new reality by reckoning it to be so as we die to sin and self and live unto Christ!

Galatians 2:20 KJV 1900

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

A Complete Transformation (Vs. 13)

The moment that an individual places their faith in Christ they are brought into union with Him and a complete transformation takes place in the spiritual sense.

This transformation is complete and absolute and cannot be undone. This transformation, when embraced, will be manifest in the outward behavior of the believer.

The transformation that takes place is from the inner man to the outward expression.

Apart from Christ we were all dead in sins and separated from God without any hope of reconciliation.

Ephesians 2:12 KJV 1900

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

But now that we have been united with Christ, we are made nigh by His blood.

In Christ we have life and we have been brought into right relationship with God.

In Christ our sins have been forgiven and have been taken out of the way such that they no longer separate us from God.

Truly we can say “What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought, since Jesus came into my heart!”

The challenge now for every believer is that this present spiritual reality would be manifest in the way that we live our daily lives.

Philippians 2:12- work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

How vital it is that these present spiritual realities would be practically lived out each day!

Conclusion

This passage provides further proof that you and I are completed in Christ and that all that is necessary for pleasing God and living a godly life is found in Him.

Let us purpose today to allow these present spiritual realities to make a practical impact upon our lives such that the transformation would not only be inward but that it would be manifest to the outside world that all may see what a wonderful change has taken place since we have become united with Christ!