The Body of Christ’s Circumcision is Not of the Heart

Many Christians have a big misunderstanding when it comes to circumcision. Sure, most recognize that the physical act of circumcision doesn’t give you any right standing with God as it did with Israel (Gen 17:5-14), but they miss the mystery of Christ and try to merge two other circumcisions in the Bible. Rightfully so, many see the clear instructions against the necessity for physical circumcision peppered throughout Paul’s epistles, but especially in Galatians:  

“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” – Gal 5:6

Unfortunately, those who don’t rightly divide New Covenant Israel from the Body of Christ often stumble over two passages that lead to serious confusion for the Christian walk on the subject of circumcision: Romans 2:26-29 and Philippians 3:3.

“[26] Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? [27] And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? [28] For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: [29] 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.”– Romans 2:26-29

“For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” – Philippians 3:3

Many covenant theologians make huge jumps from these verses along the lines of: “See! We are the circumcision, which means we’re spiritual Jews! We walk by faith not sight… we’re renewed in the inner man…being a Jew is an inward thing not an outward… Romans 9-11 talk about a remnant of Israel which must be us… so badda bing badda boom: we’re spiritual Israel!”

In reality, Romans 2 is talking about what true Jewish circumcision was, which required both physical (Rom 2:26) AND heart circumcision (Rom 2:29) from the beginning. This circumcision of the heart was extremely important as it was obedience to God’s commands from a position of faith and humility. It was something the Jews accomplished on their end, and not freely given by God. It was not something new, albeit repeated many times in the New Testament concerning Israel: 

“[12] And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, [13] To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? [14] Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD'S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. [15] Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day. [16] Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.” – Deuteronomy 10:12-16

Both the inward heart circumcision and physical circumcision were required from Israel under both the Old and New Covenants, as witnessed by their obedience to the law.

But, the circumcision referenced in Philippians 3:3 for the Body of Christ is not one based upon your actions. As are all of our spiritual blessings in Christ (Eph 1:3), they are given by God’s grace. The Apostle Paul describes the circumcision of the Body of Christ in Colossians 2:11:

“In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:” – Col 2:11

Notice this circumcision isn’t predicated upon your obedience (Deu 10:12, Rom 2:26) or humility (Lev 26:40-41), but through “the faith of the operation of God” (Col 2:12). It’s not of ourselves so that no one can boast or esteem themselves. Our circumcision in the Body of Christ is God circumcising us from our body of sins. Our circumcision is found in the fact we are crucified with Christ (Gal 2:20, Rom 6:3-6) upon faith in the gospel.

What’s the big deal? Aren’t these different circumcisions just semantics? Unfortunately, no. The conflation of New Covenant Israel doctrines and Body of Christ doctrines will cause great confusion, and lead to you laying claim to covenant promises that aren’t yours to take.  

By wrongfully putting yourself into spiritual Israel, through a misinterpretation of Romans 2 and Philippians 3, you’ll be left thinking you should cast out demons (Mar 16:17), heal the sick (Mar 16:18), sell everything you have (Luk 18:22), or expect God to freely feed, clothe, and provide all your physical needs without any work as He will in the Kingdom (Luk 12:24-34 vs. 2Th 3:10-12). Moreover, wrongly believing you are spiritual Israel means your forgiveness is conditional upon your performance (Mar 6:14-15), your salvation is yet future (Rom 11:25-27) and that you can lose your sacrifice for sins after willfully sinning (Heb 10:26) along with many other contrary instructions that don’t pertain to the Body of Christ today.