Circumcised In Heart

"Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Phil. 3: 2-3)

"We (Christians, believers in Jesus) are the circumcision"

I am so glad to be in the group described in the above words of Paul! 

Those who have only been circumcised in the flesh, and who oppose the gospel (against whom Paul gives warning), are styled "the concision," an appropriate label for those who are circumcised in the flesh but not in the heart or spirit. In other words, Paul says -  BEWARE OF THE FALSE CIRCUMCISION or "FLESH CUTTERS"! More literally Paul says "Beware of the mutilation"! 

"The KJV says "beware of the concision" where concision is an archaic term which means to mutilate. Concision describes the mark on the flesh of the Israelite who had submitted to the outward rite, but had never been circumcised in heart. Spurgeon - Beware of the cutters off, those who excommunicate and cut off others because they do not happen quite to agree with them in certain rites and ceremonies." (here)

Paul says, “You Jews think that you are circumcised; in point of fact, you are only mutilated." (Barclay, ibid) Believers in Jesus are they who have experienced circumcision of heart.

Spiritual Circumcision

Moses told Israel, “Circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer.” (Deut. 10:16)

Jeremiah exhorted: 

"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." (Jer. 4: 4)

What is meant, metaphorically, by "foreskins of your heart"? And, what does it signify for one to "take away" or to "cut away" the "foreskins of the heart"?

Commented Dr. Gill:

"Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart - Content not yourselves with, nor put your confidence in outward circumcision of the flesh, but be concerned for the circumcision of the heart; for removing from that whatever is disagreeable to the Lord, even all carnality, sensuality, hypocrisy, and superfluity of naughtiness, and for having that put there which is well pleasing in his sight; and which though it is the work of God, and he only can do it and has promised it, yet such an exhortation is made to bring men to a sense of their need of it, and of the importance of it, and to show how agreeable it is to the Lord, and so to stir them up to seek unto him for it." (Gill's Commentary)

Something is cut away or removed in the work of circumcision. In spiritual circumcision of the heart there is a "removing" of "whatever is disagreeable to the Lord." And, if that is true, and I think it is, then spiritual circumcision is never completed in this life, but is an ongoing experience. Yet, the scriptures do not generally portray heart circumcision as a continuous process throughout the life of the believer. 

Many commentators will say that the sin nature of believers is what is cut away in heart circumcision. But, believers still have the sinful nature, or the flesh, even after conversion and regeneration. 

I think we may conceive of spiritual circumcision as being both initial and continuant. It is like attachment which may be likewise conceived of as both completed act and ongoing process. I became attached to Christ in conversion, but I am more attached to him now than ever before. You see what I mean? Each day finds me in need of becoming less attached to the world and the flesh and more attached to the Lord.

"Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart." (Jer. 9:26)

Notice the contrast between circumcision of the heart and of the flesh and the irony. In the new testament, Stephen condemned the Jews for being “men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart” (Acts 7:51).

Though the Lord commanded the people to circumcise their hearts to the Lord, yet this they could not do by their own will power, and so required God to do for them what they could not do for themselves, and so the prophet says:

“Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live” (30: 6). 

In the new testament this is spoken of in several places.

"For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God." (Ro 2: 28, 29)

In Ephesians Paul contrasts physical circumcision with spiritual circumcision, speaking of "the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands" (Eph. 2:11) in contrast to that hidden circumcision which the Spirit performs upon spirit and "without hands." 

To the Colossians Paul wrote:

"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: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses." (Col. 2: 11-13)

Notice again how circumcision involves a "putting off" what is called "the body of the sins of the flesh." 

Many commentators believe "the body of the sins of the flesh" denotes the depraved fallen nature that remains unrenewed after regeneration (or spiritual circumcision). 

Colossians 2:11 in the NASB reads: "When you came to Christ, you were "circumcised," but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision--the cutting away of your sinful nature."

But, Christians find that they still, after conversion, have a sinful nature that is still attached to them, so how can this be the correct interpretation? Perhaps it involves the same thing Paul referred to when he wrote a few verses later - "Do not lie to one another, after having stripped off the old man with his deeds." (Col. 3: 9)

So, what does it mean to "strip off the old man with his deeds"? What does it mean to "put away the body of the sins of the flesh"? 

Doubtless the two descriptive phrases, "old man with his deeds" and "body of the sins of the flesh" are to be equated with what is called (as we have seen) "the foreskins of the heart." 

Is this stripping and putting away (or cutting away) an initial one time act at the start of the Christian life? Or, is it also something that is habitually occurring in the heart, mind, and spirit of the Christian? Is it like "crucifying the flesh"? (Gal. 5: 24) This is pictured as being in some respects a finished act of conversion and also an ongoing experience.

The Truly Circumcised

There are three things that describe the truly saved Christian, the one who is circumcised with "the circumcision of Christ." 

First, they "worship God in the spirit." Second, they "rejoice in Christ Jesus." Third, they "have no confidence in the flesh."

Well, praise God, I can say that these three things describe my life generally. How is it with you? How can you know that you have been circumcised in heart? Do you adore God? Do you think of him daily? Do you rejoice in Christ Jesus? Is he precious to you? Do you deny yourself, hating the flesh, putting no confidence in it? I have little confidence in myself. The world says that I should believe in myself, to love and trust myself, but I cannot follow this advice.