“For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:”
(Philippians 3:3–4, KJV)
Many people today are having identity issues. Recently, in the past few years, the issue of gender identification has arisen. It works like this. Those that hold to this unnatural philosophy hold to the idea that after birth, one can determine if they are male or female regardless of their physical gender identification. In other words, one who has all the anatomical physiology of a man can self-identify as a woman and vice versa. It is my opinion that this is not a gender-identity issue but a gender-confusion issue. One’s gender is ordained by God at birth. So, what does this have to do with what Paul stated here to the Philippians?
The Jews identified themselves as God’s children and as justified through obedience to the law. One vital aspect was that of circumcision. All males who would follow the Mosaic law needed to be circumcised to consider themselves as justified before God.
However, the true circumcision is not one established by the work of human hands. It is one established by the Spirit of God upon faith alone. This principle is seen in both the Old Testament Writings and the New. First, consider Abraham. Abraham was not circumcised until he was 99 years old (Genesis 17:24). Yet prior to this we read that when Abram (later called Abraham) was concerned because he did not have an heir, God promised him that he would have a son of his own as an heir. The Scripture then states, “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6, KJV)
Further there are references in the Old Testament that indicated the most important circumcision was that of the heart. The Israelites were to circumcise their hearts (Deuteronomy 1:16; Jeremiah 4:4).
When Moses addressed the people when renewing the covenant at Moab prior to commissioning Joshua to take the people into the Promised Land, the Lord had Moses give them these words connected with a true attitude of repentance by faith.
“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.” (Deuteronomy 30:6, KJV)
Here we see that the Lord circumcises the heart of those who respond to Him and His word by faith.
Moreover, in the New Testament Paul wrote of this same thought.
“For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 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 2:28–29, KJV)
So, to Paul’s writing to the Philippians, he is indicating a truth. The true circumcision is one of the heart and not of the flesh. Moreover, this circumcision is not done with human hands but by the work of the Spirit on the heart. This happens when one comes to true faith in Jesus Christ alone.
Thus, Paul makes a beautiful statement of fact, “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” The Jews self-identified as justified before God. Yet only those who have born of the Spirit by faith in Jesus are truly identified as justified and children of God (John 1:12-13).
Renewing the Heart 