THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br> <br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE: 12-31-17<br> <br>



LESSON TITLE: “IN HIM YOU WERE ALSO CIRCUMCISED”<br> <br>



WELCOME<br> <br>

      TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES, WE ARE TOLD “FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD.” IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST, RAY SULLINS.<br> <br>



      AGAIN LET ME WISH YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR! 2018 STARTS TOMORROW AND THE QUESTION IS, “ARE WE READY TO FACE ANOTHER YEAR AND TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF IT FOR THE SAKE OF OUR CREATOR!” IT IS MY HOPE AND PRAYER THAT WE ARE AND THAT AS WE GATHER TODAY THAT WE ARE ONCE AGAIN READY TO GIVE HIM OUR VERY BEST ON THIS THE LAST LORD’S DAY OF 2017. SO, LET ME WELCOME EACH OF YOU TO OUR PROGRAM THIS MORNING. AS ALWAYS, IT IS ALWAYS A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE YOU WITH US TO EXPLORE THE LIVING WORD OF GOD AND WE THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US FOR THIS TIME OF OFFERING TO GOD. <br> <br>  

      AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, IT WILL BE OUR PRIVILEGE TODAY TO SING SONGS OF PRAISE TO OUR GOD AND TO STUDY FROM HIS PERFECT WORD!  WHAT GREATER ACTIVITY, COULD WE TOGETHER ENGAGE IN THIS MORNING FOR THE SAKE OF OUR GOD. MAY WE EACH DO OUR PART TO MAKE THIS TIME BENEFICIAL TOWARD GOD, ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. NOW, LET’S APPROACH OUR FATHER’S THRONE IN PRAYER.<br> <br>

      PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY AND THE GREAT BLESSINGS OF LIFE BUT WE KNOW THAT ALL BLESSINGS COME FROM YOU. AND WE KNOW EVERYTHING PHYSICALLY THAT WE HAVE AS WELL AS ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS COME FROM YOU. AND FATHER, WE ESPECIALLY ARE THANKFUL FOR JESUS AND THE GREAT SACRIFICE THAT HE MADE ON THE CROSS AS WELL AS HIS BURIAL AND HIS RESURRECTION. THESE THINGS THAT CONFIRM TO US THAT GREATEST OF ALL NEWS! THAT SALVATION IS MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL OF MANKIND. THEREFORE FATHER HELP US TO LIVE EVERY DAY THAT WE MIGHT BE A RECIPIENT OF YOUR REWARDS, YOUR PROMISES, AND YOUR BLESSINGS. THESE WE PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, AMEN. <br> <br>



      THIS MORNING WE WANT TO BEGIN WITH A SONG WHICH HELPS US TO REALIZE THAT WE ARE NEVER ALONE WHEN GOD IS ON OUR SIDE AND THAT HE WILL BE A FRIEND OF OURS THROUGHOUT ALL THE AGES, IF WE ARE FAITHFUL TO HIS WILL. SO, WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING TOGETHER, “THERE’S NOT A FRIEND…!” <br> <br>



DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br>

      ONE DAY, A LITTLE BOY WAS COMPLAINING TO HIS GRANDMA ABOUT ALL THE PROBLEMS HE HAD IN LIFE! HE GRIPED ABOUT SCHOOL, CHORES AND EVEN FRIENDS WHO WEREN’T TREATING HIM RIGHT. SOUNDS FAMILIAR DOESN’T IT?<br> <br>

      LATER THAT DAY, THE GRANDMA WAS WORKING ON MAKING A CAKE AND CALLED TO THE BOY, WHO WAS PLAYING OUTSIDE. WITH A LOVING TONE OF VOICE, SHE ASKED HER GRANDSON IF HE WOULD LIKE A SNACK, TO WHICH SHE RECEIVED AN EXCITED REPLY, “YES MA’AM,” AS HE HEADED OVER TOWARD THE COOKIE JAR. <br> <br> 	

      BUT GRANDMA SAID, “HERE HAVE SOME COOKING OIL.” TO WHICH THE BOY REPLY, “YUCK!” “WELL THEN,” SHE SAID, “HOW ABOUT SOME RAW EGGS,” TO WHICH THE BOY REPLIED, “GROSS GRANDMA!” “THEN HOW ABOUT SOME BAKING SODA,” “NO WAY,” SAID THE YOUNG BOY WITH A GRIN ON HIS FACE.<br> <br>

      HAVING SET THE STAGE THE GRANDMA THEN SAID, “YOU SEE SON, ALL THESE THINGS SEEM BAD WHEN YOU THINK OF THEM BY THEMSELVES, BUT WHEN YOU PUT THEM TOGETHER THEY MAKE A WONDERFUL DELICIOUS CAKE!” TO WHICH SHE THEN ADDED, “IN LIFE, GOD WORKS IN THE SAME WAY.  AND MANY TIMES WE WONDER WHY HE WOULD LET US GO THROUGH SUCH PROBLEMS, OR DIFFICULT AND HARD TIMES. BUT GOD KNOWS THAT WHEN HE PUTS THESE THINGS TOGETHER AND IN ORDER, THEY ALWAYS WORK FOR GOOD.”<br> <br> 

      OH, WHAT A TRUE LESSON IN LIFE. WE MUST LEARN TO TRUST IN GOD TO KNOW THAT HE WILL MAKE GOOD THINGS OUT OF ALL THINGS WHICH HAPPEN IN OUR LIFE. IN FACT, ISN’T THAT WHAT PAUL WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN HE SAID, “AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, TO THOSE WHO ARE THE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE,” ROMANS 8:28.<br> <br>

      HAVE YOU PUT YOUR FAITH AND TRUST IN GOD? ARE YOU SEEING GREAT THINGS IN YOUR LIFE BECAUSE OF YOUR FAITHFULNESS TO HIS CALLING? CHOOSE TO FOLLOW GOD, IN HIS WAY TODAY!<br> <br>

      OUR TOPIC TODAY WILL AGAIN FOCUS ON OUR SERIES ENTITLED, “COMPLETE IN HIM.” TODAY OUR SPECIFIC LESSON WILL DEAL WITH THE STATEMENT, “IN HIM YOU WERE ALSO CIRCUMCISED.” SO STAY WITH US THIS MORNING AND IN A FEW MINUTES I WILL RETURN TO LEAD US IN OUR THOUGHTS OF THE DAY. NOW IT’S TIME TO JOIN IN OUR SECOND HYMN OF THE MORNING, THE NAME OF THE SONG, “TO GOD BE THE GLORY.”

      <br> <br>

      LESSON<br> <br>

      RAY SULLINS<br> <br>

      THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONTINUING WITH US TODAY AS WE NOW GO TO GOD'S WORD AND LOOK AT ANOTHER LESSON IN OUR SERIES CONCERNING JESUS. WE'VE BEEN TAKING OUR THEME AS WELL AS OUR THOUGHTS FROM COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 2 WHERE WE REALLY READ THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE ARE IN HIM OR THROUGH JESUS. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WHAT WE HAVE BEGUN TO LEARN IS THAT THERE ARE ASPECTS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, LIKE THE WAY THAT WE WALK OR THE WAY THE WE ARE FOUNDED OR ROOTED IN HIM, THE WAY TO WE'RE BE ESTABLISHED IN OUR FAITH, THAT THE SPIRIT OF CHARACTER AND THANKSGIVING THAT WE SHOW. ALL THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN REALLY SEEN WITHIN CHAPTER 2 HERE AND HAVE REALLY BEEN CHALLENGES FOR US TO BE CHRISTIANS THAT ARE SERIOUS ABOUT OUR CHARACTER AND ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND HOW WE SHOW FORTH THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST.<br> <br> 

      WITH THAT IN MIND THEN, I WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK NOW TO OUR TEXT SPECIFICALLY AS WE GO DOWN TO AROUND VERSE 11. AND AFTER HE HAS TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT CERTAINLY WE HAVE THE GREAT PRIVILEGE AND OPPORTUNITY THROUGH JESUS, NOT ONLY TO KNOW HIM, BUT TO IN SO MANY WAYS EXEMPLIFY OR TO FOLLOW THE PATTERN THAT HE LEFT. HE ALSO THEN BEGINS TO DEAL WITH WHAT IS CALLED HERE CIRCUMCISION. AND TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE IDEA OF CIRCUMCISION WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE OLD LAW, WE CAN GO BACK EVEN BEFORE THE OLD LAW BECAUSE CERTAINLY IT WAS REITERATED AS A PART OF THE COVENANT IN THE OLD LAW BUT IT EVEN CAME BEFORE THAT. IF YOU GO BACK TO THE DAYS OF ABRAHAM, REMEMBER THE PROMISES THAT WAS GIVEN TO ABRAHAM THERE IN GENESIS CHAPTER 12? HOW ALL THE WORLD, RATHER, THROUGH HIS SEED WOULD BE BLESSED. BUT THEN AS WE MOVE OVER TO GENESIS CHAPTER 17, WE SEE THAT AS HE AGAIN, THAT IS GOD, REAFFIRMS THE COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM, HE SAYS THERE IS A SIGN THAT ABRAHAM AND THE MEN OR THE MALES WOULD ENGAGE IN AS A SEAL OF THE COVENANT. IN OTHER WORDS, GOD SAYS HERE'S MY PROMISE AND THEREFORE WITHIN YOUR FLESH THERE WILL BE A SIGN OR A SEAL OF THE COVENANT. AND THAT SEAL OR SIGN IN ABRAHAM THAT DAY AS WELL AS HIS SON AND ALL THOSE MEN WHO WERE WITH HIM, ALL THAT THEY ENGAGED IN WAS THE CIRCUMCISION OF THE FLESH. AND SO AS WE THINK ABOUT THAT WE KNOW THAT THE VERY FLESHLY SIGN OF THE COMMITMENT THEY HAD MADE TO GOD WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ALWAYS AND EVER WITH THEM. <br> <br>

      NOW, AS WE MOVE INTO THE NEW TESTAMENT, WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF THE OLD LAW REITERATING THAT PART OF THE COVENANT AND THAT THE JEW, BELIEVING THE NEED FOR ONE TO BE CIRCUMCISED IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED AS PURE OR A PART OF THE COVENANT THAT GOD HAD MADE. IT OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT LONG AFTER THE CHURCH BEGAN OR EVEN IN THE DAYS THAT THE CHURCH WAS BEING ESTABLISHED THAT THE JEWS KIND OF WANTED TO HOLD ON TO MANY OF THESE OLD WAYS OF THE LAW OF MOSES OR THE WAYS OF THE JEWS EVEN BEFORE THAT LAW. AND BECAUSE OF THAT WHAT WE BEGIN TO FIND IS THAT THEY WOULD IMPOSE EVEN FLESHLY CIRCUMCISION ON THE GENTILES AND SOME OF THEM WOULD SAY, ‘WELL, I BELIEVE IN JESUS AND I FOLLOW JESUS AND THEREFORE I AM NOW HAVING OBEYED THE PLAN OF SALVATION. I AM A CHRISTIAN. BUT CIRCUMCISION IS STILL REQUIRED BECAUSE OF WHAT WAS TOLD TO ABRAHAM AND ALSO WHAT WAS REQUIRED WITHIN THE LAW.’ IT'S QUITE INTERESTING THEN HOW PAUL DEALS WITH THIS CONCEPT EVEN WITHIN OUR MAIN TEXT THERE IN VERSE 11. AND YOU'LL NOTICE WITHIN CHAPTER 2 OF COLOSSIANS WHAT HE IS DEALING WITH HERE IS PRIMARILY THE JEW, FIRST OF ALL, AND HOW SO MANY OF THE JEWISH THINGS THEY WERE TRYING TO HOLD ON TO AND JUDGE OTHERS BY. WHEN WHAT HE IS SAYING HERE IS THAT WE'RE NO LONGER UNDER THE OLD LAW, THE OLD COVENANT OF THE LAW OF MOSES. WE ARE NOW UNDER A NEW AND BETTER LAW, THE LAW OF CHRIST. AND THEN HE ACTUALLY GOES ON AND DEALS WITH SOME THINGS THAT WOULD'VE AFFECTED THE WORLD OR THE PAGAN WORLD AND HE SAYS THOSE THINGS ARE NOT A PART OF THE LAW OF CHRIST EITHER. SO IN THE SAME WAY THAT A LOT OF THESE PAGAN OR THINGS OF THE WORLD ARE NOT A PART OF THE LAW OF CHRIST, THE THINGS OF MOSES ARE NOT A PART OF THE LAW OF CHRIST EITHER. CHRIST IS A FULFILLMENT OF THAT LAW AND EVEN MORE PERFECT BECAUSE HE IS THE SAVIOR HIMSELF! <br> <br>

      NOW WITH THAT IN MIND, LOOK AT VERSE 11 WITH ME, “IN HIM YOU WERE ALSO CIRCUMCISED WITH THE CIRCUMCISION MADE WITHOUT HANDS.” NOW, WHAT PAUL BEGINS TO ESTABLISH IS THERE IS A NEED OF PURIFICATION OR A NEED OF CIRCUMCISION OF SOME SORT. BUT IT NO LONGER IS OF THE FLESH AS UNDER THE DAYS OF ABRAHAM OR AS UNDER THE DAYS OF MOSES. NOW TO SEE THAT THEN, THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER PASSAGES WE WANT TO GO TO AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND WE WILL CONCLUDE OUR THOUGHTS IN COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 2. SO IF YOU WILL TURN OVER TO THE BOOK OF GALATIANS, SEVERAL BOOKS BACK, TO THE BOOK OF GALATIANS CHAPTER 5. THE CONTEXT HERE IS REALLY GREAT AND I HOPE THAT IF YOU HAVE TIME LATER, IF YOU CAN JOT THESE SCRIPTURES DOWN, YOU MIGHT WANT TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE CONTEXT BECAUSE WHAT PAUL IS DEALING WITH IN CHAPTER 5 IS REALLY THE FREEDOM THAT WE HAVE IN CHRIST. THE LIBERTY THAT WE ARE NO LONGER BOUND OR ENTANGLED IN THE OLD LAW, THE OLD WAYS OF THE LAW OF MOSES BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A BETTER LAW ON A BETTER SACRIFICE, THE VERY BLOOD OF JESUS. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT BECAUSE VERSE ONE SAYS, “STAND FAST THEREFORE IN THE LIBERTY BY WHICH CHRIST HAS MADE US FREE, AND DO NOT BE ENTANGLED AGAIN IN THE YOKE OF BONDAGE.” AND THEN HE SAYS IN VERSE TWO, “INDEED I, PAUL, SAY TO YOU THAT IF YOU BECOME CIRCUMCISED, CHRIST WILL PROFIT YOU NOTHING.” PAUL, A CONVERTED JEW WHO HAD BEEN CIRCUMCISED, IS TELLING THEM NOW, THE GALATIANS THAT WOULD'VE INCLUDED GENTILES AND GENTILE CHRISTIANS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE CIRCUMCISED TO BE SAVED NOT OF THE FLESH. AND WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE AS WE GO TO VERSE THREE HE SAYS, ‘HEY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BECOME CIRCUMCISED, YOU'LL BE A DEBTOR TO THE WHOLE LAW OF MOSES. YOU CAN'T JUST PICK CIRCUMCISION OUT OF THE OLD LAW. YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE ENTIRE LAW IF YOU'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THAT LAW.’ NOW HEAR VERSE FOUR. IT SAYS, “YOU THEN HAVE BECOME ESTRANGED FROM CHRIST, YOU WHO ATTEMPT TO BE JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW; AND YOU HAVE FALLEN FROM GRACE.” WHY? BECAUSE SOME OF THEM WERE IMPOSING THINGS AS OF THE OLD LAW AS A PART OF SALVATION. AND ACTUALLY CONDEMNING THEMSELVES AND PERHAPS CONDEMNING OTHERS. NOW WHAT WAS ONE OF THOSE ASPECTS? LOOK AT VERSE SIX, “FOR IN CHRIST JESUS NEITHER CIRCUMCISION NOR UNCIRCUMCISION AVAILS ANYTHING, BUT FAITH WORKING THROUGH LOVE.” YOU SEE WHAT HE SAYS? IT'S NOT ABOUT FLESHLY CIRCUMCISION. IT'S NOT ABOUT YOUR CHOICE TO BE CIRCUMCISED WHICH YOU HAVE THE RIGHT OR ABOUT YOUR CHOICE TO NOT BE CIRCUMCISED WHICH YOU ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT. WHAT IT IS ABOUT IS FAITH WORKING THROUGH LOVE! FAITH IN WHO? JESUS CHRIST. YOU SEE, CIRCUMCISION AS HE CLARIFIED IN VERSE TWO, WILL PROFIT YOU NOTHING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. <br> <br>

      WELL, HE DIDN'T JUST SAY THIS TO THE GALATIAN CHURCH AND THE COLOSSIAN AS WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE, BUT WE CAN ACTUALLY BACK UP TO THE CHURCH IN ROME. THERE IN ROMANS CHAPTER 2 NOTICE AGAIN THAT HE DEALS WITH THE SAME IDEA PRIMARILY IN VERSE 26 WHERE HE TALKS OF CIRCUMCISION. BUT STARTING THERE IN VERSE 25, “FOR CIRCUMCISION IS INDEED PROFITABLE IF YOU KEEP THE LAW; BUT IF YOU'RE A LAWBREAKER YOU'RE CIRCUMCISION HAS BECOME UNCIRCUMCISION.” AND THEN HE GOES INTO THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT IF YOU CHOOSE TO FOLLOW THE LAW CIRCUMCISION IS A PART OF THE SEAL OF THE OLD LAW BUT IF THEN YOU DON'T OBEY THE LAW DOES CIRCUMCISION MAKE YOU FAITHFUL? WELL, CERTAINLY NOT! A SIGN IN THE FLESH OR A MARK IN THE FLESH DOESN'T MAKE YOU OBEY GOD OR FORCE YOU TO OBEY GOD. SEE, IT WAS A SIGN OF THE COVENANT OF THOSE WHO CHOSE TO BE WHAT? WHO CHOSE TO BE FAITHFUL. NOW I WANT YOU TO NOTICE AS WE DROP DOWN BECAUSE OF TIME WHAT HE SAYS IN VERSE 28 AND 29, “FOR HE IS NOT A JEW WHO IS ONE OUTWARDLY, NOR IS CIRCUMCISION THAT WHICH IS OUTWARDLY IN THE FLESH; BUT HE IS A JEW WHO IS THE ONE INWARDLY; AND CIRCUMCISION IS THAT OF THE HEART, IN THE SPIRIT, NOT IN THE LETTER; WHOSE PRAISE IS NOT FROM MEN BUT FROM GOD.” WHAT DOES HE SAY HERE? THE CIRCUMCISION THAT IS IMPORTANT IS THE CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART. THE CLEANSING OF THE HEART, THE PEELING AWAY OF THE SIN THAT WOULD KEEP THE HEART FROM GOD, AND THEREFORE CONDEMN ONE TO ETERNAL HELL. BUT THE CIRCUMCISION THAT MATTERS IS NOT A FLESHLY SIGN BUT A SIGN OF THE HEART THAT THEREFORE AFFECTS AND CHANGES ALL THE TREASURES. ISN'T THAT WHERE THE TREASURE BEGINS? THE TREASURE OF THE HEART, THAT MAKES THE MAN WHO WE ARE? THE WOMAN WHO SHE IS? AND HOW WE ACT AND WHAT WE SAY? YOU SEE, THAT HEART, THE CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART. THEREFORE AGAIN AS HE SAYS WHETHER YOU ARE CIRCUMCISED OR NOT, THAT'S NOT THE POINT! WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE OLD LAW OF MOSES. WHETHER YOU ARE CIRCUMCISED IN THE HEART, WHETHER YOU HAVE GIVEN YOUR HEART TO JESUS AND THE NEW COVENANT IS WHAT MATTERS. <br> <br>

      AGAIN, IN CORINTHIANS NOW, NOT ONLY AS WE'VE SEEN TO THE GALATIAN CHURCHES AS WELL THE ROMAN CHURCH BUT NOW ALSO IN THE BOOK OF CORINTHIANS. THOSE AT CORINTH EVIDENTLY HAD A DIFFICULTY WITH THIS, ALTHOUGH YOU WOULD'VE HAD NOT ONLY GENTILE BUT JEWISH CHRISTIANS. THEREFORE, WHAT WE WOULD UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE JEWISH CHRISTIANS WERE TRYING TO IMPOSE THINGS SUCH AS CIRCUMCISION. IN VERSE 19, JUST TO AGAIN REMIND YOU, HE SAYS CIRCUMCISION IS NOTHING AND UNCIRCUMCISION IS NOTHING. SEE, RIGHT OFF THE BAT IT'S KIND OF HARD TO CONFUSE. AND WITHIN THE CONTEXT JUST WHAT IS HE TRYING TO SAY? HE IS SAYING IF YOU CAME TO CHRIST, VERSE 18, WHILE CIRCUMCISED, HE SAYS YOU CAN'T BECOME UNCIRCUMCISED. AND HE SAYS IF YOU CAME TO CHRIST WHILE YOU WERE UNCIRCUMCISED HE SAYS YOU DON'T HAVE TO BECOME CIRCUMCISED. IN FACT VERSE 18 SAYS, “LET HIM NOT BE CIRCUMCISED.” DON'T BE CIRCUMCISED BECAUSE WHEN YOU COME TO CHRIST IT'S NOT ABOUT THE FLESH! AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT, THE FLESHLY CIRCUMCISION. WHY? CIRCUMCISION IS NOTHING AND UNCIRCUMCISION IS NOTHING. WHAT REALLY MATTERS? WHAT REALLY MATTERS PAUL? TO THE CORINTHIANS HE THEN SAYS KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD IS WHAT MATTERS! DOING THE WILL OF GOD. THAT'S HOW YOU SHOW GOD YOU LOVE HIM! NOT BY A SIGN OF THE FLESH OR INFLICTING PAIN OR DOING THIS. BY COMMANDMENTS AND OBEDIENCE TO THE COMMANDMENTS! AND HE ACTUALLY GOES ON TO REINFORCE THAT EVEN WITHIN THAT LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS. <br> <br>

      NOW IF YOU WILL LET'S GO BACK TO OUR MAIN TEXT IN COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 2. BECAUSE NOW THAT I THINK WE SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE OF WHAT'S TAKING PLACE TO ALL OF THESE CONGREGATIONS, ALL OF THESE CHURCHES, WHETHER IT BE THERE AT THE ROME OR THE CHURCHES OF GALATIA, WHETHER IT BE THERE IN CONNECTION TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH, WE NOW SEE THAT HE IS SAYING THE SAME THING TO THE COLOSSIAN CHURCH THAT OBVIOUSLY... WELL, WOULD HAVE HAD GENTILE AND JEWISH CHRISTIANS AND THERE'S CONFUSION ON HOW BEING IN CHRIST, BEING COMPLETE IN CHRIST, REALLY HOW THE OLD LAW EFFECTS THAT OR WHAT PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO IMPOSE FROM THE OLD LAW AND HOW THAT AFFECTS THE SITUATION. SO NOW I WANT YOU TO NOTICE WHAT IT IS THAT HE REALLY CLARIFIES AS IS A PART OF THAT CLEANSING OF THE HEART. WE'VE  LEARNED IT IS NOT ABOUT FLESHLY CIRCUMCISION, IT'S ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART OF AN INDIVIDUAL. SO NOW NOTICE WITH ME WHAT HE SAYS AND WE ARE GOING TO READ VERSE 11 AND THEN ADD VERSE 12, I”N HIM YOU ARE ALSO CIRCUMCISED WITH THE CIRCUMCISION MADE WITHOUT HANDS, BY PUTTING OFF OF THE BODY OF SINS OF THE FLESH, BY THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST.” HE SAYS, THE CIRCUMCISION, YOU HAVE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH A FLESHLY OR A CIRCUMCISION SOMEONE MIGHT DO WITH THE HANDS. IT IS ABOUT THAT OF PUTTING AWAY OF SIN, CUTTING AWAY THE SIN, THROWING AWAY THE SIN, DYING TO THE SIN, AND BEING CIRCUMCISED IN CHRIST, WHICH IS THE CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART.  AND THEN HE SAYS WITHIN THE SAME CONTEXT, “BY THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST, BURIED WITH HIM IN BAPTISM.” WHAT ACT IS THE ONE OF FAITH CHALLENGE TO ENGAGE IN THAT IS CALLED A CLEANSING OR A WASHING AWAY OF SINS? BAPTISM. AND SO HOW DO I CIRCUMCISE MY HEART, AT LEAST INITIALLY, TO WASH AWAY THE SINS? WELL, ACCORDING TO REVELATION 1 VERSE FIVE I'M WASHING THE SINS AWAY IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS. AND WHAT ANANIAS TOLD PAUL IN ACTS 22:16 WAS WHY ARE YOU WAITING? ARISE AND BE BAPTIZED AND WASH AWAY YOUR SINS. IT WAS THE IDEA OF BAPTISM THAT WAS A CLEANSING BECAUSE ONE WOULD BE PUT DOWN INTO THE WATER. NOT A FLESHLY CLEANSING, PUT DOWN INTO THE WATER FIGURATIVELY TO REPRESENT THE BLOOD OF JESUS THAT THE HEART MIGHT BE WHAT? CIRCUMCISED. THAT THE SIN MIGHT BE CAST OFF OF THE HEART AND THE BODY. AND SO THAT WHEN ONE RISES OUT OF THAT WATERY GRAVE, WHAT DO THEY BECOME? THEY BECOME A NEW CREATION! YOU SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL....HOW BEAUTIFUL THE ACT OF BAPTISM IS? BECAUSE IT IS THE MOMENT THAT THE INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMCISES THE HEART. HOW CAN BAPTISM BE INSIGNIFICANT OR NOT A PART OF SALVATION WHEN IT IS THE MOMENT THAT THE HEART IS CIRCUMCISED? IS THAT NOT WHAT HE IS SAYING HERE? HE SAYS THE ONE CIRCUMCISED WITH CHRIST “BURIED WITH HIM IN BAPTISM, IN WHICH YOU ALSO RAISE WITH HIM THROUGH FAITH IN THE WORKING OF GOD, WHO RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD.” AND THEN HE EVEN ADDS IN VERSE 13, “AND YOU, BEING DEAD IN YOUR TRESPASSES AND THE UNCIRCUMCISION OF YOUR FLESH,” NOT TALKING ABOUT FLESHLY CIRCUMCISION, YOU HAVE BEEN MADE ALIVE TOGETHER WITH HIM BECAUSE YOU DIED TO THOSE TRESPASSES. YOU'VE CAST THEM OFF, YOU'VE GOTTEN RID OF THEM, AND NOW YOU WHAT? YOU HAVE BECOME COMPLETE IN HIM!<br> <br> 

      YOU SEE, THAT'S WHAT OUR STUDIES HAVE BEEN ABOUT. BEING COMPLETE IN JESUS! AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO BE COMPLETE THAN BEING LIKE CHRIST. CHRIST WAS SINLESS! WE MAY NOT ACHIEVE THAT GOAL ULTIMATELY BUT WE CAN STRIVE FOR IT. AND SO TO BE COMPLETE IN HIM WHAT DO I NEED TO DO? I NEED TO BE CIRCUMCISED OF THE HEART. AND WHAT MOMENT DO I BEGIN TO ACHIEVE THAT? IN BAPTISM, WHEN I WASH AWAY AND CIRCUMCISE MY HEART OF THAT SIN THAT I CAST AWAY. AND THEN I COMMIT MYSELF BY WHAT? FAITH AND OBEDIENCE TO GOD, TO SHOW THAT I LOVE HIM AND THAT MY HEART IS FOCUSED ON HIM AND I'VE GIVEN MY HEART FULLY TO HIM. AND THEN NOT ONLY AM I ONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT I'M ABLE TO LIVE IN HIM AND BE IN HIM BUT I'M ONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT AS A FAITHFUL CHILD ALL HAVE THE REWARDS OF HEAVEN. ARE YOU LIVING TODAY IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU'LL BE IN HIM AND THAT YOU'LL RECEIVE THAT CROWN OF LIFE WHEN THE LORD COMES AGAIN TO JUDGE THE WORLD? 

      <br> <br>

      CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

      LET ME THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. I HOPE AND TRUST, THAT TOGETHER WE HAVE ALL BENEFITED FROM THIS SERVICE TO OUR LORD. LET ME ALSO INVITE YOU TO JOIN US EVERY LORD’S DAY MORNING AT 7:30 AS WE GIVE THIS TIME TO OUR CREATOR. <br> <br>  

      NOW LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON? MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A FREE CASSETTE TAPE OF THIS PROGRAM? POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR FREE BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSES? NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:  <br> <br>



The Living Word

2540 N. Kansas Expressway 

Springfield, Mo.  65803

<br> <br>

Many of these materials are also available on our website:  

That address is: www.thelivingwordprogram.com

<br> <br>

Or if you prefer, you may call us at:

(417) 869-2284

<br> <br>

      OUR QUESTION TODAY, IS HAVE YOU BEEN CIRCUMCISED IN THE HEART AND GIVEN YOURSELF FULLY TO A LOVING AND CARING GOD? IF NOT, WHY NOT? FOR EVEN TODAY, YOU CAN COMMIT TO BEING A CHILD OF GOD AND TO DOING WHAT HE COMMANDS, KNOWING THAT YOU WILL REAP ALL THE BENEFITS, BLESSING AS REWARDS AS A FAITHFUL CHILD OF GOD! WONT YOU START THIS NEW YEAR OUT WITH A FULL COMMIT AND OBEDIENCE TO GOD?

<br> <br>