A. This week we get more into what these teachers of Gnosticism were teaching and how Paul battled it.

1. Gnosticism while teaching several doctrines and dealing a lot with Science or knowledge was in some ways similar to what is known today as Scientology. Not exactly but there are a lot of similarities.

2. One of their teachings were you must remain under the Old Testament Jewish Legalism which taught circumcision. This is what Paul is now going to deal with.

3. We see Paul also battle this subject in Galatians however the false teachers there were teaching that circumcision as being obedient to the Law was necessary for salvation. Here in Colossae was different in that here they were teaching make one more spiritual. However both are incorrect as we will see.

B. Verse 11 "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:"

1. Paul has made it clear in no untold words that salvation is from God through the Lord Jesus Christ and He (Christ) is preeminence in all things including Salvation.

2. The word circumcision simply means "a cutting around" and was an old Jewish custom and most likely still is, however has never and never will be a rite for salvation.

3. The bible cannot be clearer, Salvation is not of works. Eph. 2:8 - 10

4. Paul in a very wise way included circumcision in describing what is involved in salvation. ""In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands," the cutting away is not a part of the male body. Paul gives a more simple definition in Philippians 3:3 "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." I believe has to do with a separation with our new spiritual life and the old flesh.

5. This circumcision is not by human hands just as salvation is not by human hands.

6. The circumcision rite was dealing with the flesh however here it is dealing with the putting away of sins.

7. "in putting off the body" means a total putting away. As we will see over the next couple of weeks in Christ all of our sins have been circumcised. Example Verse 13 "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;"

8. "with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:" There are three important parts here to remember.

a. "circumcision made without hands" That is because Salvation Is Of The Lord and not man.

b. "in putting off the body of the sins" Totally putting away of your sins.

c. "by the circumcision of Christ" By His death on the Cross.

C. V. 12 "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."

1. "Buried with him in baptism," Baptism has nothing to do with salvation, just as works has nothing to do with salvation. Baptist just as works are a result of salvation or because of salvation. We can do neither one without salvation first and we should do both because of salvation.

2. Buried or planted with Him in Baptism. Romans 6:4 "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. That is leaving buried our old sinful life."

3. "wherein also ye are risen with him" to be like Him i.e. a Christian not that is makes us a Christian but does show our resurrection from the dead state we were in. Just as when our bodies are raised from the grave on the resurrection hour we will be changed to have bodies like His. Philippians 3:21 "Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself."

4. "through the faith of the operation of God," Operation means effectual working of God. This is the same as salvation itself. It is God that saves the sinner, it is God that forgives sin, and it is God that will resurrect us from the grave. "who hath raised him from the dead."