I had a debate with someone about Colossians 2:11-12, specifically regarding how it was interpreted as referring to water baptism and that water baptism was a work of God. However, my opponent argued that “without hands” proved it was not water baptism since a man is involved in immersing you in water. To that point, I said that Colossians 2:11 was not about who was able to baptize, but what happens in baptism. Likewise, I told him that the contrast was about physical circumcision and water baptism. Physical circumcision involves a man removing the foreskin, and water baptism involves God removing the spiritual sin from our souls (being His work).<\/p>\n
Do you have something in mind that I could have said or added in response to what he said?<\/p>\n
Thank you.<\/p>\n\t
Even if you gave a perfect answer, it doesn’t mean you will convince everyone. You will always have people who refuse to listen to the truth.<\/p>\n
In Christ, we enter into a covenant, but not in the same way the Israelites entered theirs. The Old Law required physical circumcision of the males who were bound by that covenant (Genesis 17:13-14). Without physical circumcision, an Israelite could not be a part of the covenant of Moses. The Law of Christ requires a different type of circumcision -a spiritual one (Philippians 3:3). Similarly, like the Old Law, a Christian cannot be part of the covenant with Christ without spiritual circumcision.<\/p>\n
The circumcision of the New Law is done without hands because what is removed is not physical flesh (Romans 6:3-7). It is a work not done by men but by God (Ephesians 2:11-13). The implication is that physical circumcision was no longer necessary (Galatians 5:1-4). This spiritual circumcision, done by God, takes place when we are buried with Christ in baptism. It is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that now holds meaning. Baptism represents Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. It also represents the Christian’s death to sin, burial with Christ, and resurrection to a new life.<\/p>\n
Paul reiterates that we were dead in sin — Gentiles in the flesh — but we were made alive with Christ, having been forgiven of all our sins (Mark 16:16;\u00a0Acts 2:38). It isn’t the physical act, but the obedience demonstrated in the physical act of faith in the working of God (I Peter 3:21).<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: I had a debate with someone about Colossians 2:11-12, specifically regarding how it was interpreted as referring to water baptism and that water baptism was a work of God. However, my opponent argued that “without hands” proved it was not water baptism since a man is involved in immersing you in water. To that…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[52,131],"class_list":["post-88379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-baptism","tag-colossians"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":12649,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/since-baptism-is-like-circumcision-then-isnt-it-unnecessary\/","url_meta":{"origin":88379,"position":0},"title":"Since baptism is like circumcision, then isn’t it unnecessary?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 9, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I would like to know, is it really important for a grown person to be baptized? If you feel like you are renewing your inner spirit man and reading the Bible and spending alone time with God, then isn't that enough? It's the same as what Paul describes circumcision\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":761,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-water-baptism-a-work\/","url_meta":{"origin":88379,"position":1},"title":"Is water baptism a work?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 5, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Is water baptism a work? Answer: I have always been amazed at the dread shown by people toward the word \"work.\" You would think that it was a dreaded disease or something equivalent to sin. The word \"work\" by itself is neither good nor bad. It simply refers to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5264,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/was-baptism-only-for-the-jews\/","url_meta":{"origin":88379,"position":2},"title":"Was baptism only for the Jews?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 14, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In our Bible class tonight with some Dispensational friends I brought up I Corinthians 6:11, about them being washed and sanctified. Our friend said that had nothing to do with baptism, but that the blood of Jesus cleansed and washed us not water from baptism. I mentioned I Peter\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":45792,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/three-questions-about-church-of-christ-teachings-on-baptism\/","url_meta":{"origin":88379,"position":3},"title":"Three questions about Church of Christ teachings on baptism","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 24, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Sir, I have three questions that are about the teachings of the Church of Christ. Why does the COC dismiss the case of the thief on the cross by saying that it happened \"under the Old Testament\" when in fact the thief was saved after the blood of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2034,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-baptism-make-jesus-sacrifice-insufficient-for-our-salvation\/","url_meta":{"origin":88379,"position":4},"title":"Does baptism make Jesus’ sacrifice insufficient for our salvation?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 2, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Baptism is a representation of us being born into Christ.\u00a0 It is something every Christian should do.\u00a0 It is not something one should do to be saved.\u00a0 Putting baptism as a requirement for salvation makes Jesus\u2019 sacrifice not enough for our salvation and with this, I disagree. Answer: It\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":35795,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-exceptions-made-for-those-who-are-unable-to-be-baptized\/","url_meta":{"origin":88379,"position":5},"title":"Are exceptions made for those who are unable to be baptized?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 11, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: If we are told that to be saved we must be baptized by being dunked in water, how or what allowances do you make for the sick, bedridden, old, or too young, who cannot go into the water and dunk their head? Answer: The argument is flawed because it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88379","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88379"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88379\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88379"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88379"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88379"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}