What does "we are the circumcision" mean (Philippians 3:3)?

All these things the Apostle tells the Philippian saints in three short sentences. And now he goes on to tell us the other side of the matter; in four short sentences: "For we, we are the circumcision, the ones worshipping by (the) Spirit of God, and exulting in Christ Jesus and not confiding in flesh." As we have seen, the Scriptures plainly tell us that in the sight of God circumcision is a heart matter, not an outward thing: and so Paul can say: "For we, we are the circumcision." Paul was a Jew, but the Philippian Christians were Gentiles: but circumcision in the flesh availeth nothing: so, no matter whether Jew or Gentile, "we are the circumcision, — "the ones worshipping by (the) Spirit of God, and exulting in Christ Jesus, and not confiding in flesh." In our ordinary English Bibles we read, "We are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit." But the way we have rendered it is almost certainly correct; and you will see that the New Translation by Mr. Darby renders it in almost the same way. You will recall that our Lord in John 4:24, said: "God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." There is no way to worship God in spirit and in truth, except "by the Spirit of God." I fear that very much of what is called "worship" today is not by the Spirit of God; and is not in spirit and in truth. The very first necessity to worship by the Spirit of God is that we should be born again, — "born of the Spirit" (John 3:5). They who are not born again, are still "in the flesh", and "they that are in the flesh cannot please God." (Rom. 8:8). The contrast here is between external ceremonies, which these evil workers were pressing, and worship by the Spirit of God.

The word used here for worship is one which the Scriptures have taken to express the service of God, which was told forth in type by the priesthood of old. So here the Spirit of God claims that every true believer is "one worshipping by the Spirit of God." That means that every true believer is a priest. And other Scriptures tell us the same thing, as for example, "Jesus Christ … hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father." (Rev. 1:5 & 6. See also 1 Peter 2:9.)

For the true "circumcision" are those "who worship God by the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." Circumcision is no mere "cutting" in the flesh, but a "cutting off" of the flesh. The flesh is allowed no place whatever: it is God who is worshipped, and not by means of carnal ordinances, fleshly sacrifices, penances, and the like, but "by the Spirit ... .. The true worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth." In this, self is forgotten, and the soul simply "rejoices in Christ Jesus." For He is worthy of utmost confidence and adoration: the flesh, in its most favourable and pleasing forms, or in its most austere forms, is utterly treacherous and worthy of contempt.

The whole Christian company is viewed as the spiritual answer to circumcision in the flesh, and stands in relation to God solely by the Spirit, not by any improvement of the flesh. Instead of boasting in Moses, we boast in "Christ Jesus"; the word "rejoicing" can be rendered "boasting".

He takes the conscious place — not now merely as learning the fact of death to all the energy of man, as Abraham — but of accepting it. “We are”; said he, “the circumcision.” The painful lesson is past. Christ had passed away from the earth: He had died to the scene, and died out of it, to rise into that new place, now fully taken, as “the beginning of the creation of God.” Head of that new order of things, associated with Him, “circumcised with the circumcision not made with hands,” we partake of all that into which He as Man had entered. We are circumcised in Him, as Sarah was in Abraham. “We are the circumcision, who worship God by the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh: ” the “sentence of death” to all that savored of the energy of man, even at his best, and the flesh only to be ignored, even in its best phase.

But there are things that cloud our joy, and intrude themselves between the soul and Christ. The Apostle proceeds to speak gravely of one in particular. Judaising teachers were everywhere at work; active enough when he was moving about, they were probably much more so now that he was a prisoner. He describes them unsparingly as "dogs," for they had no sense of conscience or of shame; as "evil workers," because they were corrupting the work and truth of God; and then contemptuously calls them "the concision." The saints were to "beware": to be led by these teachers after the law and ordinances would ruin their joy, and separate them in heart from Christ. Any merely outward rite * is of no value in the eyes of God (circumcision now is only "concision," i.e., maiming): "we are the circumcision," finding our death and separation to God in the death of Christ, "who worship God in the Spirit and have no confidence in the flesh." It is to be observed that it is not the grossness of the flesh that is spoken of in this chapter, but its religiousness: it is worthless, and they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

It is not certain, but it is most probable, that this verse should read, "Who worship by the Spirit of God." Not that this makes any great difference, for, as it stands, it means that worship must be inward and spiritual, springing from the heart, instead of being external and ritual, a matter of rites and ceremonies; and this could only be in the power of the Holy Ghost. Accepting, however, the emendation, the contrast with what precedes is all the more striking and complete. The apostle warns the saints at Philippi to be on their guard against the Jewish teachers who were seeking to subvert their faith: "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision." He will not say circumcision, although these Judaisers attached every importance to it, because, since the death and resurrection of Christ, it is in Him alone that the truth shadowed forth in the external rite of circumcision is realised. (Col. 2:11.) He therefore uses a term of contempt, and he then proceeds to say that we (we Christians) are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God (not by rites and ceremonial forms), and rejoice (boast) in Christ Jesus (not in Moses, however honoured as a servant in God's house - Heb. 3), and have no confidence in the flesh (as those who prided themselves upon their circumcision had). We need not go further except to call attention to the abiding value of this teaching; for, whether it be ritualism or rationalism, both have their roots in confidence in the flesh. The latter may join in the agitation and outcry against the former, but both alike refuse to accept the end of man in the cross of Christ. They both 'alike, therefore, are antagonistic to Christianity. (See Col. 2.)

Dogs, evil workers and the concision, are terms which fit the many cults today, including "Christian Science," the "new thought," the "new religion and modern theology," all of which deny the gospel of Jesus Christ. True believers are the circumcision, not a circumcision made by hands, but a spiritual circumcision, the putting off of the body of the flesh by the death of Christ (Col. 2:11). The cross of Christ separates the believer from the flesh, the religious forms, and self-improvement, and separates him unto God. And knowing that Christ is all, glorying in Him with no more confidence in the flesh, the believer worships by the Spirit of God, and no longer in ordinances. The indwelling Spirit fills the heart with Christ, glorifies Him, and true worship by the Spirit is the result. To have no more confidence in the flesh, to expect nothing whatever from ourselves, to glory only in Christ Jesus is true Christian attainment and experience.

Circumcision leads to this. As in Colossians, we are buried and risen again, putting off the body of the flesh (not, the sins of), through death; this is true circumcision. We are the circumcision, if we have really put off our place, that is, the old man. All is gone.

Upon this follows the institution of circumcision. This is a portion which is extremely rich in its teachings. Let us notice that in Romans the Holy Spirit explains the meaning of this ceremony. "For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised. (Rom. 4:10-11). Circumcision was, therefore, the seal of righteousness of faith. Some fourteen years previous Abram had been constituted righteous, because he believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. First righteousness by faith and then the seal. Of believers it is said in the New Testament that they are circumcised. "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ" (Col. 2:11). The circumcision of Christ is the death of Christ; in Him the body of the flesh is put off. We have died with Him, are dead and buried and risen with Him. "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh" (Phil. 3:3).

This is the secret of unclouded joy, as it is of perpetual worship. For "in Christ are we circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in the putting off the body of the flesh." His cross is God's sentence upon the flesh, His judgment upon it as finding nothing in it that He can accept or take pleasure in at all. But He has put it away thus by the Cross, that it may be removed out of our way, as out of His. In Christ raised from the deaf]. He finds all His pleasure; and in Christ raised from the dead we find all our acceptance with Him. In Christ, to us there can be no condemnation; in Christ no body of flesh, no trace of sin inherent or adherent. In Him then our joy abides unbroken; and the "joy of the Lord is our strength." We may even glory in our infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon us. We rejoice in Christ Jesus entirely when we have no more confidence in the flesh.