In the New Testament, physical circumcision has no saving power; its real significance is spiritual—it pictures God cutting off the old Adam in Christ, and trusting it for salvation makes one a debtor to the whole law.
Paul reveals that Israel's circumcision gave them real advantages, chiefly the Word of God, but it did not change the old Adamic nature. Les Feldick explains that spiritual circumcision is 'made without hands' when God cuts off the old Adam at salvation. Any attempt to attach physical circumcision or other flesh-works to salvation cancels the finished work of the cross.
Romans 3:1-2 — Paul directly asks about the profit of circumcision and ties the answer to Israel's privilege of receiving God's Word.
Colossians 2:11 — Reveals the circumcision made without hands, which is the spiritual reality behind the physical sign.
In Romans 3:1-2 Paul asks, "What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?" and answers, "Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God." Circumcision is therefore associated with the privileges Israel received through God's Word. The New Testament also makes clear that circumcision places a person under the law. In Galatians 5:3 Paul testifies, "For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law." Colossians 2:11 describes another circumcision: "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." This is a divine work, not a human ritual.
Les Feldick approaches circumcision in the New Testament as the constant point of contention between law-keeping Jews and grace-believing Gentiles. He says circumcision "was the big deal back then" because Jewish people were trying to bring it into Gentile churches. Les understands physical circumcision as a picture: physical circumcision cuts away superfluous flesh, and spiritual circumcision cuts off the old Adam at salvation. It is "made without hands" because God performs it when a person is placed into the body of Christ. Les is emphatic that circumcision—or any work in the energy of the flesh, such as joining the church, being baptized, taking the Lord's Supper, or doing good works—cannot be tied to salvation. When it is, he says, "you're canceling the work of the cross." Paul's repetition shows that anyone who trusts circumcision becomes a debtor to keep the whole law. Les also addresses the Jewish side of circumcision. Israel had every advantage—the oracles of God, the priesthood, the law—but that did not change the old Adamic nature. The result? A saved Gentile can walk in Abraham's kind of faith without becoming a Jew, and the true issue is the inward work done by God.
Jewish believers were bringing circumcision into Gentile churches, making it "the big deal back then." The Jerusalem church was still based on law and circumcision, and certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed said it was needful to circumcise Gentile believers and command them to keep the law of Moses. Paul's warning in Galatians shows that circumcision made a person a debtor to do the whole law.
According to Romans 3:1-2, there was much profit, "chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God." The Jewish people had the Word of God, the priesthood, the worship, and the whole system of law. Yet, as Les points out, it accomplished practically nothing because the old Adamic nature is just as evident in the son of Abraham as it is in a Gentile.
Les Feldick teaches that "when something is done without hands, who's performing it? God is." This is the "circumcision made without hands" of Colossians 2:11—God putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. What has to be cut off at salvation is the old Adam. Spiritual circumcision is the cutting off of the old Adam, and the result is entering into the body of Christ.
Abraham is called the father of circumcision to those who are not of the circumcision only but who also walk in the steps of the faith he had while uncircumcised. Les Feldick says salvation is a miracle, but it does not make a Gentile a Jew. Jewishness is based on genetics and bloodline, and God does not change a person's blood. A Gentile believer has a relationship with Abraham through faith, not through becoming a Jew.
Religious Leaders' Failure Under the Law
Les shows that self-righteous religious leaders who boasted in the law and their religious status still broke it, setting up the point that outward Jewish identity doesn't make someone obedient.
The Jew's Advantage and Circumcision's Profit
Romans 3:1-2 asks what profit circumcision had and answers that the Jews were entrusted with God's Word; yet the old Adamic nature proved the same in Jew and Gentile.
Spiritual Circumcision Made Without Hands
God performs a circumcision without hands at salvation, cutting off the old Adam just as physical circumcision cuts away superfluous flesh, and this brings the believer into the body of Christ.
Circumcision and Works Cannot Save
Les warns that circumcision—or any flesh-based religious act attached to salvation—cancels the work of the cross, and that a circumcised person becomes a debtor to keep the whole law.
Uncircumcision vs. Circumcision Nations
The circumcised Jew called the Gentile 'uncircumcision,' and God's dealings were Jewish-only with exceptions, showing how much circumcision divided the two groups.
Oracles of God Committed to Israel
Les repeats Romans 3:1-2: the Jew's profit was chiefly that to Israel were committed the oracles or Word of God.
Faith More Important Than Physical Circumcision
Abraham is the father of circumcision to those who walk in the faith he had while uncircumcised; salvation is a miracle but does not make a Gentile a Jew.
Jerusalem Church's Circumcision Demand
Pharisees who believed insisted it was needful to circumcise Gentile believers and command them to keep the law of Moses, creating the conflict between law and grace.
Romans 3:1-2: What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
The key question about circumcision's profit and Israel's privilege.
Galatians 5:3: For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Paul's warning that circumcision obligates one to the whole law.
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:
The spiritual circumcision done by God without hands.
Romans 4:12: And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
Abraham is father of circumcision to those who share his faith.
Ephesians 2:11: Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Shows how the circumcised Jew referred to the Gentile as 'Uncircumcision.'
Acts 15:5: But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
Records the Pharisee believers' demand in Jerusalem.
No. Les Feldick teaches that physical circumcision does not save. Spiritual circumcision happens at salvation when God cuts off the old Adam. Physical circumcision was only the outward sign of the Jewish nation to whom God committed His Word.
In Galatians 5:3 Paul says that every man who is circumcised is a debtor to do the whole law. Les emphasizes that adding circumcision—or any work of the flesh—to salvation cancels the work of the cross, because God finished the work of redemption.
No. Les Feldick says salvation is a miracle but it does not change a person's genetics or bloodline. God does not make a Gentile a Jew. A Gentile believer can, however, have the same kind of faith as Abraham.
Certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed said it was needful to circumcise the Gentile believers and command them to keep the law of Moses. The Jerusalem church was still operating under the setting of the law and circumcision, while the Gentile believers were being saved by the grace of God.
Watch the Teaching: Why Even "Good People" Can't Escape God's Judgment — Romans 2