the body. It points to the work of Christ, just as all Scripture, in the first instance, points

the seeking sinner to that same work.

"Putting off the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ."--That Christ was

literally circumcised, we know by the record of Luke 2: 21, but this is not in mind here.

He was also baptized in Jordan; but when that baptism was past, He still looked forward

to a baptism which nothing less than the cross could fulfil (Luke 12: 50).

Circumcision was performed on "the eighth day" and so looks forward to resurrection

for its fulfillment. Christ died to put away sin for us, and in His resurrection we find our

true circumcision or repudiation of the flesh.

To go back once more to the O.T. for further teaching upon the typical place of

circumcision, let us turn to the book of Joshua. The people have come out of Egypt, and

have wandered for forty years in the wilderness. They cross over Jordan dry-shod, and

camp in Gilgal over against Jericho. This brings us to the end of Josh. 4: With the

opening of chapter 5: comes the command to circumcise the children of Israel, and there

the "reproach of Egypt" is rolled away. Not till this is accomplished is Jericho taken and

the conquest of the land begun. Gilgal figures in the subsequent history of Israel as a

place to which to repair after failure--and a place which precedes success. This typical

teaching will be more fully considered in the series entitled, "Fundamentals of

Dispensational Truth" in the exposition of the book of Joshua. A great deal of light on

Col. 2: 11-13 is also given in Rom. 6: and 7: As these passages are already receiving

a careful examination in the series on "Romans" we would ask the reader to acquaint

himself with all that has been written in that series.

In conclusion, we would draw the reader's attention to Col. 3: 5 where the apostle

puts the mortifying of the members in its right sequence, following the positive teaching

of Col. 3: 1-4. Our perfecting will never be accomplished by "neglecting the body"; it

can only be found in a more perfect realization of our completeness in the work of Christ.

We were crucified in His crucifixion, we died in His death, we were buried in His burial,

we were raised in His resurrection--only as we "reckon" these things can we grow in

grace; only as we stand firmly on this foundation shall we be proof against the wiles of

the devil that would beguile us of our reward. The section before us is too great to deal

with in one article; and to avoid unduly lengthening the present one, we will defer

further comment upon burial and baptism until our next paper.