Galatians is often used to justify ignoring Old Testament Laws like circumcision. Did Paul ban circumcision for believers? Was he opposed to circumcision? Let’s see what Paul’s actions tell us.
After the resurrection, Paul still performed circumcision so he definitely wasn’t opposed to it,
“Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.” Acts 16:3
Yet, Paul was preaching against it in Galatians, or was he?
“And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” Galatians 5:3-4
Paul wasn’t preaching against circumcision itself, but against doing so in an attempt to be justified by the law without faith. If you try to justify yourself by any law of God, then Christ is of no use to you because He is part of the New Covenant which is one of faith and not of the law only.
Belief comes first, you must believe what God says. Look at Eve, she did not believe what God said. Had she believed then she would not have eaten from the forbidden tree. But even if she hadn’t eaten from the tree that doesn’t mean that she believed. Before the serpent tempted Eve, she had not eaten of the tree. She was obedient and justified by the law. Her unbelief wasn’t apparent until she was tested.
The circumcision group were not believers, they were preaching the law before faith instead of faith before the law. The root is faith, from that root springs obedience. The root is not the law, faith does not come from the law. If it did then Eve would not have sinned.
“What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."” Romans 4:3
Abraham believed, and from his belief sprung obedience. Through intense testing, Abraham’s faith became apparent. Obedience doesn’t make you a child of Abraham, faith does. God tests you to show that your faith is true. Suffering in obedience proves that your faith isn’t just talk. Abraham believed God first and that’s why he circumcised himself and his children. If the ‘circumcision group’ had understood this then they wouldn’t have required circumcision as a standard for salvation. Faith IS circumcision of the heart. That is why the physical representation accompanied it. Abraham’s heart was circumcised when he believed. Physical circumcision was a seal showing that it was true. It’s similar to a stamp imprinted on a product proving it is 100% pure.
“Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.” Romans 4:9-12
Testing is necessary to show that you believe, that your faith is real.
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” 1Peter 1:6-7
Some will claim salvation by righteous works without faith in Christ and YHWH, and they will fail. Others will claim salvation by a disobedient faith, and they will also fail. Faith in Christ and YHWH must exist and then it must be proven by obedience.
“But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?” James 2:20-22
Salvation is by faith, and that faith is made complete by righteous works. So getting back to Paul, did he preach against the circumcision law? Actually, he did not. This is not an opinion, it is found in Acts 21. Paul meets with the Elders of the believers in Jerusalem. There he finds out that there are rumors saying that Paul was preaching against the laws of God including circumcision. In order to put a stop to these false accusations, Paul accepts the suggestion to put an act of obedience on display for all the Jews to see. It was important to prove that believers were obedient to the laws of God and were not opposed to circumcision.
“And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought NOT TO CIRCUMCISE their children nor to walk according to the customs. What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow. Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those THINGS OF WHICH THEY WERE INFORMED CONCERNING YOU ARE NOTHING, but that you yourself also walk orderly and KEEP THE LAW.” Acts 21:17-24
Paul preached faithful obedience, and preached against faithless obedience. The difference is like day and night. The religious people today are the same as 2000 years ago, they still preach that Paul was against the laws of God when in fact he was adamantly for it, including circumcision. But Paul taught about the real circumcision which is of the heart which happens because of faith.
Many new believers would partake in circumcision because it is the outward expression of circumcision of the heart. That is why neither Christ nor Paul was against it. Paul was a true member of the body of Christ and acted and taught accordingly. Christ never told the Jews to discontinue circumcision during discussions,
“Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath?” John 7:23
Circumcision of the flesh is a shadow of circumcision of the heart. It is about sacrificing, being willing to discard the sinful flesh, shedding blood to do God’s will. Circumcision of the flesh is a physical memorial sacrifice now. It is not necessary as long as you are circumcised in the heart, and that is why Paul wasn’t opposed to physical circumcision but he also didn’t require it.
“For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” Romans 2:28-29
“Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?” Romans 2:26
Now that Christ has come and fulfilled what was needed to complete the New Covenant of Faith, the Spiritual reality is here. When He delivered His Spirit to the uncircumcised believers, He proved that the Gentiles were indeed circumcised in the eyes of God, as Peter testified,
“God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.” Acts 15:8-9
This is like the Passover. Christ is our Passover Lamb, yet we still keep the physical Passover supper. Do we need to do that? No, it is now a memorial of the real event which is Christ whose blood saves us from death. Would Paul be opposed to you keeping Passover? No, but he wouldn’t require it. Christ only asked that we eat bread and drink wine in remembrance (1Corinthians 11:23-26)
Because circumcision is of the heart, a physical circumcision doesn’t guarantee your son will be a believer and become part of the body of Christ. If he does become a believer I think he will be glad to express his heart in this way. If he doesn’t become a believer then there is still benefit to circumcision as uncircumcised males often have medical issues with infection and pain in their elderly years.
As a side note, much confusion comes from 1Corinthians 7:18, but Paul had been explaining from 1Corinthians 7:10 about staying in the situation you are in and serving God in those situations in which you became a believer. Some people become a believer but their spouse isn’t. Some people become a believer while they are slaves, some are Jews (circumcised), and some are Gentiles (uncircumcised). Paul is saying don’t change your situation, stay where you are if possible and serve the Lord there. God called you during your current circumstances for a reason.
When Paul says…
“Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.” 1Corinthians 7:18
…he isn’t talking about attempting surgically to put your foreskin back on (although this is something that was tried as part of abandoning God in order to fit in with the Greeks). Paul is saying if you are a Jew don’t walk away from the Jews. If you are a Gentile, don’t walk away from the Gentiles. Stay in your place and do the works that Christ has you there for. This verse is not about the act of circumcision, but about the situation you are living in.
“Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.” 1Corinthians 7:19-20
Again, Jew (the circumcised) or Gentile (the uncircumcised), whatever situation you are in you are to remain there and follow the commandments of God. He is using the terms to refer to Jews and Gentiles and their respective situations. He then clarifies that a slave though, if freed, can use that freedom to serve God. The slave is not bound to stay a slave if freedom is available. Then he re-affirms his advice,
“Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.” 1Corinthians 7:24
We as present-day believers are not used to the term ‘circumcised’ as a direct reference to a Jew or ‘uncircumcised’ as a direct reference to a Gentile. In the bible they are called that frequently. In Paul’s day, this would be more common and so his advice would be clearer. But if you look at all the verses in 1Corinthians 7, the whole chapter is Paul talking about different people in different situations and his advice on each. He is not talking about the surgical act of circumcision, he is only speaking on the situation of being a Jew or a Gentile. Unfortunately, many people misread 1Corinthians 7 and confuse the reference.
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