As I’ve been going through Paul’s letters in my devotions, I began to notice that the apostle seems preoccupied with the issue of circumcision. In seven of his letters, he uses the term (whether noun or verb) 42 times in 34 verses. Quite a bit for a subject that gets little attention in today’s church!
But I’m not advocating that every third sermon in contemporary worship services should cover the topic. Rather, I’m interested in discerning Paul’s motivation. Why does he care about circumcision? What significance does it have in our discipleship?
It goes back to the Jerusalem Council (see Acts 15:1-35). To understand this claim better, let’s take a look at the background.
Jews
From the beginning, the church preached the gospel of the resurrected Jesus to Jews. To them the apostles announced that although they had rejected Him, Jesus was their long-awaited Messiah. But God raised Him from the dead, so all who repent and trust Him will receive the promise of new life in the Spirit.
Samaritans
As the good news traveled among the Jewish people, it started to spread to Samaritans, a people of mixed Jewish-Gentile ethnicity who valued the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) and practiced circumcision. Despised by Israel as unclean compromisers, they welcomed the gospel and rejoiced to receive salvation in Christ (see Acts 8:1-25).
Proselytes
In time, God sent Peter to a Roman centurion named Cornelius, a Jewish proselyte who was faithful to God’s laws. We don’t know if he had undergone circumcision–the Bible doesn’t say–but we read that he and his household believed the preaching of Peter about Jesus and God filled them with the Spirit (see Acts 10:1-11:18).
Antioch
Soon afterwards, some Christians dared to take the gospel to Gentiles who had no connection to Judaism.
“Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.” – Acts 11:20-21
This was new for the early church; Antioch housed the first churches whose constituents had little to no upbringing in the Scriptures. These believers needed instruction in the Old Testament because most of them had never heard it before. Their faith in Christ, though genuine, required proper grounding in God’s Word. And that’s what the apostles Paul (who at the time went by the name Saul) and Barnabas provided.
“So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” – Acts 11:26
What an impact! The teaching ministry of Paul and Barnabas was so successful that the residents of the city labeled those adherents “Christians.” Jesus formed the public identity of the disciples as He does ours.
Furthermore, the church in Antioch was the source of much spiritual leadership and innovation. It was there that Paul and Barnabas received instructions from the Spirit to embark on their mission to other Gentiles.
“Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’” – Acts 13:1-2
You’ll find the description of the first missionary journey in Acts 13-14. Gentiles began to hear about Jesus en masse. And the apostles were successful; they established churches throughout the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire.
“They sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 27On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.” – Acts 14:26-28
Paul and Barnabas loved Antioch; it was where they taught the Scriptures and received their apostolic commission. They wanted the Christians there to continue to grow their faith and serve the Lord.
But trouble came.
“Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: ‘Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.’” – Acts 15:1
Was it true? To become a true Christian, did you have to become Jewish? That was the question that troubled the early church. Paul and Barnabas wouldn’t compromise their understanding of the gospel and neither would the Judean Christian teachers. So they gathered in Jerusalem to settle the matter.
Jerusalem
“This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. 4When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. 5Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, ‘The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.’ 6The apostles and elders met to consider this question.” – Acts 15:2-6
How are Jews saved? The Bible tells us that God reconciles them through the work of Jesus Christ. And how are Gentiles saved? The same way! There is nothing that one should add to what Jesus has accomplished by His death and resurrection. As Peter declared at the Council,
“We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” – Acts 15:11
The requirements of the law, including circumcision, point us to Jesus, and when we come to Him, we receive the grace of God in fullness.
So Paul mentions circumcision throughout his letters because whenever and wherever it challenged the exclusive effectiveness of the person and work of Christ, the apostle fought it.
Today
And so should we.
In our day and age, more people view circumcision as a medical procedure than a religious duty. It doesn’t compete with the grace of God in their minds.
But anything can fill the role of substitute or contender. So be careful to allow nothing to threaten the absolute primacy of God’s mercy and grace in your life. No person, no idea, no command or prophecy.
Jesus alone deserves to rule you.
Recent Comments