Whoa!
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God. 1 Corinthians 7:19
What Matters Is – Those who claim that the writing of Paul set aside the Law and proclaim the age of grace tend to read only the first half of this verse. Since circumcision is usually understood as the symbol of Jewish obedience, Paul’s proclamation that it is nothing allows an interpreter to say, “You see, there is no reason for us to keep the Law. It doesn’t mean anything anymore.” Ah, but what do we do about the rest of the verse?
Any good translation will have the phrase “what matters is” in italics or some text that indicates it is not part of the original Greek. The Greek text is alla teresis entolon theou. Literally, this is “but keeping the commandments of God.” The emphatic disjunction is implied. Circumcision doesn’t matter. Uncircumcision doesn’t matter. But. Here the word alla is very strong. There is another word for but in Greek. It is much weaker. This word (alla) comes with force. In other words, Paul draws a hard line between what he has just said and what he will now say. But what matters is keeping the commandment of God.
Whoa! Isn’t circumcision a commandment? How can Paul say that circumcision doesn’t matter and then turn right around and say that what matters is keeping God’s instructions which includes circumcision? Something doesn’t make sense here. Just reading the text without the context will only bring confusion.
Here’s the question we must ask in order to understand what Paul is saying: Who is he writing to? It wasn’t Christians. There were no Christians when Paul wrote to the Gentile Messianic believers in the synagogue in Corinth. There were Jews who believed Yeshua was the Messiah and there were Gentiles who believed that Yeshua was the Messiah. They were worshipping in the same place. What issue could potentially separate them? Ethnic origin.
David Stern writes, “ . . . in God’s Messianic Community, Jews and Gentiles have equal standing before God. On this ethnic ties, cultural expressions, customs and social or religious status have no bearing; in this regard Jewish or Gentile does not matter. What matters is keeping the commandments . . .”[1] In other words, if you are a Gentile and you are not circumcised, so what? You are still accepted before God by grace, grafted into His commonwealth. If you are a Jew and you are circumcised, so what? You are also accepted before God on exactly the same basis – grace. Keeping the commandments is what we do after God brings us into His kingdom. Ethnic ties don’t matter. What matters is what we do once we are there. What matters is the persistent commitment to live according to devotion to Him over the rest of our lives.
Topical Index: commandments, circumcision, 1 Corinthians 7:19
[1] David Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary, p. 456
Gen 17:14 The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant.”
God is very clear on the subject of circumcision.
Michael,
As I read the verse the last part of it says, “…that soul shall be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant.” It uses the words “his” people because he broke “My”, God’s, covenant.
It seems that God is saying that he would be cut off from Isreal not from God. Therefore, the Gentiles, since they are not God’s chosen people, but grafted in are they subject to this?
In the following verses it does talk about when the Isrealites bring in a slave or male servant.
Would like your insight. (and I do understand that I could be reading this totally wrong. :-))
Man this could get confusing. Here goes that neverending gobster i talked about. More answers…leads to more questions. Gotta love it.
Thanks Michael
Hi Tim,
Maybe Yahweh is playing with words.
The soul of the uncircumcised male is like the skin that is “cut off” from the body.
It just dries up and withers away 🙂
“Keeping the commandments is what we do after God brings us into His kingdom. ”
Skip, this is a great point, actually all of it is “but” this one sentence at least to me brings it home especially coming from where I am coming from. I was born and raised Roman Catholic and there were a lot of rules, especially since I was also an Italian Roman Catholic. 🙂 then I moved away from God and when I came back I came back to Him through the Charismatic and Pentecostal rooad which through the rules out with the bathwater. As you have said, I was taught “GRACE is sufficent. You accepted Jesus that all there is. TRY to be good but know His blood will cover EVERYTHING.”
This never sat comfortably with me. I was always questioning if you come into a persons home they have rules for thier home and if you want to stay there you need to obey those rules out of respect and love and not be asked to leave. So when I was told I have now entered God’s Kingdom my first reaction was, “So what are the rules?” and I was told on a number of occasions by well meaning pastors, deacons and “christians” there are no rules Jesus took care of that on the cross.” Well as I said before, this never felt right to me.
I think we are a people that want the prize without running the race and many Christians are willing to stand on the podium and accept the gold but not willing to run the race…let alone practice.
I believe that my desire to truly “know” Him and His heart led me to you and your teaching as well as many others. I believe His rules are the ones that when combined with our trust and love in Him, makes us completely made in HIS image.
So does grace bring us into the Kingdom and obedience keep us in? Does Grace allow us to die and obedience allow us to be born again? Is grace our batism by water and obedience our baptism by fire?
Things that make you go hummmmmmm? 🙂
Tim,
I really appreciate what you wrote, your tone is sweet.
Hi Tim,
I hear your history and I certainly can identify with your Pentecostal/Charismatic experience. I have never practiced Roman Catholicism, however, all of my “Christian” life has been strongly associated with Pentecostalism. I have observed that the teachings on law vs. grace are confusing and lead to the skewed belief that grace covers what we refuse to repent of. Then when we are so burdened by cosmetic Christianity and what we are claiming has taken too long in manifesting, our testimony is viewed as weak and essentially we are ineffective in our witness. Additionally, the law doctrines taught in other denominations lean so far to the other extreme that an oppression results and the true gospel in both camps is suppressed. We end up with confused, bewildered and deceived masses of people and the simplicity of the gospel is distorted. It becomes the norm for a “rhema word”, a personal revelation directly from God through the Holy Ghost to supercede the revealed Word. Secret knowledge replaces obedience and cultic practice becomes normal and we are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Unchallenged teachers/preachers preaching/teaching denominational views using sensual persuasion theology such as health, wealth and prosperity heresy are racking up in dollars and nonsense. Elements of truth embedded in self benefitting theology are clouds and wind without rain. Proverbs 25:14
I am trusting the Lord, as I think others are, for leadership from the Shepherd of the flock. I also believe the Lord is using Skip Moen as one crying out in the wilderness to make straight the way of the Christ! To prepare the way and to return to the old paths…I mean REALLY OLD!! Funny isn’t it…it’s so old it is new…or should I say RE-NEWED!
Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. [fn]
Jud 1:4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked [fn] out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Jud 1:5 Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the [fn] Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently [fn] destroyed those who did not believe.
Jud 1:6 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day,
Jud 1:7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange [fn] flesh, are exhibited as an example [fn] in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.
Jud 1:8 Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic [fn] majesties.
Jud 1:9 But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
Jud 1:10 But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed. [fn]
Jud 1:11 Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they [fn] have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
Jud 1:12 These are the men who are hidden [fn] reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly [fn] dead, uprooted;
Jud 1:13 wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame [fn] like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black [fn] darkness has been reserved forever.
Jud 1:14 It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many [fn] thousands of His holy ones,
Jud 1:15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
Jud 1:16 These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they [fn] speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.
I am confident of one thing….He who began a good work in us is able to complete it! God bless.
Now we’re cookin’. We are on our way. We have found the “entrance ramp” to the highway of holiness and are walking His pathway toward the exit ramp, death. We are born, we live, we die. Sounds like the contents of a best seller- “a man was born, he lived, then he died.” zzzzzzz..
Yeshua said unto Nicodemus (who very name means “superior”), -a ruler of the Jews- “you must be born again.” Nicodemus was no “small potatoes.” He was on up the food chain (and may have been climbing still..). But G-d (excuse me.. Jesus) said unto him- “you must be born again.”
As you have previously stated brother Skip- when G-d speaks we ought to “pay attention”. As a parent, I am thrilled when my children “pay attention” and listen to their father. How many times has this scenario played itself out right before our eyes. (G-d does have a way- doesn’t He?)
Nicodemus knew the law and was probably weaned on the scriptures. He could probably recall from memory some serious scripture. He had position- “a ruler of the Jews”, He had prominence, (ruler), He had potential (his very name meant “superior”), I’m assuming he had possessions,- (was he paid for His position?), but Jesus “looked at him” and knew his heart. G-d does have a way.
His “commandment” to this very “religious” man was first to call him by his name. This is the way to get my attention. Call my name. Hey- Carl! – What?
Yeshua called him by name. Nicodemus. G-d spoke directly to him. At that moment there were two. Jesus, (G-d incarnate) and Nicodemus (who sought an audience with the Teacher).
When G-d spoke (what was that “must?” again?) – what was the response of Nicodemus? – “How is this possible”?, he replied.
Anytime we “hear” the word of the LORD, what is our (right) response? The mother of Yeshua, (who knew Him very well, by the way), said unto the servants (us)- “whatever He says unto you- “do it!”
Mom was right.
When we walk with the Lord in the light of his Word
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But his smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh nor a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief nor a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blest if we trust and obey.
But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, and the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we will walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go,
Never fear, only trust and obey.
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. (Psalm 37.3)