Voter
2018-09-11 05:26:10 UTC
Note: circumcision is used here, below, as an analogy to the law; as the law may
be said to "circumscribe" our activities.
The Epistle of Paul the Apostle, a servant of Jesus Christ, to the Romans:
Romans 2
"17 Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God,
18 and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed
out of the law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a
light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of
babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. 21 You, therefore, who
teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not
steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit
adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who make your boast in
the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? 24 For “the name of God is
blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written.
Circumcision of No Avail
25 For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a
breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, if
an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his
uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically
uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code,
and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one
outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a
Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not
in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God."
- Paul the Apostle, Romans 2:17-29, Holy Bible, New Testament, NKJV
Note, Paul was against circumcision, as cited below:
Galatians 5
"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not
be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you
become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 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. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of
righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love."
You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; ... through love serve one
another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love
your neighbor as yourself.”
I say then: Walk in the Spirit,
For if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."
- Paul the Apostle, Galatians 5:1-7,13,14,16a,18,22-23, Holy Bible, New Testament
be said to "circumscribe" our activities.
The Epistle of Paul the Apostle, a servant of Jesus Christ, to the Romans:
Romans 2
"17 Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God,
18 and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed
out of the law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a
light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of
babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. 21 You, therefore, who
teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not
steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit
adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who make your boast in
the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? 24 For “the name of God is
blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written.
Circumcision of No Avail
25 For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a
breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, if
an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his
uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically
uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code,
and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one
outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a
Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not
in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God."
- Paul the Apostle, Romans 2:17-29, Holy Bible, New Testament, NKJV
Note, Paul was against circumcision, as cited below:
Galatians 5
"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not
be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you
become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 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. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of
righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love."
You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; ... through love serve one
another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love
your neighbor as yourself.”
I say then: Walk in the Spirit,
For if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."
- Paul the Apostle, Galatians 5:1-7,13,14,16a,18,22-23, Holy Bible, New Testament