Conclusion
The Church appears to be more deceitful and bored to seek and usurp the promises of God to Israelites, because Israelites are Israelites and the Church is the Church. While defending Israelites claim for God’s promises, we have
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to consider their mistakes also. On the other hand, we have to keep in mind that Israelites were God’s chosen people with some purpose. So, it is said, “For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God; the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself above all, people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set His love upon you, nor choose you because ye’ were more in number than any people for ye’ were the fewest of all people. As the Lord loved you, he would keep the oath, which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen from the hand of pharaoh, king of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 7:6-8).
It appears there is no indication in any scripture about the promises transferred to the Church. Yet the replacement theology says, “If His promises have not been fulfilled, then they have surely been transferred to us and the Church”. We have to remember one thing in this regard. That is, there are specific promises made by God to Israelites, and the Church has nothing to do with such promises. To take it for granted, the Church has many promises of its own for the members to rejoice. Let us see what Prophet Jeremiah says as a concluding passage in this topic.
“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord that I will raise unto David (Israel), a righteous branch, and a king shall reign and prosper and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days, Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely, and this is his name whereby he shall be called THE LORD IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (The Lord is our righteousness). Amen.
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Should Christians follow Mosaic Law
Once a well-established congregation members fell into a legalistic error over an issue concerning “Mosaic law.” The burning problem of some believers of a particular church was whether they should accept the annual sacrifices, as mentioned as the law in the first five books of Moses in the Bible called (Pentateuch). As a matter of fact, that particular group of the evangelical churches have been trying to convince the other members by saying that they had to become more Jewish by observing some Old Testament doctrines, such as eating “Kosher” (ritually clean) foods only, then observing Jewish “Shabbat” (Sabbath that is attending church on Friday night or Saturday daytime before sunset or both), and also undergoing circumcision. Those believers who would accept these three major practices might insist on not calling Jesus as Jesus in English but in Hebrew tongue as “Yeshua.” In the same way, they might wish to call Mary and Joseph as “Miriam and Yosef.” They had to observe also the most important holy,Jewish holidays of “Rosh Hashanah” (the New year) and “Yom Kippur” (the Day of Atonement).
This method of teaching and preaching in the Christian churches is really most fascinating and legally praise-worthy because this is not only for the Jewish people who happen to be the followers of Jesus Christ, but this system is also propagated by the Gentile believers. This method of preaching can be seen clearly in the one Christian denomination, the Seventh Day Adventists. They follow the seventh day as Sabbath and then the Ten Commandments. At the same time, there are some non-Adventist churches who want to live like Jewish people. Such congregation members think too much of themselves and their faith and finally become direct opposition to the clear teaching of even the New Testament scriptures.
Let us think for a while about the law of Moses and how far it is necessary for us to observe. There is no doubt that it is a complicated issue. For our clear understanding, let us look into some of the pages in the New
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Testament with the hope and belief that those pages would certainly give us (Romans 3:21). Here, the witness is referring to what was just taught immediately prior to Paul’s teaching on the Mosaic law and how it was insufficient to bring men and women into a right standing with God.
Therefore, people were taught about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, ushered in the new age of humanity’s relationship with God. In such circumstances, people need not offer animal sacrifices and strictly observe the contents of Mosaic law to find acceptance with God. Christ made a permanent sacrifice of His life and with that humanity could achieve the acceptance of God, and finally eternal life. People believed in Him completely and freely for His unfathomable and magnanimous sacrifice. As a result of His wonderful sacrifice, today He became the fulfillment of Mosaic law. So, what must have happened in the Church of Galatia? It called a significant wound in the mind of Apostle Paul. Therefore, he started his teaching against the foul teaching, and it was quite clear. He referred to the false teaching of the Judaizers as another or different gospel and condemned it vehemently.
He pointed out something which was foreign to the truth on which the Church of Christ was built. Paul boldly attacked the Judaizers and said that they foolishly perverted the Gospel of Christ. Paul was incensed at the false teachers, and at the same time he was dumbfounded by the congregation that was feasting on the theologically motivated preachings of Judaizers. Paul somehow wanted to set right the little-minded believers in the Galatian church and keep them on the right track. But he could not comprehend how they had to be out of that slough of despond and foolish teaching. In this connection, he desperately wrote to the believers, “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truths, before whose eyes, Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you” (Galatians 3:1).
So far we have seen the painful remorse of Paul against Judaizers teaching in sympathy with the congregation of Galatia. Does it appear rude on the part
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of Paul to speak in that tone? No, not at all because he was completely in utter desperation and frustrated at the innocent believers when they were led into the wrong track. He thought about them like a loving father whose son has gone woefully astray. He was not looking down upon them. His remarks about them were reasonable. He grabbed at the Galatian children and shook them strongly. He tried to awaken them from their deep slumber and put them on the theological ground. “Snap out of it, you foolish Galatians,” he passionately implored, “Get your head back in the game, you know about this business, about the Mosaic law, is nonsense, what has happened to your reason and logic?”
Paul followed this step strongly because there is no room for any argument. Then he wrote, “This only would I learn of you, received ye the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith?” (Galatians 3:2). Actually, the Galatians should have known the answer to this question. As they were very slow in receiving, Paul even tickled their minds for stimulation. He again questioned them, “Are you so foolish, having begun in the spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3). They should have understood this at least correctly. As he said, we are saved by faith through the spirit. When he used the word foolish on them, that does not mean he wanted to demean or insult them; but correct their way of life. Actually, Paul had due respect for the Church of Galatians, and he loved them. The main reason was that he was thoroughly bewildered at their wrong thinking and was disappointed at their lack of correct judgment. He was very much concerned about the welfare of the congregation. So, he said, “You are saved by the grace of God, a work of the Holy Spirit- how then can you turn around and live out your salvation by physical works, specifically by preaching the Mosaic law? Is circumcision going to save you? Is eating Koshergoing to save you? Of course, not my beloved- but foolish Galatian children- now, stop all this at once and return to the basic teachings. I have imparted to you and do it now.”
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This issue is, as a matter of fact, very complicated, and Paul was under the impression that they would correct themselves by their actions. But regarding the observation of Mosaic law, in order to achieve salvation by grace alone- was deadly. According to him, many works under the law are cursed. As it is written, cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things, which are written in the book of law to do them. He also said that no man is justified by law in the sight of God, it is evident for “the just shall live by faith.” He finally concluded by saying that salvation is through faith in Christ, but not by following the Mosaic law. The issue of Christians and the Mosaic law takes a prolonged discussion in the Epistle to the Galatians.
Christ and the Mosaic Law
Jesus Christ, in His early ministry, travelled through towns and villages in the region of Galilee in Israel. While going from place to place, He, at last, came to a mountainside probably near Capernaum, ascended a mountain to a certain height and sat down. It must have been the location of “Sermon of the Mount.” It was customary for Jewish rabbis at that time to sit at an elevated place while teaching their students. So, Jesus also followed the Jewish tradition and he too sat at an elevated place. His disciples stood at a distance as if they were His bodyguards. In the meantime, many Galileans gathered to hear the teaching of Jesus Christ. Whenever Jesus started His preaching, there used to be pin-drop silence, great attention, and wonderful attendance. The people that gathered there at that time were humbled Jewish fishermen, silversmiths, farmers, bakers, shopkeepers, brickmakers, carpenters, housewives, etc. And without doubt, there used to be some Roman soldiers also to maintain peace.
When all the crowd settled properly and concentrated their attention on Jesus, He would start His teaching. He told the assembled Galileans that those “poor in spirit were blessed, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). He addressed those mourned people and assured them comfort. He promised the meek that they would “inherit the earth.” He gave assurance to
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those people who were seeking righteousness that they would certainly find it. He told the merciful that they would receive mercy in return. He finally told those who followed Him in faith should suffer because the earth would be hostile toward such people. But in heaven, they would be awaited with open arms to receive such faithful ones.
The Galatian multitude simply became spellbound at the comfortable words of Jesus. His words clubbed with heavenly wisdom, consoled and penetrated into the hearts of Galatian men and women. Then in extreme wonder, they questioned among themselves who that man must have been with His extraordinary wisdom. Jesus could guess what they were thinking about Him. So, He simply answered, “Think not that; I am come to destroy the law or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). The above said words might not give a full explanation to the people of northern Israel that He was Israel’s Messiah, the son of God, and even God Himself. But at last, He told them Hewould fulfill Mosaic law, and that was the purpose of His teaching. He openly claimed that He was for the fulfillment of Mosaic law, but not to destroy it, nor He was going to establish a rival system of law. He was not even planning to contradict, alter, or change the law of Moses.
Jesus had come not to eradicate the moral content of the heart of the Mosaic law. Jesus explained this briefly in His Sermon on the Mount. As He explained, the heart of the Mosaic law was to produce in the hearts of the Israelites, humanity, comfort, meekness, righteousness, mercy, purity, peace, and love. This was the heart of the Mosaic law. Jesus Christ wholeheartedly wished for the success of these things in humanity. We have to remember one important point in the Mosaic law. It is concerned more in morality and gave more stress on the sacrificial system, why because God required the blood of slaughtered animals to cover temporarily the sins of humankind. According to God, His people always commit sin and thus sacrificial system must continue until a permanent solution is found. And Jesus Christ became that permanent
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solution, since humankind could not provide any other alternative. God provided His son as a permanent alternative, since He lived a flawless and sinless life in this world. Jesus Christ met all the criteria needed for the humanity’s permanent sacrifice for sin. So, we must accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour because our sins were pardoned, and we were given the assurance of eternal life.
After Jesus Christ was crucified, buried, and raised from the dead, the sacrificial system was also immediately considered null-and-void. But one thing we have to remember in this context. God did not declare that blood sacrifices were no longer needed. They were always wanted from the time of the sin committed in the Garden of Eden, until this movement. Therefore, shedding of blood for the atonement of humanity’s sin is inevitable. Before the advent of Christ and His crucifixion, blood came through slaughtered animals’ sacrifices. Here, the readers are reminded to pay more attention to understand this technical point. The atonement of sin with the slaughtered animals is purely temporary. But the atonement of sin with human blood became permanent, and that is the blood of Jesus Christ. So, the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross, His shedding of blood, His burial, and resurrection became sufficient to meet the requirements after all men and women who wholeheartedly accepted Him as their Saviour and Lord. Basing on the above said naked truth, can the believers of Christ show due regard to the Mosaic law? First of all, let us look into it favorably for its moral intent. It was designed to accomplish in us and was beautifully articulated by Jesus Christ.
So, we should take it into our hearts, cherish it, and live by its principles. However, we are not going to practice that Mosaic law in the present days as it was necessary for ancient Israelites. In nutshell, what Jesus has fulfilled and caused to start is the practice of Mosaic law. Why did Jesus Christ discourage the believers to practice Mosaic law? Because it involved the sacrificial system, dietary laws, the observing of Jewish holidays, and male circumcision. At the same time, if we try to observe those four fundamental principles, and if we
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don’t know our love towards God, our simple observance of them is a colossal waste since we don’t achieve salvation. After our thorough understanding of Mosaic law, it appears like a “schoolmaster,” which led the Jewish people to Christ. So, they might be justified by faith. Jesus Himself fulfilled all the requirements of Mosaic law and all the humanity from its practice. Now, we are not at all bound to continue its physical requirements, but the moral principles would continue. To say in some other way, what for the animal sacrifices, the dietary system, the observing of holidays, and male circumcision were in practice have been totally accomplished in the life sacrifice and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Then the only thing required is that all of us must accept Christ as our Saviour and Lord, and His final sacrifice for our sins. So, with one man’s sacrifice, the whole humanity is saved from sin and from the Mosaic law.
Apostle Paul also made this point crystal clear. He wrote, “For Christ is the end of the law, for righteousness to everyone that believeth” (Romans 10:4). According to him, Mosaic law was never the means by which we are declared righteous in God’s eyes. It is through Christ, and Christ alone, that we are declared righteous. Paul also said that Mosaic law was abolished for both Jews and Gentiles. There were no commandments or ordinances to observe and declare us righteous as all those things were fulfilled by Jesus Himself.
Importance of Shabbat (Sabbath)
In spite of the clear and simple teaching of the previous passages, there were yet a large number of Christian believers who felt it necessary to observe Jewish Shabbat on Friday nights and Saturday before sunset. We have to understand them properly how far they were correct in their opinion, apart from their faith in the New Testament. One day, Jesus went with His disciples through green fields in the later part of His ministry. It was the day of Sabbath. The disciples began to pick up some grains and started to eat them. Some Pharisees happened to be there at the time and got angry with Jesus. They accused Him and His disciples for breaking the Mosaic law. They said, “Behold,
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thy disciples doing that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day.” They further said that Jesus had broken the law of God, in any way, then, He too would have committed sin and thereby, He was not leading a perfect life and would not be qualified Himself to be the perfect sacrifice for the sin.
Here, let us try to assess the mental setup of the Pharisees for their hasty accusation of Jesus over a petty issue. How were the minds of the Pharisees in that era? The Pharisaic tradition involved into an array of petty rules. They used to make a mountain out of a mole for every minute thing. Their main focus was on works almost without morality. But these types of traditions were ignored by the common citizens of Israel. These Pharisees paid more concentration on the Sabbath day observations and requirements. According to some written collection of the Jewish oral traditions and laws appeared to be curious and obscured. For instance, the Pharisees said that Jews should not carry a “burden” on a Sabbath day. Then what must be that burden in their saying? Their burden in their point of view was carrying a piece of paper, horses’ hairs, wax, a piece of broken earthenware, animal food, a dried fig, etc. So, if the people in those days carried any-one of such things, they were considered carrying some burden with them on the Sabbath. Then they were treated as committing sin against the God of Israel.
In addition to that, Israelites would eat well-prepared food on that Sabbath day. If a hen laid an egg on that day, they would not eat it. However, if the hen had been kept for fattening but not laying eggs, they would eat it. Such formalities are really strange and surprising though they have been made legalistic. Healing on the Sabbath day was limited to the life and death situations. And there were some exceptions for emergency incidents, like removing a splinter from the eye. We also know how Jesus was attacked while He was trying to heal a sick person on the Sabbath day. Now they could find a chance to attack Him in the grain fields and questioned Him why He violated the Sabbath rules. Jesus reminded the Pharisees how, about 1,000 years ago, David, while running from King Saul to save himself, ate the Tabernacle’s
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shew bread, which was supposed to be eaten by priests only. He gave another example of the priests in the temple, how they used to profane the Sabbath day by their activities like doing sacrifices, lighting the incense, and so on. But they were called blameless and perfect. So, Jesus told them, “But it ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltiness” (Matthew 12:7). The Pharisees were no doubt blind to the merciful and compassionate aspect of the Mosaic law. And so in their blindness, they condemned such a great man like Jesus Christ, as guilty who was even greater than the temple.
Jesus Christ, while offering His lordship and the fulfillment of the Mosaic law, assured “the son of man is Lord even on the Sabbath day”. But what does it mean? In Hebrews 10:1, it is said that the Mosaic law was a “shadow” of good things to come and not very image of things. A shadow is nothing but an image created by an object. In the same way, Mosaic law was only a shadow of Jesus Christ. Just as a shadow is real but not a permanent one, the condition of the Mosaic law was also the same. Just as a shadow is the indicator of a real object, the Mosaic law was also an indicator of the coming Saviour. Once Jesus comes to the earth, we can take it for granted that he would replace the shadow as it were and become the fulfillment of it. Therefore, we as true believers should offer our lives to Jesus Christ, for the purpose of the fulfillment and the requirement of Sabbath. To say in a simple way, “To trust in Christ is to observe the Sabbath.”
In this situation, the readers might get a genuine doubt how people have been observing Sabbath simply by trusting God (Christ). For ancient Israelites, the seventh day was declared as Sabbath, the day of rest. As God rested from His six days of creation, Israelites were also following the same by resting on that day. They would not do any important work. Men and women would take rest on that day, but engage themselves in doing the service of their loving and most gracious God, whether the work was concerned to physical
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service of God or meditation upon Him. And that service must be for the goodwill between the creator and His creation.
One Hebrew writer said in this connection, “There remaineth, therefore, a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath seized from his own work, as God did his.” What must be the real meaning of the word “rest” here, according to the writer? He is speaking of the rest theologically needed for a searching soul to find out the acceptance before God. When once a man or woman comes to that and is accepted naturally, the problem is solved. So, Jesus confirms this by saying “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for, I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-
30). In other words, we should not struggle much to come to Christ. It is not difficult to secure God’s salvation. So, it is said that “If thou shalt confess with thine mouth, the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Roman 10:9).
As the body would get some physical rest on the Sabbath day, the soul also must find its spiritual Sabbath rest in Christ. So, the outcome of the above said message is that Christ is our Sabbath, Christ is our rest. Since Christ is now satisfying all the requirements of the Sabbath on our behalf, the believers need not worry and bind over to observe the laws of Sabbath. And Apostle Paul had his own saying regarding the Sabbath, “Let no man therefore, judge you, in meat or in drink, or in respect of an holiday or of the new moon or of the Sabbath days.” What must have prompted Paul to speak like that? Because the Judaizers were telling in the Church of Colosie that they should observe certain Mosaic laws. Among many, they suggested dietary requirements, holidays celebrations, and Sabbath rules. But Paul’s answer was “No to all.” Paul said with authority that Jesus, by dying on the cross and raising from the dead, blotted out the handwriting of the ordinances (Mosaic law), that was against Christians and contrary to them. He took that law and nailed it to His cross. To say briefly, the laws of Judaism and traditions as a source of salvation
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were dead and buried. What required now is faith in Christ. So, if the believers do not observe the Sabbath rules, they need not be afraid of judgment. Christ did everything for us. In Christ, Sabbath is eternal and everyday observance.
Eating Kosher
Most of the Christians in the churches insist on the dietary system of ancient Israelites, even today. But they have no authentic information regarding that, nor mentioned anywhere in the New Testament. The Pharisees attacked Jesus again when they saw His disciples did not wash their hands before eating bread. How is this referred to the old traditions? This ceremonial washing of hands was created by the rabbis. Actually, this ritual washing involved cups, pitchers, and kettles also. The Jewish leaders framed out a plan to circumvent God’s law. But Jesus took the Pharisees and the other leaders of law to task. He once again contrasted the physical observance of the law or tradition with the far more significant moral and compassionate requirements of the law. In the meantime, a good number of people gathered around the differing parties and enjoyed the confrontation.
Whenever Jesus came across a gathering, He took it as an opportunity to teach them something. So, He immediately drew the attention of the crowd and said, “Not that which goeth into the mouth, defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, thus differeth a man.” In the following lines He said “Purging all meals”, in other words “Purging all foods.” Again in the modern version of the Bible, Jesus declared, “All foods clean”. It is really very difficult to come to an understanding and satisfactory conclusion regarding the food topic. But Jesus seized the opportunity and declared that there is no “unclean.”
Hence observed the Mosaic dietary system. What Jesus wanted to say is food cannot possibly defile the human soul. If we go on studying about the Pharisees and Sadducees, they appear to have only negative thinking and
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nothing else. So it seems impossible for the Jewish people of Jesus’s time to grasp correctly the complicated interpretation of Mosaic law. Added to that, majority of Israelites had little understanding about Jesus’s true identity as Messiah and Son of God,even they did not understand the word of God. They bluntly refused to accept these identifications in Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ happened to declare about food as “all foods clean,” or some other occasion. In the Book of Acts Chapter 10, we know the story of Saint Peter’s vision and how he fell into a trance. He saw in his vision, heaven opened, and a big vessel descended to the earth, with four-footed beasts, wild beasts, fowls that fly in the air, and creeping things. Then Peter heard a voice saying, raise Peter, kill and eat. Since he was a close observer of ordinances, he replied that he would not eat anything that is common or unclean. But the Lord was firm. He said, “What God hath cleaned that call not thou common.” We can see here how Peter’s vision served two purposes. The first one was confirmed that the dietary laws were no more to observe. The Jewish people are now eating anything and everything freely. The second point is that they stopped ill-treating of Gentiles as mean or inferior to them as they did previously.
They considered all as one, equal in Christ. Peter also made this point crystal clear when he met a group of Gentile believers. He said, “Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a Jew to keep company or come unto one of another nation, but God hath showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” Then in the book of Romans, Apostle Paul confirmed and declared as “all foods clean for eating by God’s people.” Most of the believers wholeheartedly accepted the teachings of Jesus Christ, Peter and Paul and perfectly understood them. They felt free to eat anything they like. And for them, the Mosaic law was no more in existence. But there are some Jews who might be called orthodox or fanatic, still wanted to stick on to the Mosaic law and refused to eat “unkosher” food. Others, who joined such Jews were Gentile believers, who could not understand that the meat sacrificed to the idols had nothing to do with the principles because they were lifeless. But
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Paul expressed his opinion by saying that eating of “unkosher” food is only the good understanding of strong believers. And if the weak believers oppose eating of unkosher, it is left with their destiny. So, some of the present Christian believers may insist on more to honor the Mosaic dietary law for the purpose of being righteous before God. But there is no biblical support to such mean teaching and true Christians should not be disturbed by false teaching of some selfish people.
Male Circumcision
A group of young Christians happened to meet a Jewish believer and asked him whether they should circumcise their newborn sons basing on the Mosaic law. The Jewish believers again questioned him whether they were still practicing the Mosaic law. Of all the New Testament writers, it was only Apostle Paul who vehemently opposed the system of Mosaic law. When a follower of Jesus Christ asked Him whether he should circumcise his son on the eight day of his birth, His immediate answer was “No, no, not at all.” Certainly, this statement was strong, direct and indisputable. So, in the Book of Romans 2:28, Paul clearly said that it is faith and obedience to God that identifies God’s people, but not the observance of Mosaic law. While this hot discussion was going on about circumcision as an act of spiritual perfection, he said, “For he is not a Jew which is an outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh.”
What Paul exactly wanted to say here is that a Jew might be physically circumcised, but it would not make him a true believer in God by birth and righteousness. The circumcision that a man should undergo when he was eight days old in his flesh no doubt fulfilled the Mosaic law and made him to identify as a Jew, but it would not do anything with regard to salvation. There, Paul repeated and wanted a different type of circumcision, what we call spiritual circumcision. To be more clear, the true circumcision must be concerned to heart but not to the flesh. Again, true circumcision is not bodily, but for the soul in faith, love and obedience to God. Paul repeated this time and again for
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correct understanding. So, he said that physical circumcision is not a requisite qualification for salvation. This issue was discussed many a time thoroughly without conclusion, and Paul gave his ultimate judgment on physical circumcision. He said, “Circumcision was nothing and uncircumcision was nothing, but only keeping the Commandments of God” (1 Corinthians 7:19).
Let us study some more examples regarding this burning topic, as quoted by Paul in Galatians 5:6. It is said, “For in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love.” And in the New International Version of the Bible, it is mentioned “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.” And another example, “To be circumcised after salvation in Christ is to cut off God’s grace and to be entangled in the Mosaic law.” Yet, this Mosaic law has no power to save the souls. So to say, circumcision is a return to the law, where Christ is of no value. Paul continued this topic, even in the Church of Colosse. He reminded the believers in Christ whether they were Jews or Gentiles, they were living together with the mercy of God. In other words, they have everything in Christ, which they needed for salvation and holy living. Paul finally gave his wonderful promise. He said, “In whom (Christ) also ye are circumcised, with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ” (Colossians 2:11). So, this circumcision of the heart was something that was shared by every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. This circumcision of the heart was a symbolic of our new spiritual rebirth, the cleansing of souls from sin, and entering into our eternal life with Christ. This circumcision of Christ and by Christ is the only confirmation of our conversion, and it is the circumcision that would save our mortal souls.
Conclusion
Apostle Paul asked the Galatians in his letter, “Have ye suffered so many things in vain? If it be yet in vain, He therefore that ministereth to you the spirit and worketh miracles among you doth he if by the works of the law
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or by the hearing of faith? Even as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Galatians 3:4-6). What Paul wanted to ask the Galatians was whether they achieved salvation by following the rules from the Mosaic law or through the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. It is a naked truth that all of us were saved by faith but not by works. The Mosaic law is nothing here, and it has no impact on the present Christianity. Actually, God established this Mosaic law on Mount Sinai with some purpose. God also introduced seven festivals at the foot of Mount Sinai for the redemption plan of His people from their sins. So, the Mosaic law was useful only to show the way toward God, but not to provide salvation. The main reason was that men and women would not follow the rules and regulations perfectly.
Paul wrote again to the Galatians, “But before faith came, we were kept, under the law shut up unto the faith, which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster, to bring us unto Christ, that we must be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster” (Galatians 3:23-25). In this passage, two phrases are used with some emphasis, “kept under” and “shut up.” Here, these two phrases are used to describe the condition of the life of believers under the Mosaic law. The Mosaic law here served as a schoolmaster to show us the way toward God. And now that God has provided us all requirements to redemption. So at present, we don’t require that schoolmaster (Mosaic law) anymore.
Concerning the circumcision of course, there might be some physical benefits from the health point of view, like eating of healthy foods which are mentioned as popular biblical diets, and taking complete rest on the Sabbath day, which reflects upon the believers of God. But, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the believers were never willingly inflicted upon themselves or others, the stringent and spiritually suffocating practices of the Mosaic law. The New Testament certainly would not allow such methods of living out one’s faith. All people might accept wholeheartedly this Mosaic law and its perfect place in the Old Testament (or Old Covenant). But in the New