Learn how the debate over circumcision of non-Jewish Christians shaped understandings of law and freedom. Discover the meaning of the biblical commandments in the light of the New Testament. By Kai Mester

Reading time: 5 minutes

Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas at the Apostles' Council. Main question: Do non-Jewish Christians have to undergo the rite of circumcision?

After the various points of view have been presented, Peter makes a plea for the Gentile converts, and James judges that "to those of the Gentiles who are converting to God, one should only write to beware of the defilement of idols, of... To abstain from fornication, from what is strangled, and from blood." (Acts 15,19:20-XNUMX)

Can we conclude from this that all other commandments from the Torah only applied to the Jews? For example, the ban on theft, lying and murder? The New Testament contradicts this in many places.

The Apostolic Council was about rites and ceremonies that either found their fulfillment in Jesus, as with the sacrifices, or were strongly tied to Jewish identity and history, as with circumcision.

The Ten Commandments of the Decalogue, written by the divine finger, remained untouched (Exodus 2:31,18).

Free from the law?

There are numerous statements in Paul's letters that emphasize that people who follow Jesus are free from the law (Romans 7,6:5,18), no longer under the law (Galatians 6,15:4,31), but under grace (Romans 2,19 ,2), filled with the Spirit and dead to the law (Acts 3,6:XNUMX; Galatians XNUMX:XNUMX), for the letter kills (XNUMX Corinthians XNUMX:XNUMX).

Jesus abolished the law of commandments in statutes (Ephesians 2,15:2,14), nailed it to the cross (Colossians 3,13:2,16) and ransomed it from the curse of the law (Galatians XNUMX:XNUMX). No man can be justified by the works of the law (Galatians XNUMX:XNUMX).

Therefore, many ask, quoting Paul: “Why do you turn again to the weak and poor principles that you want to serve anew? You observe days and months and times and years." (Galatians 4,9:10-14,5) "This one counts one day higher than another, the other counts all days the same; everyone is sure of their opinion! …But you, why judge your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother?" (Romans 10:XNUMX-XNUMX)

Solution to the puzzle

Anyone who wants to understand Paul must acquire a basic knowledge of the biblical plan of salvation. For he was a Jewish scribe who explained the Old Testament (Torah, Prophets and Writings) and the Gospels.

Briefly outlined: According to the Old Testament, man's original problem is his distrust of God, which expresses itself in immorality and sin. The New Testament defines: "To sin is to disobey God's commandments." (1 John 3,4:3,23 NIV) Paul explains: "All have sinned." (Romans XNUMX:XNUMX)

It now says of Jesus: “He will free his people from all sins.” (Matthew 1,21:XNUMX NL) This is the topic that Paul deals with in all of his letters. The Jewish-Pharisee path did not free people from sin, because sin goes deeper than external actions; it begins in the heart.

Anyone who is under grace and filled with Jesus' Spirit keeps God's commandments not only externally through their own strength, but from within, driven by a divine power. The law can no longer condemn him because Jesus lives in him and he does not break it (Galatians 2,20:XNUMX). He is free from the law, from its curse. The condemnation of the law no longer has him under control. He doesn't pay attention to the letter just to be blameless, but strives from within to be at the center of God's will.

Removed and attached to the cross are the numerous statutes and detailed regulations that regulated the Jewish rite that pointed to the Messiah. Because he had fulfilled everything. But the moral commandments have also taken on a different meaning since the cross on Golgotha. They are no longer written on tablets of stone to condemn the believer, but on the heart to change him (2 Corinthians 3,3:10,16; Hebrews 18:XNUMX-XNUMX).

If Jesus had abolished the Ten Commandments on the cross, he would not have had to die for people's sins in the first place, because without the law there is no sin (Romans 7,8:1). Through his sacrifice of love he enables people to love God and their neighbor for which breaking the law is not an option (3,6 John XNUMX:XNUMX).

So what about the arbitrariness of the holidays? Whether these were religious fasts or feast days, this cannot mean the weekly Sabbath. “Do we then abolish the law through faith? Far be it! But we establish the law!” (Romans 3,31:XNUMX)

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