The Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 5:6, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love," (NIV).
Now the words circumcision and uncircumcision were in reference to the Jewish custom of circumcising their children eight days after their birth. This was done in accordance with God's command (Genesis 17:10-14) as a covenant between the Jews and God, and also as a sign that the Jewish people were set apart from the pagans of the world. In a larger context, circumcision represents God's law in that God's people had to follow the law to be pure with Him.
However, when Jesus arrived on the scene He became the fulfillment of God's law. As Pastor Andy Stanley of North Point Church in Georgia stated it was if everything in the Old Testament pointed to Jesus. The Apostle Paul, who had been raised a Jew named Saul and had been a Pharisee, or religious leader of the Jewish religion, reminded the gathering at Galatia that because of Jesus, it no longer mattered if one was circumcised or not because that would no longer separate them from the world. What would separate Christians from the world was their faith expressed by loving one another.
What does that mean for us?
Well, I think our biggest problem in life in regards to our relationship with God is we spend so much time worrying about if we are following God's "rules" that we become discouraged when we slip up and sin. Perhaps though if we spent more time loving others we would not sin.
Think about this way. Do you want to be hurt by others? Do you want your spouse to cheat on you? Do you want someone to kill you? Kill your loved one? Do you want someone to verbally berate you or someone you love? Do you want to be mistreated?
I would hope the answer is no, and if it is then we should not want to do the same to others. Not because it is required of us by an unseen being, but because we have love for one another. You see, love compels us to treat others with more respect and courtesy than perhaps we give ourselves. That's why Jesus tells us to love others as we love ourselves, if not more (Mark 12:30-31). If we love someone we would not commit sin against them.
It is not just that sin separates us from God because we break His "rules", or His law. Sin separates us from God because we have violated that love for others. Sin is not just a transgression towards God for when we sin it is usually against others. Think about it. If we commit adultery does it just involve us? No. It involves the person we commit adultery against and the person we committed adultery with. We hurt our spouse and we also hurt the person we committed that sin with. That is why we are all connected, and the actions we commit to, whether good or bad, has consequences toward one another.
This is why Jesus tells us that if we are trying to get right with God but still have transgressions, or grievances against someone, we are to leave God and go make right with that person (Matthew 5:24). God can wait, and He wants to wait because He wants us to be right with one another. Being right with one another will mean we are right with God. There is not a special sacrament or ceremony or obedience to the law that can trump our love towards one another. It's not the act of Communion or feet washing that makes us right with God, it is our love towards one another.
It is that simple. In the last few months I have been searching for what it truly means to be a Christian. Well, it means to show love toward those around me. If I love my wife then I show it, and I make sure she knows it. I make sure everything I do is for her and that my love is expressed in everything I do for her. If I love my children then the same thing applies. I do everything for them. A stranger on the street needs me to love them and express that love to them.
I am not seeking personal reward or recognition. I am not doing it because it will make me feel better about myself. I am doing it because I love them. Doing things like ceremonies or sacraments is not expressing love to anyone or God. It is just so you can feel better about yourself. However, loving someone, helping someone out of love; well, that is greater than any sacred thing you can do. In fact, loving others is sacred.
Until next time...
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