"Messianic Judaism"; or Judaising Christianity Part 6 - The Significance of Circumcision By DAVID BARON
				Choose... Part 1 - Introductory Part 2 - The Movement Defined Part 3 - The Movement Partly a Reaction Part 4 - The Dangers of the Movement Part 5 - Jewish Nationality Unlike Any Other Part 6 - The Significance of Circumcision Part 7 - The Practice of Jewish Observances by the First Believers Part 8 - Is Anything to be Gained by Compromise
		The Significance of Circumcision. To deal fully with this subject, and to point out all the dangers and fallacies of this "movement," one would require to write a very long treatise; but let us very briefly look at those observances which are included in the "Minimum programme" of these Judaising brethren. At the head of all stands circumcision. Now, from the physiological and hygienic point of view, there is a great deal to be said for the practice; but to say that it is incumbent upon the Jewish Christian to circumcise his children in order to keep up "his national continuity," is both erroneous and absurd. As far as nationality goes circumcision will no more link the children of Hebrew Christians with the Jews (even if this were an end desirable) than with the Arabs, or Turks, or Egyptians, all of whom also practise circumcision in the flesh. In Israel circumcision was appointed of God, not only as the distinguishing mark of the Abrahamic family, entitling its members to a share in Canaan (Gen. xvii.), but as a sign and pledge of a great spiritual gift of grace which God would bestow upon them. What that great gift should be is expressed already by Moses, in such a scripture, for instance, as Deut. xxx. 6: "And Jehovah thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love Jehovah thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live." Circumcision of the hear—or, in other words, a new nature, the condition of fellowship with God, and the pledge not of earthly inheritance in Canaan, but to one incorruptible and undefiled, and which fadeth not away—is that of which circumcision in the flesh is the symbol and pledge. No wonder that those who teach that Jewish Christians should circumcise their children, also tell them to identify themselves with the Zionist movement, and to claim Palestine as "their heritage." But true believers, whether Jew or Gentile, who are members of the one Church of Christ, mind not "earthly things," because they know that "our citizenship is in heaven, from whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of His glory, according to the working whereby He is able to subject all things unto Himself" (Phil. iii. 18-21, R.V.). Furthermore, since the advent of Christ, the bringer in of the better hope, and the appearing of the grace of God which brings salvation to man apart from works, ceremonial circumcision in the flesh has become the mark of those who still think that they can attain unto righteousness through the law. It is this fact which lends force to the Apostle's earnest warnings and entreaties to the Galatians: "Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing. Yea, I testify again to every man (whether Jew or Gentile) that receiveth circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Ye are severed from Christ, ye who would be justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit by faith wait for the hope of righteousness" (Gal. v. 2-4). In view of these solemn asseverations of the inspired Apostle, it is nothing less than to pervert truth to write as the leading Gentile champion of these Judaising views does, that "they are not preaching liberty to you but bondage, who would have you forsake Moses, and not to circumcise your children."* * Professor Stroeter, in his "Urgent Call to Hebrew Christians," in the first No. of The Messianic Jew. Truly there is need to-day, as there was in the Apostle's time, earnestly to warn weak and unstable believers, both among Jews and Gentiles, not only to "beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers," but to "beware of the concision" (which is the Apostle's contemptuous term for those who still urged circumcision of the flesh); for we are the circumcision who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh" (Phil. iii. 2, 3, R.V.); or, in words of the same Apostle, which have more particular reference to the Jews, "He is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh, but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not of man, but of God."* * I much regret to be obliged for lack of space to omit my remarks on the observance of the Sabbath, the Passover, and other festivals, all of which to the Jew are bound up with the Mosaic economy and the land of Palestine. But I may take the liberty of directing the attention of my readers to my book "Types, Psalms, and Prophecies," in the first chapter of which the typical and spiritual significance of the Sabbath and Jewish Feasts are fully unfolded. Go to Part 7 - The Practice of Jewish Observances by the First Believers
			Choose... Part 1 - Introductory Part 2 - The Movement Defined Part 3 - The Movement Partly a Reaction Part 4 - The Dangers of the Movement Part 5 - Jewish Nationality Unlike Any Other Part 6 - The Significance of Circumcision Part 7 - The Practice of Jewish Observances by the First Believers Part 8 - Is Anything to be Gained by Compromise