Why Was Timothy Circumcised?

[Garland-Green]

Excerpt; 3) Titus was a “test case” in Jerusalem (Galatians 2:1), but Timothy was to be a constant travel companion (Acts 16:3). Therefore, in Titus’ case a clear theological issue was at stake*. But in Timothy’s case, what was at stake was how unbelieving Jews might best be won to Christ. So just as Christian freedom caused Paul to resist Titus’ circumcision, this same freedom allowed him to remove the stumbling block of Timothy’s lack of circumcision. Paul applied his principle from 1 Corinthians 9:20, “To the Jews I became a Jew in order to win the Jews.”

On the basis of these three differences, then, I would say Paul was not inconsistent when he resisted Titus’ circumcision but sought Timothy’s.

Standing on (and under) the word,

Pastor John

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*Not just a theological issue, but a salvation issue because it was an issue within the body of believers about which way we are saved.

Galatians 5:2-11
Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

I am sure Timothy didn't believe that he was circumcised as a way of being saved and I don't think Paul had such a bad memory either that he forgot what he was saying to the Galatians. Paul is not contradicting himself saying we should become Canaanites either, preforming or participating in Canaanite rituals to reach the lost, because participating in these things would diminish our impact trying to reach people with the Gospel and we would be participating in sacrifices offered to demons (1 Corinthians 10:20), circumcision was/is not offered to demons and in this case it was done to make people more susceptible to hearing (Acts 16:3). The Jews would not have accepted a Greek telling them about their God. Christ would also appear less exclusive if we in participating gave the impression that there are other means than Christ to please God.  

[cristobela]

edited

Just to highlight and clarify about Titus:

With Titus, the Pharisees (and those leavened by their teaching) needed to see that it wasn't the circumcision of your physical flesh that saved you, but the circumcision of your fleshly nature—which is done by Christ.

• Colossians 2:11 (NIV)
  
  11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh[a] was put off when you were circumcised by[b] Christ,
  
  Footnotes:
  
  a. Colossians 2:11 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verse 13.
  
  b. Colossians 2:11 Or put off in the circumcision of

But some people allowed themselves to be swayed by the Pharisees' leaven/doctrine that the physical circumcision was what saved you (ergo, Paul writing a letter to the Galatians to correct that error i.e. Galatians 2:3-5).

• Galatians 2:3-5 (NIV)
  
  3 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4 This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.

The Pharisees were going around saying you MUST be circumcised (physically) to be saved:

• Acts 15:1 (NIV)
  
  15 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”
  
  
• Acts 15:5 (NIV)
  
  5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”

You don't get circumcised, nor keep the law of Moses, TO be saved from the sinful nature you are born with (the very desire to sin). Nor can that wipe your record of sins clean. Sure, keeping the Law of God would keep us out of trouble and render justice, but doesn't save us from the sinful nature that we're born with nor save us from our guilty record. Thus needing to be born-again and slate wiped clean. That "born-again" salvation comes from believing in Jesus, which everyone—born as a Jew or a Gentile, physically circumcised or physically uncircumcised, are in need of.

• Romans 2:29 (NIV)
  
  29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.
  

And that's a problem the Israelites had since their conception as a nation.

• Deuteronomy 10:16 (NIV)
  
  16 Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer.

Ergo,

• Ezekiel 36:25-27 (NIV)
  
  25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
  
  Jeremiah 31:31-33 (NIV)
  
  31 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
      “when I will make a new covenant
  with the people of Israel
      and with the people of Judah.
  32 It will not be like the covenant
      I made with their ancestors
  when I took them by the hand
      to lead them out of Egypt,
  because they broke my covenant,
      though I was a husband to[a] them,[b]”
  declares the Lord.
  33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
      after that time,” declares the Lord.
  “I will put my law in their minds
      and write it on their hearts.
  I will be their God,
      and they will be my people.
  
  Footnotes:
  
  a. Jeremiah 31:32 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac / and I turned away from
  b. Jeremiah 31:32 Or was their master
  

Our criminal record full of sin and our hearts that desire to sin are the problem. Jesus saves us from both (thus provides us a clean record and obedient hearts / hearts circumcised to God).