Gal. 5:6 ... "In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love."
When God selected Abraham as the progenitor of His own nation and the ancestor of the Messiah, He made a covenant with him. The terms of this covenant for Abraham and his descendants were that they must worship and obey Him only. On His part God would protect and nourish them into a mighty nation, give them a land for their own possession and eventually bring forth from among them the Messiah. The token, or seal, of this covenant was circumcision. God ordained in Genesis 17: "This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised ... and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you ... but an uncircumcised male ... shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant," (vs. 10, 11, 14).
This covenant was in effect throughout most of the Old Testament period, being incorporated into the Mosaic Law, until Christ was crucified. Then, according to Col. 2:14, it was "taken out of the way" and "nailed to the cross." A faction of the early church, however, was so strongly oriented to the Mosaic Law that it argued one could become a Christian only by submission to the Law with circumcision for its seal. Representatives of this faction had penetrated into the churches of Galatia and were subverting their liberty from the Law with this doctrine. One great purpose of this letter to the Galatians was to refute this doctrine and offset this subversion. This is the background for the exhortation in 5:1, "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery." Paul then declared that seeking justification through the Law negated the effect of Christ's ministry upon them and resulted in their being "fallen from grace" (v.4). Then, in the lead text above, he stated that circumcision is irrelevant to one's relation with Christ; that is, one could accept or reject this physical rite with no change in his relationship to Christ.
Then the inspired apostle revealed what IS absolutely relevant to this special relationship. In fact, far more than being merely "relevant," it is the essential foundation thereof. This indispensable factor is "faith working through love." In reading this proclamation we must be careful to include all that is stated, for many have wanted to restrict it. Notice that it does not say our relation to Christ is based on faith alone. Rather, it is established on faith that is working, "working through love." Nowhere does the New Testament teach that faith by itself unites a soul to the Lord. Paul here harmonizes with James, who states: "You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone." And no wonder, for both men were instruments through whom the same Spirit spoke. But notice furthermore that even a working faith alone also does not establish our relationship with Christ. It is only when the faith which works is motivated and controlled "by love." Paul is consistent, because in I Cor. 13:2 he wrote: "If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing."
Man cannot decide for himself what is required to become a Christian. Many have presumed to do so, resulting in dozens of conflicting formulas. An apostle, writing by the direct supervision of the Holy Spirit, has revealed God's decision, which is the only one that is valid. A person must respond in faith to God's will; that faith must compel him to perform the deeds divine revelation has specified; and that faith with its resulting deeds must be motivated and guided by love.
