Based on 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 (New King James Version)
“But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches. Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.”
Shortly after the formation of the first churches and until today, there is much confusion regarding what God has called us to do. And because of that, many have developed their different erroneous versions and concepts, some because of confusion, others because of carnality, and others to take advantage of his neighbor, finally making themselves vessels of dishonor. But something is certain, and the matter (which has been commented many times before) is that our opinions will not mean anything when that moment comes where we will need to stand before God. Contrary to the secular world teaches (the same that has been absorbed by the church in general), you cannot control reality. No one can change God. This is reality: We can neither change nor convince God of anything, but rather, we need to adjust to what God says, and to do things as God indicates, to be able to obtain the things that only God can give.
Now then, there are those that have practically disqualified what the Bible teaches in the Old Testament because they think that it no longer applies, and that if you look to do the things that are in the Old Testament, then you are returning to the Law. Moreover, those that subscribe to this concept use the grace we now have in Christ as a way to rule out many things in the Word of God, and that does not agree with the Scriptures. Many justify themselves in what they read in the book of Galatians, and of how Paul admonished the church because they had forgotten about God’s grace and had started to practice certain things in the Law as a vehicle for salvation. But what was Paul referring to? This is what it says: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.” Galatians 5:1-6. The problem that Paul saw was that the Galatians were starting to put other things before faith in Christ, and they started to put certain things of the Law as conditions to be able to obtain salvation. In other words, if a person would come to Christ, they would say that they also needed to be circumcised (if they were men, of course), to be able to genuinely obtain salvation. This was the problem. But what needs to be clarified is that the way we obtain salvation and what we do after because of that decision are two very different things, but they are interdependent.
This is what we must understand, what the Lord Himself said: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:17-20. The Lord, under no circumstance, came to destroy the Law which consists of what God commanded in the Old Testament, so then, it is not possible to dismiss that part of the Bible like many want to. He came to fulfill the Law in the way that He was going to be the divine sacrifice that would end all other sacrifices made in the past. He was going to open completely the way for all to God through His person, and many of the things that were practiced before are no longer necessary, those of which God taught as a foretelling of what would come after. God did not make a mistake, but rather, God developed things as they needed to be through the course of time. But if we read well what the Lord said, we do need to do and fulfill the commandments of God, if we desire to enter the kingdom of heaven (read it well). So, things are not so simple.
The way to God’s salvation also consists of actions and works in the sense that we need to do certain things to be able to obtain salvation, which consists of clinging on to what God established, because the reality is that everything consists of some form of work or action. Whoever says differently does not understand what God has established, nor reality, and far less, God’s plan. To be able to be saved, we need to first repent and convert from all our sins (this requires action). And secondly, we need to effectively make Jesus the Lord of our lives (which also implies many actions). And this is just the beginning, what makes being born again possible. But after that beginning, there must be a continuance, and there is where fulfilling the commandments comes in (not circumcision, because that was needed before to show that you were a part of God’s people. Circumcision was a sign – Genesis 17). When a person has given their life over to the Lord, they don’t need a sign so they can be seen as being a part of God’s people. But it is necessary to follow Christ, and that we will be known by our fruits. You can’t stop when coming to salvation, but rather, you need to continue following the Way, living the life that God called you to live.
So, which are the most important commandments that God desires for us to fulfill, after coming to Him, as a sign that we do belong to Him? “Jesus answered him, ‘The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31. These two commandments can only be fulfilled through good works, so then, living faith in Christ consists of doing those things that God has called us to do. God calls us to love Him and to love our neighbor, and that love needs to be shown in a very practical and evident way. How do we know that Jesus loved His Father? He obeyed Him, and to the point of even dying on the cross, the very thing He did because of His love for God and for His neighbor. Jesus fulfilled the Law perfectly, and His works proclaim that for all eternity. And since Christ is our example, if we desire to be found worthy before God, God needs to see us through Christ and similar to Christ, letting go of the works of the flesh. That is what God has called us to do. So then, are you doing what God has called you to do? Lord bless! John