How in the world is it weak? GOD said not becoming circumcised in the flesh would cut one off from him.
Paul said don't become circumcised in the flesh as a means of obedience to GOD's law, because doing so would cut one off from Christ.
What's weak are the arguments of those who claim all of GOD's laws are equally valid, and all must be obeyed; and GOD never changes; and the law never changes, etc., etc., because it is beyond dispute that it is impossible to obey both commands. It is a logical contradiction. THAT is weak.
HeRose, forgive me but your post shows the problem.
When you say "
it is impossible to obey both commands", notice you're reading the "letter" (i.e. what is exactly written) in BOTH instances (and not the "spirit")...so the only logical conclusion is that one command must be less valid than the other otherwise both commands "literally" contradict each other. And this was one of the problems the Pharisees had in misunderstanding Christ.
I've no doubt you know the spiritual meaning of the word "flesh"; that after Christ it doesn't mean literal "foreskin" anymore (just like a "temple" isn't a physical building anymore). So the "spirit" of God's command the first time is the *same* as the "spirit" of God's command given through Paul for the gentiles. Both are the same exact command; equally valid...but it's difficult to see this if we're focused on the "letters" in both instances.
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As a general statement to all; the distinction is
NOT between "the Law" vs "the Spirit"...this is a faulty statement that has a danger of leading the unlearned (possibly also reading this thread) into lawlessness. No, the distinction is between "The Letter" vs "The Spirit"...of The
SAME Eternal Law.
2 Corinthians 3:6
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Just like the temple on earth was a shadow & form of the true version of the abode of God in heaven, so is the letter a shadow & form of the true version of the law in heaven. One is the earthly and the other is the heavenly. One is the physical and the other is the spiritual. Both are bound as one, but the one "full fills" the other.
The Eternal Circumcision Law is "one must be circumcised of the flesh". The letter says "cut off the foreskin", but the spirit says "circumcise the heart". God himself gave a prophecy that this would be the fulfillment of this very law as far back as Deuteronomy. Note: "fulfillment" means "
state of being filled to the full" (like a cup running over). It does NOT mean "
done away with".
Deuteronomy 30:6
And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
..."The Greatest Commandment" was given by God LONG before Christ
ever (re)stated it during his ministry. Notice that this commandment isn't "new", but stands on the foundation established in the First Testament, as Circumcision's fulfillment.
God didn't "change" (like he and his son said they wouldn't in scripture)...
Thus the circumcision law is STILL valid, isn't it? If you love God with every ounce of your being you were - indeed - circumcised of "the flesh".