How Important Is Circumcision?
The Old testament required circumcision for the Jewish people to be in covenant with God.
Gen_17:10 This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your seed after you. Every male child among you shall be circumcised.
Gen_17:12 And a son of eight days shall be circumcised among you, every male child in your generations; he that is born in the house, or bought with silver of any stranger who is not of your seed.
Gen_17:13 He that is born in your house, and he that is bought with your silver, must be circumcised. And My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
Gen_17:14 And the uncircumcised male child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.
The New Testament, under the grace of Christ, which allowed gentiles, made a change
Rom 2:25 For circumcision truly profits if you keep the Law, but if you are a transgressor of the Law, circumcision becomes uncircumcision.
Rom 2:26 If then the uncircumcision keeps the ordinances of the Law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
Rom 2:27 And the uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfills the Law, shall it not judge you, who through letter and circumcision become transgressors of the Law?
Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that outwardly in flesh;
Rom 2:29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart; in spirit and not in letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.
1Co 7:18 Was any called having been circumcised? Do not be uncircumcised. Was anyone called in uncircumcision? Do not be circumcised.
1Co 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
1Co 7:20 Let each one remain in the calling in which he was called.
Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty with which Christ has made us free, and do not again be held with the yoke of bondage.
Gal 5:2 Behold, I, Paul, say to you that if you are circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
The custom of circumcision was following the Law given by Moses. The Law was replaced by the grace of Christ for those who had faith in Christ. Thus, to be circumcised to follow the law had no meaning under grace.
Gal 5:3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do all the Law,
Gal 5:4 you who are justified by Law are deprived of all effect from Christ; you fell from grace.
Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness out of faith.
Gal 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any strength, but faith working through love.
Gal 6:12 As many as desire to look well in the flesh, these compel you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.
Gal 6:13 For they themselves, having been circumcised, do not even keep the Law, but they desire you to be circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.
Gal 6:14 But may it never be for me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.
Gal 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision has any strength, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
Those who talk of the need of circumcision do so to try and avoid the need for Christ’s salvation given on the cross. They were trying to avoid the wrath of the people for teaching the old custom of circumcision in the past. That could make those who had been circumcised unhappy for the priests teaching them incorrectly. The penalty for incorrect teaching was death by stoning. Under grace, circumcision became unimportant. What is important is a person’s becoming a new creation when they have faith in Christ and obey His words. They then have changed from obeying their old sin nature and are following a new path given by Christ, His words and the Holy Spirit of God. All these guides have been given by God the Father. The old Law became replaced by grace.