If the Mosaic Law is finished and over with, why does the church still obligate worshippers to follow the 261st commandment – the commandment to tithe?
“For Christ is the end of the Law unto righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4)
Commandment # 261
“You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year.” (Deuteronomy 14:22)
Similarly, why do so many Americans still get circumcised? For Paul declared in his epistle to the Galatians that:
“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 obligated to keep the entire [Mosaic] Law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by the [Mosaic] Law.” (Galatians 5:2-3)
Commandment # 215
“And on the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.” (Leviticus 12:3)
As to continuing to practice circumcision, Paul preached against circumcision, but as Christians, they can look at Acts 16:3. I think the practice of circumcision in the modern West has to do with theories about hygiene, and perhaps fashion. I don’t think it was religiously motivated or had any continuity with Judaism.
As to tithing, actual tithing is not a universal teaching among Christian churches. Those that do require tithing, I can’t speak for. Those that require or strongly encourage some material support of the church (not necessarily 10%), probably point to 1 tim 5:18.
One non-religious reason why Christians, especially American Christians, still circumcise is for health. It is thought that it helps prevent certain forms of cancer, UTIs, STDs, and a few other things. The US medical establishment used to push this, but I believe it is not as adamant about it as it used to be. Doctors in some other countries consider circumcision barbaric and don’t do it. So not all Christians circumcise.
BDEhrman
FreedomBen
evgendob
Robert
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