But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” (Acts 15:5)

Shall We Keep The Law Of Moses?

The struggles in the early church revolved around establishing the doctrines and commandments of the kingdom of God. Jesus promised the apostles the Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth. During the early days of the church, the only scriptures available were the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms. It would be fourteen years after Pentecost, and the first book of what is now known as the New Testament would be written (James). For the next fifty years, many more letters would be written to become the divine canon of God’s word.

Before the completion of the perfect word of God, the apostles helped to establish the will and commands of the Lord. The first converts of the gospel were Jews with the Gentiles being added a few years later. During this time of early growth, the doctrines of the church were being established. One of the greatest challenges of the church was to show the Jews how God had fulfilled His promises to Abraham through the Law, but under Christ, the Law of Moses was abolished for a better covenant. All of the laws and commandments of the Law of Moses were taken away through the Son of God’s death, burial, and resurrection. The church would not be governed by the Law of Moses.

An early problem for devout Jews belonging to the sect of the Pharisees was giving up circumcision. The covenant of circumcision was from the days of Abraham and the foundation of the relationship of God and the Jews. On the Day of Pentecost, devout Jews from every nation gathered in Jerusalem. When three thousand Jews heard the preaching of the twelve apostles, they were baptized into Christ, and the Lord added them to the church. Many of the practices of the Jews remained intact. Peter and John went to the temple to pray. Paul kept a vow. While many of the practices found in the Law of Moses were inconsequential to salvation, one key element of the Law of Moses remained in the eyes of many Jews: circumcision.

When Peter told the Jews at Pentecost what to do to be saved, he never mentioned circumcision. Philip preached Jesus to the man from Ethiopia and never suggested the need to be circumcised. Peter taught Cornelius and his household the gospel of Christ without requiring circumcision. None of the examples of conversion or teachings of the early church required circumcision to be saved. This bothered some Christians who were of the sect of the Pharisees. They demanded that circumcision be taught as essential for salvation, and recipients of the gospel must be commanded to be circumcised. Some teachers taught salvation through circumcision in many churches and commanded the Christians to keep the Law of Moses.

Jesus died to take away the Law of Moses. The Law did not save the Gentiles. They were a law to themselves. The Jews did a terrible job at keeping the Law. When the church was dealing with Jews (Hebrews) who wanted to return to the Law of Moses, the writer of Hebrews explained in great detail the fallacies of the Law and how it had been abandoned for the good news in Jesus Christ. Circumcision has nothing to do with salvation, and keeping the Law of Moses cannot save. There is nothing sinful about circumcision, but to bind it as Law is sin. Jesus died to bring the Jews to Him through His blood. A Jew cannot be saved by circumcision or keeping the Law of Moses. Peter told the Jews what to do to be saved. He told them to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins. This answer is the same for Gentiles. Salvation is not in the Law of Moses or the nation of Israel. Jesus Christ and Him crucified is the only way, truth, and life.