be yourself

1 Corinthians 7:18&19

"18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God."

In these verses, Paul addresses new believers regarding circumcision; a major point of division between Jewish and Gentile Christians in the early church. His instruction is straightforward: Don’t change your physical condition. If you were circumcised when God called you, stay that way. If you were uncircumcised, don’t get circumcised.

The heart of the passage is verse 19: “Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the KEEPING of the commandments of God.” 

Meaning for Believers Today:

Paul is teaching a powerful, timeless truth: External religious markers and cultural identities do not determine your standing with God. What matters is obedience to God’s commandments and a heart surrendered to Christ.

For modern Christians, this means:

•Your ethnic background, denominational traditions, or outward religious practices (baptism style, worship preferences, cultural customs) are secondary.

•Don’t try to “become someone else” to fit in with a particular Christian group or to appear more “spiritual.”

•Don’t elevate secondary issues or cultural distinctives to the level of primary importance.

The takeaway: Whether you came to faith from a religious background or from no background at all, stay who you are, and focus on what truly counts: faithful obedience to God in your daily life. In Christ, external distinctions lose their power to divide. What unites us is loving and obeying Him.

AMEN!