Raise your hand if you're what?!!

Circumcised.

My professor asked this of the males in my class today. I was somewhat interested to see how common it is across the various cultures and ages represented in the classroom; however, I was NOT interested enough to risk some serious awkwardness by looking around and seeing what hands were raised. What if I made eye contact with a man while his hand was raised, or not raised? Either way is weird. I did the only reasonable thing a girl in a roomful of pastors could do in that situation--I looked down and feigned disinterest (still awkwardly).

Then my professor read Galatians 5:2... Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.

Presuming some men did in fact raise their hands (and my peripheral vision will contend that many did), does that mean Christ is of no value to them?

Obviously not. My professor was making a point about interpreting scripture. This passage applies differently to a group of first century Galatians than to men today. Here's what Paul was really saying: anything added to the Gospel empties it of its power.

In case you don't know the backstory, some people were trying to convince the Galatians that they needed circumcision for salvation, and here Paul is setting them straight. The only requirement for salvation is belief in the Lord Jesus. You are not saved by the law (Galatians 2:20-21), by your works (Ephesians 2:8-9), or by any other name under heaven (Acts 4:12). Salvation belongs to the Lord.

God is good and seminary never bores me... Stay tuned for more interesting moments!