Circumcision

[lukpet]

One thing I noticed when I read the Bible: In Genesis 17 God speaks about the circumcision as the covenant with Abraham. But in the verse 13 it says: eternal covenant.
Why do we not have to be circumcised if it was the covenant was eternal?
Thanks for your answers, God bless you

 

[GEddie]

One thing I noticed when I read the Bible: In Genesis 17 God speaks about the circumcision as the covenant with Abraham. But in the verse 13 it says: eternal covenant.
Why do we not have to be circumcised if it was the covenant was eternal?
Thanks for your answers, God bless you

The Abrahamic covenant was one of blood-descent, but the Christian covenant is one of baptism into Christ.

The new covenant supersedes the old.

ICXC NIKA

 

[CeelosDeznos]

One thing I noticed when I read the Bible: In Genesis 17 God speaks about the circumcision as the covenant with Abraham. But in the verse 13 it says: eternal covenant.
Why do we not have to be circumcised if it was the covenant was eternal?
Thanks for your answers, God bless you

According to a recent document on Jewish-Catholic relations from the Holy See, “The Gifts and Calling of God are Irrevocable,” God’s covenant with the Jews will never end.

Don’t be alarmed if some Catholics give answers contrary to this. This document was just released in December of 2015, and so some may not be yet aware of these latest changes in theology and the reasons involved.

The short of this in direct reference to your question is that the covenant of circumcision was made only with Abraham and his children. Christians are not obligated to circumcise their sons as a requisite for salvation. However Catholics of Jewish ancestry like myself may keep this custom as it is part our heritage. The original Jerusalem church of Jewish Christians practiced this as well as kept the rest of the Law, though they did not recognize this as a requisite to salvation in Christ.–See Acts 21:17-26.

While this recent document is the latest in a series of them reaching back 50 years, it is a milestone of grand significance. It can be found at vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/relations-jews-docs/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_20151210_ebraismo-nostra-aetate_en.html.