In relation to : http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/167395
See songofjoy's answer re: Genesis 17:12
If God commanded it, why are Christian males not circumcised?
This is not intended as an anti-Christian question - I really want to know
by 
dea_ex_machina
ANSWERS: 3
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This is a better link, it saves scrolling for the appropriate answer: http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/4500577
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Many of the commandments of the Old Testament were "letter of the law" - judging people on what other people could observe. Jesus promoted looking for the "spirit of the law". Instead of being circumcised of the flesh, true believers are now to be circumcised of the heart (Romans 2:29).
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A very simple explanation, not quite exact but good enough for most purposes is that Old Testament laws fall into three categories: Civil laws for the Jewish state; ritual laws for the Jewish religion; and moral laws for all people of all times everywhere. The easiest way to know whether a law is a moral law is to see if it is repeated in the New Testament. Circumcision was just a requirement for the Jewish religion. Like other ritual requirements, it was no longer required when the purpose of the Old Testament was fulfilled and the Messiah came. Now this painful practice is no longer required, although it still is allowed.
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