If circumcision is not made a religious requirement it is spiritually harmless. These parallel verses show what is important and what is not:
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. (Galatians 5:6)
Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. (1 Corinthians 7:18-19)
Circumcision was not wrong in itself. But no one could impose circumcision as though the law of Moses was still in force. No one could make circumcision necessary for a relationship with God. With that understood, Jews could practice circumcision as a tradition. That was why Timothy received circumcision, as a matter of custom (Acts 16:1-3). In a similar way, we find in Acts that Jewish Christians continued to use many aspects of the old Jewish way of life.
- They attended the temple (Acts 2:46; 3:1; 5:42; 21:26).
- They took the Jewish vows (Acts 18:18; 21:23).
- They attended the religious festivals (Acts 20:6, 16).
- They used certain ceremonies of the law (Acts 21:20-26).
If these matters were not made essential for salvation, they were not harmful. Paul, for example, did certain Jewish things to keep from offending the Jews. In this sense, it could be said that he kept the law (Acts 21:24). In the case of Acts 21, Paul was following his mission policy of adapting to fit different cultures.
To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.” (I Corinthians 9:20-21)