In Acts 15, the apostles met to settle a great dispute. Some men were teaching that unless a person was circumcised, they could not be saved. Paul and Barnabas stood firm against this false teaching, and the church at Jerusalem declared that salvation is by grace through faith, not by keeping the law. Works cannot save anyone. Salvation comes through Christ alone.
But then, in the very next chapter, Paul meets a young man named Timothy and has him circumcised. That might sound like a contradiction, but it wasn’t. The act had nothing to do with salvation, it had everything to do with ministry. Timothy’s mother was Jewish, his father was Greek, and the Jews in that area knew he was uncircumcised. Paul didn’t want that to become a stumbling block that would hinder the gospel, so Timothy willingly made a sacrifice for the sake of reaching others.
From this passage, we learn three important lessons about how we are to live and serve.
1. We Are Called to Be All Things to All Men
1 Corinthians 9:19–23, “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more… I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”
Paul wasn’t interested in defending his own freedoms. His goal was to win souls. To the Jews, he lived like a Jew. To the Gentiles, he adapted his approach so they could hear the truth without unnecessary offense. Timothy’s circumcision wasn’t a compromise, it was compassion. It removed a barrier so that others could be reached.
Sometimes we hold on to things that don’t matter, yet they stand in the way of someone hearing the gospel. Paul reminds us that our personal liberty should never be more important than another person’s soul.
2. We Are Called to Protect the Ministry
2 Corinthians 6:3–4, “Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God.”
Paul took the testimony of the ministry seriously. He didn’t want unbelievers to have a reason to reject the message because of something he did or didn’t do. That’s why he was careful to act with discernment.
Many today damage the work of God by insisting on their personal preferences. But a servant of Christ must think first about how their actions affect the ministry. We are called to live above reproach and handle ourselves in a way that strengthens the work of God, not weakens it.
3. We Are Called Not to Cause the Weaker Brother to Stumble
Romans 14:13–15, “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way… if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably.”
Paul teaches that love should guide our liberty. If something we do, even something harmless, causes a weaker brother to stumble, we should gladly give it up. Our goal isn’t to prove how free we are, but to show how loving we are.
We may not be debating circumcision today, but we face the same question: will we sacrifice our preferences, comfort, or rights for the sake of others?
Sacrificing Today for the Sake of Others
Timothy’s act reminds us that love costs something.
We might give up certain habits, entertainment, or opinions if they distract others from Christ. We may serve in difficult places, forgive when wronged, or humble ourselves when pride would be easier. We make these choices not because we have to, but because we want others to come to Christ and we don’t want any believer to stumble.
The gospel is worth every sacrifice. Timothy’s circumcision wasn’t a contradiction, it was a picture of a surrendered heart. That same spirit should mark every believer who truly wants to reach others for the Lord.
