Galatians 5:1,6 English Standard Version
1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
We should look at the issue of circumcision as abstinence, giving up sin. It is a fasting of anything and everything that keeps us from being in Christ. Abstinence doesn’t work, only faith working through love keeps us in Christ, our “hold fast”.
One of the interesting issues of freedom is that we cannot understand or appreciate freedom until we have lost it. If we only look at freedom as having the ability to choose for ourselves, we have lost the true meaning of freedom.
What we choose defines our freedom.
Hosea 8:13 English Standard Version (ESV) As for my sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the Lord does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt.
Egypt is the symbol of slavery, bondage.
Romans 7:23 English Standard Version (ESV) but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
The battlefield of sin is in our minds. If we willfully sin, we should expect the chastening of the Lord. There is a difference between sin of ignorance and willful denial of obedience of faith.
The Lord can and does call us to obey by faith but in that call, we still have the right to choose to obey or deny.
Galatians 5:13 English Standard Version (ESV) For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Again we repeat, “faith working through love.” Gal. 5:6