In the book of Galations I was reading and saw that it was a letter to a church and the church started with the gentiles and when Paul went away then others who were Jews or Jews who became Christian? came to the church and told the gentile believers that they needed to do the old testament laws in order to have the promises of Abraham...
Coming from a covenantalist view on this, I see things this way.
The Jews were teaching that Gentiles needed to keep the carnal command of the covenant of circumcision to take part in the covenant promises made to Abraham's
seed. Circumcision in the foreskin of the flesh bound the natural seed to the covenant given at Sinai, as to be considered as one born in the land, and to have one law with the natural son's.
Ex 12:43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall
no stranger eat thereof:
44 But every man’s servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.
45 A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof.
46 In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.
47
All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. {keep … : Heb. do it}
48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and
will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and
he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.
49
One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
but Paul said this was putting the gentiles in bondage and he warned them.
Ga 5:3 For I testify again to
every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
What I want to know did the Jews who became Christian still have to go by the laws because it would have been to difficult for them and they would think they were sinning by not going by the law..so they continued in their traditions?
I believe the issue here is not the laws of the Sinai covenant which was important to Jewish believers. But the Abrahamic covenant, with it's promises. These in calling Gentiles to the faith of the new covenant, were continuing to keep the covenant made with their fathers, to shew forth that those promises were not abolished in Christ.
While unbelieving Jews were attempting to "transfer" all the promises of the covenant made in circumcision, to the covenant given to his seed at Sinai, believing Jews were preaching the promises available to Gentiles apart from the carnal commandment.
IMO, this has to do with the source of the blessings and promises. Did they come from the covenant given at Sinai, or were they in covenant before Sinai?
But even today, Israel even in their uncircumcised hearts, are in the land of their inheritance, by and through the covenant of circumcision which they keep.
Le 26:40 If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me;
41 And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then
their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then
accept of the punishment of their iniquity:
42 Then will
I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.
43 The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and
they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes.
44 And
yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God.
45
But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD.
Note....We have died in Christ, he bore our punishment. He accepted our punishment for us. IMO, this is the wrath which John preached was coming and Christ was our escape.
Not to mention I'm a bit confused...when the bible says law....are their two laws...one from the old covenant and the new one from the new covenant?
Why did Paul not want the gentiles to go by the laws of the Jews? He said it would put them in bondage
Read the above scriptures of lev. 26 in full. I think you can see that God's wrath is by the law given in the covenant at Sinai. But his covenant of Mercy in never forgetting his promises to their fathers, they are indeed loved. The Jewish apostles were indeed keeping that covenant of circumcision to show the truth of the gospel, in those promises are not abolished in Christ. Just my 02 cents.
Ge 17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham;
for a father of many nations have I made thee.
And so he has.....