Acts 15:40-16:5
And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named *Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.
And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.
And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
Paul and Silas selected *Timothy to travel with them as their attendant. Then the Word of God tells us an amazing fact. Paul, who had just spent a great deal of time presenting the gospel of the grace of God to the apostles at Jerusalem; Paul who had just confronted Peter for promoting a legalistic separation between Jews and Gentiles and split with his longtime partner Barnabas over this issue; Paul who was carrying decrees to the Gentile believers which clearly stated that they did not have to be circumcised or keep the law of Moses . . . This same Paul had Timothy CIRCUMCISED!
The apostle Paul refused to compromise on the truth of God's Word. It was absolutely not necessary to be circumcised or keep the law. On the other hand, Paul was always willing to compromise his own freedoms to see God's Word move. God gave Paul revelation to circumcise Timothy so that more people in those quarters could be reached with the Word. Timothy was willing to compromise his own liberty and get circumcised in order to travel with Paul and Silas and move God's Word among the Judeans in those quarters. If it meant that one more person would believe and get saved then circumcision was a small price to pay. That is the greatness of the love of God living in a believer. They were always willing to do whatever it took to reach people with God's Word, but they were never willing to compromise on the truth of God's Word.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23a
For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
And this I do for the gospel's sake . . .
Timothy, as well as Paul, walked in this great commitment to move God's Word. The results were that the churches were established in the faith [in the right way of believing], and increased in number daily.
Gladly
Acts