Weekly Devotional 9-25-17 Circumcision / Baptism
Circumcision was the outward sign of the Covenant God established with Abraham (Genesis 15). The sign was continued in Abraham’s male descendants, and any males bought as servants into a Jewish household (Genesis 17:10-13). As a religious rite, circumcision was required of all of Abraham’s descendants as a sign of the covenant God made with him (Genesis 17:9–14; Acts 7:8). The Mosaic Law repeated the requirement (Leviticus 12:2–3), and Jews throughout the centuries have continued to practice circumcision (Joshua 5:2–3; Luke 1:59; Acts 16:3; Philippians 3:5).
One’s spiritual life, however, was unrelated to the sign of circumcision. Every male was circumcised, whether he showed any devotion to God or not. It was understood that physical circumcision was not enough to make one right with God. Moses commanded the Israelites in Deuteronomy 10:16 to circumcise their hearts, and said that God would do the circumcising (Deuteronomy 30:6). Jeremiah also preached the need for a circumcision of the heart (Jeremiah 4:4).
Baptism is in a sense the sign of the New Covenant God makes with His Church. Jesus for instance commanded baptism in the Great Commission. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). As circumcision was an outward sign of a covenanted relationship with God, baptism is the outward sign of an inward change of those who profess to be Christian. It represents rebirth in Christ. While there are parallels between baptism and circumcision, they symbolize two very different covenants. The Old Covenant had a physical means of entrance. One was born to Jewish parents or bought as a servant into a Jewish household (Genesis 17:10-13). In contrast, the New Covenant has a spiritual means of entrance. One must believe and be saved (Acts 16:31); born again (John 3:1-8).
The purpose of baptism is identification, as was circumcision. Circumcision identified the circumcised with Israel and the Abrahamic Covenant. Baptism identifies the one being baptized with the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is borne out throughout the Book of Acts. In every recorded instance of a person professing faith in Jesus Christ they identified with His death and burial by being placed under water. They identified with his resurrection when raised up out of the water. As we consider the record in the Book of Acts, we soon realize that as circumcision did not make the circumcised right with God, baptism itself did not save anyone. In truth, baptism always followed a person’s salvation. What a testimony.
Some have fallen to the misunderstanding that water baptism opens the door to salvation, granting spiritual rebirth and makes one a member of the body of Christ, the church. These things are only accomplished when one is baptized by the Holy Spirit (John 3:5; Ephesians 2:18; 1st Corinthians 2:18), a spiritual baptism. It is the inward man that needs to be made clean not the outer man. Water never touches the soul, but the Holy Spirit does. A person is born again, “5not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration [a spiritual washing] and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He [God] poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:5-6 NKJV).
Blessings
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