Circumcision vs. Baptism

Hebrews 6:13-18 states that the heirs of God's promise to Abraham was for us that we might be encouraged to hold fast to the hope set before us. The author of Hebrews is showing that we are the beneficiaries of God's promise to Abraham. And that this promise is not without effect since it was sworn with an oath: "So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heir of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie...we..hold fast to the hope." Now with these things in mind we know that infants and children shared in the benefits of the covenant and received circumcision as a sign and a seal that they were included in it. There is a lot that can be said regarding this but not to think that they weren't an integral part of the nation is to miss the whole aspect of community life and family. God talks about the desire that He might have godly seed and the importance of training our young ones up in the fear of the Lord. How much greater, I would think, we should expect of privileges towards our posterity in the new dispensation! Certainly we would not expect them to be excluded from any standing in the Church of God. Now I come to another statement that we must accept: that of baptism taking the place of circumcision. Both are signs and both are seals that signify that God's covenant of grace remains on us and that we belong to Him. But circumcision no longer serves as it once did. This is not to say the promise of God has reached its fulfilment. That, we already established and it is still in force for our great comfort. But the mode or method that describes God's seal on his people has changed. It is no longer circumcision but baptism and as an infant was circumcised on his eighth day of birth sealing him to God's community of faith, we too as a believing family belonging to the community of faith baptising their infant child serves to declare to all that this child belongs to that same community and has been accepted by God just as any adult who believes. This is not a difficult concept to accept and believe. It forms a legitimate connection or bridge to the one promise that God gave to Abraham. The similarities between circumcision and baptism are too similar and obvious to be ignored. Circumcision refers to the cutting away of sin and to a change of heart. We can read this in several passages throughout the scriptures. Deuteronomy 10:16 speaks to this as does 30:6. Baptism speaks to the washing away of sin and spiritual renewal and we can read that in Acts 2:38. Colossians 2:11-12 makes a clear link between circumcision and baptism which should result in ending all argument of disagreement. The passage states: "In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead." So far in this discussion I am shooting far wider than the Baptists shoot. For they cannot accept the seamless connection between the dispensations as continuing forward in force. They hold to many promises where the Abrahamic promise is over long ago and behold we currently stand in a new age where new promises hold. Yes perhaps there are similarities between circumcision and baptism but they are not the same and are applied differently. This is an unwarranted conclusion and frankly completely wrong. I take great hope and assurance and have far more confidence that God's Word in what was spoken in both dispensations are still inspired. Meaning that the Old Testament is still applicable and enlightened today as it was when it was written. We must be fully aware that it was the Israelites who misunderstood what their prophets said for our God is a Spirit and His worshippers must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. -Joe