# 142 The Connection Between Circumcision and Baptism

The Book of Genesis Day 142 \ Ge 17:11 "and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. 12 "He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. 13 "He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 "And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant." Required by God and performed by men. This circumcision was required in order to be in a covenanted relationship with God and it must be accompanied by faith. (A circumcised heart) Wait a minute! How is it possible for an 8 day old infant to have faith? First of all, we must understand that it is God who grants faith. (See Eph 2:8,9) It is worked in the heart and it is something only God sees with certainty. If it’s there, He knows it! If it’s not there, He knows that too. Faith is not a matter of our intellect, it is a matter of the unseen heart! God is able to impart saving faith in circumcision to an 8 day old infant (in the Old Testament) and in infant baptism in the New! That’s why David was able to say in Ps 22:9,10 “But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother's breasts. 10 I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother's womb You have been My God.” Yes! A nursing child can have saving faith! I think it is interesting that circumcision was accomplished by “flint knives” (See Josh 5:3) and Jesus said in Mt 3:9 "I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.” ( Could this be a veiled reference to the flint knives used in circumcision? The point is, God is able! And in Ac 2:38, 39 we read, “ Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." “The promise is to you and your CHILDREN.” God is able! In Col 2:11,12 Baptism is compared to circumcision! Col 2:11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. One has to wonder if an 8 day old infant was brought into the faith covenant in the Old Testament, why not an 8 day old infant in the New Testament through “the circumcision of Christ?” (Baptism!) In fact, personally, I wish more people would consider baptizing their infants on the 8th day, but that’s a subject for another time! Circumcision mattered for an 8 day old infant in the Old Testament, and baptism matters in the New. But never forget baptism must be coupled with God-given faith! Mr 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Pray: Father, let us use this devotional thought today to remind ourselves again that You are able!” You were able to save in circumcision; You are able to save in baptism.