# 320 Circumcision Then, Baptism Now, Must Be Accompanied By Faith

The Book of Genesis

Day 320

Ge 34:11 Then Shechem said to her father and her brothers, "Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give.  12 "Ask me ever so much dowry and gift, and I will give according to what you say to me; but give me the young woman as a wife."  13 But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, and spoke deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister.  14 And they said to them, "We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a reproach to us.  15 "But on this condition we will consent to you: If you will become as we are, if every male of you is circumcised,  16 "then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us; and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.

Shechem professes to be in love with Dinah, but let us not forget that he forced his affections on her and raped her!. Now he pleads with Jacob and his sons to give her to him in marriage. He will give anything, pay anything to have her.

But the sons of Jacob spoke deceitfully because Shechem had defiled their sister. They were going to make him pay because they would not have anyone treat their sister as a harlot.

While no formal pronouncement against intermarriage with the Canaanites had yet been issued by God, it was certainly understood by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as they went through great lengths to avoid marrying Canaanite women. So the deceit on the brothers part here, is that they really had no intention of unifying the Hittites with them.  Rather, they planned to eliminate them and make them pay for their crime against their sister.

So they propose to the Hivites that they should become circumcised like them and then they can become one. Sounded like a good deal to the Hivites, but of course it was for the wrong reason. They thought by being melded into the Jews through circumcision they would then own all their livestock, property, and animals. They thought they could have all the benefits of the Hebrews by connecting with them superficially  through circumcision.

One problem, circumcision then, and baptism now, must always be accompanied by faith in order to be of any value.

This kind of superficial conversion still takes place today. People have their infants baptized with no intent of bringing them up in the admonition of the Lord, and the faith given to that child in baptism, flickers and many times, dies.

People often attend church in order to be called Christians but their hearts are far from the Lord.

Some profess to be Christians because they see it as a way to benefit materially.

God’s Word is clear, superficial circumcision (then) or (today) baptism doesn’t cut it. It’s the circumcision of the heart, the raising to new life in Christ that matters. Mr 16:16 says, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”

The Third "If"

227 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:11-13) This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. (2 Tim 2:11-13) The use of the phrase “faithful saying” here tells us that this is important stuff. This is a saying that is jam-packed with truth. Truth that will be assuring for those who receive it! There are four “ifs” that “if” acted on will produce the accompanying results. The first “if” as we have discussed is linked to being crucified with Christ in the Christian act of baptism. (Rom 6:4-6, Col 2:12) The second “if” is linked to enduring faith. (Believing to the end) These two “ifs” are summarized in Mk 16:16a "He who believes and is baptized will be saved;” The third “if” has a negative result. “If we deny Him, He also will deny us.” The word “deny” here means “disavow.” So the one who denies Jesus is one without faith in Jesus. This third “if” reflects the second part of Mark 16:16 which says, “but he who does not believe (disavows if you will) will be condemned.” Understand what's being said here, understand what the Holy Spirit is speaking through Paul with these four “ifs” He is basically rephrasing Mr 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Baptism has wonderful benefits to be sure, but baptism alone will not save you, it must be accompanied by God-given faith in Jesus Christ! Believe, be baptized, be saved, but believe not and you are condemned, baptized or not! There are two errors typically made in this regard. One error is made by those who are relying solely on their baptism for salvation apart from necessary faith, and the other error is to devalue the importance of baptism. Seems to me, it would be wise to put the proper emphasis on the importance of both......eternity is at stake.

Your Baptism Alone Will Not Save You

# 597 - Today's Du-votional Living Word comes from: Mr 10:31 But many who are first shall be last, and the last, first."

Jesus has just finished speaking of the necessity of forsaking all and following Him and the rewards associated with that path. He concludes with a stern warning. The sternness of the warning is found in the word, “last.”

He is not using the term in the sense of a pecking order, He is using it as a dividing line. The “last” are those left outside the gates of heaven, which means the “first” are those who will be admitted into heaven.

This is especially important for those who have enjoyed an outward attachment to the church, but have lost their first love. For whatever reason, Jesus has been crowded out of their hearts. When such people were baptized, they were among the first, but unless they persevere in their God-given faith, they will be last, left on the outside looking in.

Don't rely on your baptism alone for salvation. Mr 16:16 makes it clear that baptism must be accompanied by faith. “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”

Can it be any plainer than that? Baptism plus belief equals salvation. Baptism minus belief equals condemnation. In other words without enduring faith, you become the first that was last....baptized or not.

Father, let this be a wake up call for all of us. We are either in love with Jesus or not. There is no room for the cold or lukewarm. Help us to live a daily surrendered life to You.