The PuritanBoard - View Single Post - Did baptism really replace circumcision as the sign/seal of

Ianterrell · #17 (**permalink**) 06-04-2004, 08:03 AM

[quote:d36f905d64][i:d36f905d64]Originally posted by grace2U[/i:d36f905d64]
Just a few random thoughts on this thread.
Firstly, Abraham knew [b:d36f905d64]of an absolute surety[/b:d36f905d64] that Ishmael was not in the Covenant of Grace [b:d36f905d64]before[/b:d36f905d64] he baptized him (Gen 17:17-21, 23). Whatever covenant you may think that Ishmael was circumcised into, it was not that one.

Secondly, with reference to Paul's post, God is not a politician who makes promises, breaks them and then says, 'Ah, it wasn't that sort of promise!' God forbid! 'For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us- by me, Silvanus and Timothy- was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes! For [b:d36f905d64]all the promises in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen[/b:d36f905d64], to the glory of God through us' (2Cor 1:19-20).

Now through my union with Christ, I have honoured my mother and father (Luke 2:51), but I do not expect to live any length of time at all in the land of Canaan. The land which God has promised to me is the one that Abraham sought and found, 'A better, that is, a heavenly country' (Heb 11:16). It is there that I hope, by God's grace, to live long.

Blessings to all,
Steve [/quote:d36f905d64]

Good morning Steve,

Fristly, Abraham's covenant is an administration of the covenant of grace. Secondly, God gave Abraham a covenant sign and seal to accompany this administration. Thridly, Abraham circumscised Ishmael with this sign, faithfully, even though he knew that Ishamael would not be a part of the children of promise according to God's own word. Let's examine this text in Gen 17. You see God established the covenant with Abram changing his name to Abraham, and making a promise to him and to his offspring to be [i:d36f905d64]their[/i:d36f905d64] God (17:7). He gave Abraham the circumcision as a sign of the covenant between God and Abraham (17:11). Ishmael was already destined to be a covenant breaker. And yet Abraham still applied the sign to his child of being in the Covenant.

Yes Steve, the promise of the land was a kind of promise pointing to a promise. But keep in mind that this was already understood by the faithful in this administration of the covenant of Grace. Abraham is said to have "hoped for a heavenly country" and he believed in the hope of the resurrection with the sacrifice of Isaac (Heb 11:19).