Articles
Baptism and Circumcision
God used circumcision as the sign of the covenant between Him and Abraham in Genesis 17:10-14. Circumcision played an important role throughout Israel’s history throughout the Old Testament. Moses was almost killed by the Lord apparently for failing to circumcise his son (Exodus 4:24-26). Circumcision on the eighth day was required of all male children under the Law of Moses (Leviticus 12:3). Those who had been born during the wilderness wandering were circumcised in Gilgal (Joshua 5:2-9). All of these instances demonstrate the importance God placed upon circumcision under the Old Testament.
One problem the early church had to contend with was people were wanting to bind circumcision and keeping the law of Moses upon Gentile Christians (Acts 15:1, 5). The New Testament clearly indicates the Law of Moses was removed by Jesus’ death upon the cross (Colossians 2:14-17; Hebrews 9:15-17). As a result, physical circumcision has ceased to be a matter of importance with God (1 Corinthians 7:19; Galatians 5:6; 6:15). God’s people today are those individuals who are circumcised in the heart and are Jews inwardly rather than outwardly (Romans 2:28-29). The circumcision today are those who, “worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3, NKJV).
Colossians 2:11-13 uses the terms “circumcision” and “uncircumcision” in a context dealing with baptism. It says, “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, 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. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (NKJV). Physical circumcision in some ways points to what occurs in baptism. In physical circumcision the foreskin is cut off. In baptism “the body of the sins of the flesh” are put off (Colossians 2:11, NKJV). Physical circumcision is something performed on the individual by another. God is the One performing the circumcision of putting off our sins when we are baptized. Such parallels with baptism are appropriate to make because they are made within the text. We must be careful about making baptism and circumcision parallel in every respect though just because there are some parallels between them.
What are some ways in which baptism and circumcision are different?
- Circumcision was something done on a child who was eight days old without any choice on the part of the child. The child make the decision to be circumcised nor was the fact he was circumcised connected to faith on his part at the point it occurred. People have erroneously used the fact very young children were circumcised under the Old Testament as evidence baptism should be administered to infants today. Baptism is something which comes after a person believes (Mark 16:16), repents (Acts 2:38), and is able to confess their faith in Christ (Acts 8:36-39). Baptism is not something a parent decides a child should do. Baptism is a choice an individual makes after having already been taught about who God is (Jeremiah 31:31-34; John 6:44-45; Acts 8:12).
- Circumcision was not done so one’s sins could be removed. A male child eight days old has not done anything sinful (Matthew 18:3; 19:14; 1 Corinthians 14:20; Romans 7:9). A child eight days old has no sins which need to be forgiven. Baptism is done “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38, NKJV), to “wash away your sins” (Acts 22:16, NKJV), etc. Let’s not downplay the purpose of baptism in seeking to make baptism and circumcision parallel in every respect.
Let’s make sure we understand how circumcision and baptism are compared in Scripture and yet not make the mistake of altering what the Bible says about baptism in our efforts to make it similar to circumcision.
