This week’s “Wednesday Word” is a summary of Dr. Wellum’s exposition of Genesis 17 from Sunday April 13, 2008.

Genesis 17 has served as the source of much debate throughout the history of the church with paedobaptists (those holding to infant baptism) and credobaptists (those holding to believer’s baptism) understanding the new covenant implications of the text with significant differences between them. As those who believe that the sign of the new covenant should only be exerted by individuals who have become its members through faith in Jesus Christ, this text is of crucial importance.

Infant Baptists argue that their case is made clear here with the giving of the sign of the old covenant, noting that the sign of circumcision was incumbent not only upon Abraham, but upon each of his descendents as well, believing and non-believing alike. With baptism having replaced circumcision in the new covenant, then, the sign is to be extended to infants born within the new covenant just as Abraham and his descendants were commanded to undergo circumcision under the old.

Up against this understanding, a clear statement is needed from those of us holding to believer’s baptism. We acknowledge that the sign of the covenant was incumbent upon all of Abraham’s descendants; however, amongst these descendants some distinctions were made (17:19). Furthermore, we acknowledge that the sign of the covenant all along has been awaiting Abraham’s true seed, Jesus Christ (Gal 3:16). Under the new covenant, then, where national distinctions are set aside, one only becomes a legitimate descendant of Abraham through faith in Christ as the true seed of Abraham (Rom 4:16).

Circumcision is rightly understood as serving at least three purposes: (1) to mark the descendants of Abraham through a physical sign, (2) to anticipate the true seed Jesus Christ, and (3) to point to the greater need within the individual for circumcision of the heart (Jer. 4:4; Rom 2:9). In Christ, the long awaited, true descendant of Abraham has arrived, eliminating the divide between Jew and Gentile (Gal 3:28) and, therefore, removing the need for the distinctive mark of circumcision. Distinction is now judged only by one’s response to Jesus Christ whereby the individual is brought into the New Covenant. Upon entry into this covenant, the sign of baptism is administered, celebrating the believer’s now “circumcised heart” and his unity with Abraham’s true seed.

Audio from this week’s lesson: Genesis 17.

~TDG