Devotion for September 8, 2008

Signs and Seals

“And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.” (Genesis 17:11 NKJV)

Circumcision like baptism was a sign of a covenant between God and the believer. It had no saving power, and the working of it acquired no privilege before God unless it was joined with faith. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; [it is] the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV)

However, circumcision was not to be ignored by those to whom it was commanded. The same holds true for baptism. God has commanded believers today to be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matt 28:19).

Circumcision was obviously a painful thing to endure. It was a sacrifice for the one being cut. In the early church, baptism was also a sacrifice as you certainly would suffer at the hands of the Jews and the Romans once you were identified with the Way.

What has changed? Nothing has changed except the cost of identifying with believers. To be baptized today costs most believers very little. Perhaps that is because the church looks so much like the world that the world ignores it. Certainly God has said “. . . All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12 NKJV).

Is this passage to be limited to the day in which it was written, or is this a universal truth? Well if you have lived for God, surely you have had some form of persecution. Therefore, experience and good hermeneutics tells one that this is indeed a universal truth. One must conclude from this that the Church is so innocuous that the world can simply dismiss it.

My dear friends love God and love His church. Love it enough to pray for it, and seek to influence it in a positive way. With all longsuffering and kindness, being filled with grace share the truth of Scripture every time you have an opportunity. Gently discuss doctrine with the leaders always remembering to do so in humility submitting to their authority. “[Let] nothing [be done] through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself” (Philippians 2:3 NKJV). However, speak the truth in love that the Church might be holy before this sinful generation.

Remember, when you were baptized, you identified with the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do not be ashamed of Him for if you are He will be ashamed of you (Mark 8:38).