Now, prior to occasions, we address the substance of the Abrahamic covenant or the covenant of grace under the Abrahamic administration, the substance of it, the very heart of which was that promise of God to be our God and we, his people, a promise of a seed, a promise of a land and a promise of blessing. We now turn our attention to the sign of that administration, the sign of that covenant that the Lord himself instituted. Now, just as it is important for us to understand the Abrahamic administration of the covenant of grace, that administration of the covenant of grace in the Old Testament, in order to have a fuller or proper understanding of the covenant of grace in its New Testament administration, So also it is important for us to understand the sign or token of that Old Testament administration so that we might have a proper or more full understanding of the sign or token of the New Testament administration of the covenant of grace. So we turn now to that sign or token as we'll see, a seal of the covenant of grace in its Old Testament administration, beginning with the Abrahamic administration, which is, of course, unmistakably clear in the text before us that that sign and token was circumcision. Circumcision, to cut off that flesh of the foreskin of the male. Circumcision. And we'll consider six main aspects in looking at this sign or token of the covenant. The first has to do with circumcision as being the Old Testament sacrament of the covenant of grace. The second, we'll take a few moments and consider something of the improper view of circumcision. Third, some thoughts on the recipients of circumcision. Fourth, the blessings of being in external covenant with God. Fifth, circumcision as a seal of the righteousness of faith. And then sixth, consider circumcision of the heart. My desire was to consider all six in one sermon this morning. It is not possible for me to do so. And I, I would trust you grant some judgment of charity after listening to the first three points this morning that you do not decide, well, he easily could have condensed that into 15 minutes, but we will take a look at these things. They are important to be grounded here at a very near the beginnings of things. Of course, we saw the beginning of that promise in Genesis 3.15, the promise of a seed, the promise of a Savior. We traced it up into the days of Noah and that administration of the covenant of grace. And we find, of course, a great expansion of these promises in the days of Abraham. And with this sign and token given of it, it's important for us to understand the relationship of this sign to the one we currently have. So, Lord willing, we will cover the first three points, the first of which, circumcision. It is the Old Testament sacrament of the covenant of grace. One of them, at least. An Old Testament sacrament of the covenant of grace. First notice, we do have sacramental language in Genesis chapter 17. Sacramental language. Draw your attention particularly to verses 9 through 11. God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou and thy seed after thee and their generations. This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee. Every man child among you shall be circumcised and ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you." Notice the language here. Verse 11, it is called the token of the covenant. The underlying Greek related in its translation, the word for which we would have sign. It's the token. It's the sign of the covenant. That's what it's called in verse 11, but notice what it's called in verse 10. This is my covenant, which he shall keep between me and you and thy seed after the every man child among you shall be circumcised. Why do we say this is sacramental language? Well, in sacramental language, you have words such as this is my body. This is my new covenant that the sign and seal is so closely related to what it signifies, the language of one is transferred to the other. Now, it is not true of itself that circumcision is the covenant. Not of itself. We saw that covenant back in Genesis 12 and back in Genesis 15, where we're told God makes a covenant with Abraham, that is, that covenant of grace. But this sign or token is so closely related to those inward realities of the covenant that the sign now is called the covenant. This is sacramental language. It's both an outward sign and an inward seal. unto whom that grace belongs. And in scripture usage, there's even a twofold sense of the word seal seal is somewhat of a middle word. It's a word that relates one to the confirmation of a sign where it has more of the sense of a sign and an outward confirmation of something, something visible, but it also is used in scripture in the second sense. of the actual impression or a seal made upon the wax, so to speak. And so we find language such as declarative sign, theological documents, or visible seals and pledges, or in the Westminster Confession of Faith refers to signs and seals. And the word seals is not totally synonymous with the word sign. or effectual seal. We find that kind of language used. And so in the larger catechism referring to the sacraments, refers to benefits conferred and sealed thereby. Now just as when we look at the promises in the Abrahamic covenant or the covenant of grace under the Abrahamic administration, We saw that there were those outward visible promises, those promises which, in that outward visible sense, God to be a God to this people. That is the external administration of the covenant of grace. But we also saw that not all those that descended physically from Abraham were true Israel. but that there were those inward realities where God personally in the Lord Jesus Christ saves and redeems and delivers and all of those blessings that are spoken of are brought truly all and every spiritual blessing in the Lord Jesus Christ who is that seed. And so we find the outward aspect as well as the inward, the sign as well as the seal. in this sacramental language. It's a declarative seal or sign to all, an effectual seal by faith only to the elect. And so in Westminster Larger Catechism number 162, the question is asked, what is a sacrament? A sacrament is an holy ordinance instituted by Christ in his church. And then it continues to describe it It's interesting at this point of what I've just read regarding a sacrament as an holy ordinance instituted by Christ and his church. The scriptures that they cite first in support of this are Genesis chapter 17 verses 7, 10, and 12. These verses before us that they cite as one of the texts proving the doctrine of the sacraments as instituted by Christ as being declarative signs to all and seals of these benefits unto his elect. And they don't begin in the New Testament, but they cite circumcision as a sacrament, as an holy ordinance instituted by Christ in His church. There is no dealings that God has with this people, this seed, apart from Christ, who is the seed and all the seed in Him. So this token of circumcision is the Old Testament sacrament, Old Testament sign of the covenant of grace as one is brought into that covenant. And under this We also see it as, still under the first point, the encouragement unto faith of this external visible sign. Encouragement unto faith of the external visible sign. We are looking now at Genesis chapter 15. Consider what happens in Genesis chapter 16. We're looking at Genesis 17. Consider what happens in Genesis chapter 16. You recall, now God has made covenant with Abraham already. He's called him in Genesis 12. We see in chapter 15, the Lord makes a covenant. He himself, as it were, goes between these cut and bloodied pieces. And then Abraham, considering these promises of God, what does he do? With help and the encouragement from Sarah, his wife, name at that point Sarah, Sarah Ai, he takes Hagar to be his concubine wife. He goes in under Hagar and Ishmael is born. Ishmael, which the descendants of which are now forming organizations like ISIS. But Ishmael, the very promise, as it were, somewhat stands at threat, while not on the side of God, but man himself. And now and Abraham, he was 86 when Ishmael was born. Now, 13 years later, God renews the covenant of grace. This is not the making of some new and radically different covenant. It is that covenant we find, going back, and it is this covenant renewed. It is the same covenant that will be renewed with Isaac. It will be renewed with Jacob, and so on and so forth. And now in the renewing of this covenant, considering in God's condescending mercies, looking upon Abraham in the weakness of faith, God gives a visible sign and token. And it is an encouragement unto faith, this visible sign. And consider how 13 years have passed, many years have passed since Abraham believed God and was credited unto him as righteousness, and now God, in further expanding his dealings, gives this sign and token of the covenant, and it's in relation to the promise. What has promised specifically now, following the announcement and provision of this token. It is Isaac. The birth of Isaac is foretold. The Lord names him, changes Sarah's name as well. And in relation to that promise, the promise of a seed, the promised one, of course we know that In Isaac, in being a type, it is the Lord Jesus Christ. This token is given. A visible sign. So closely related to the covenant, using that sacramental language, this is my covenant. This visible sign, a sign of what? It's a sign of something. Of course you know. It is a sign, a picture of the covenant of grace, a visible picture of the covenant of grace. And blood is shed. Blood is shed in this token. The shed blood of circumcision in relation to the promise, the promise of a seed and the necessity of the shed blood to receive the promise. Notice This time, the Lord says, this time next year, we are a few months removed from the conception of Isaac. That before even the conception of Isaac, blood is shed. And to obtain this promise in Isaac, this blood is shed, this token is given in this visible gospel. Of course, we read in the necessity of shed blood in the New Testament quite clearly, do we not? As well as the old. And the significance of the eighth day. Why the eighth day? Now, medical science may have now discerned that rather amazing things happens to the blood of an infant on the eighth day, but that's not. the true root and reason on the eighth day. God could have made that occur on the third day. God and his wisdom could have made that occur on the first day. Why the eighth day? Well, put yourself back prior to the resurrection of Jesus Christ in which the Sabbath has changed from the seventh day to the eighth day. Oh, what is the eighth day? The eighth day is the first day. The eighth day is the first day of the week in that regard. This points to what? Of course, that resurrection of Jesus Christ and all the promises in him. You can search out elsewhere the significance of the eighth day. All of this points to Christ. This is why this is a token or a sign of this covenant. What? The covenant of works? No. the covenant of grace in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the shed blood, and the promise of the seed, and obtaining that promise through the shed blood, and the eighth day, and the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This is a token. This is a visible sign. It's a visible gospel. It's a gospel in picture, and it's given unto Abraham. as an encouragement unto faith. It is God condescending to Abraham, Abraham in his weakness going the way of the flesh, as Paul makes so clear in Galatians. It's not the son of the bondwoman. No, Abraham. Now God gives him something visible that would be an encouragement and a sign and token of this covenant of grace. My friend, My friends, we have not outgrown God's condescending grace. We still, we still are in need of, and God is pleased to give unto us, those visible tokens. Now, of course, in the New Testament administration, in these sacraments, there is no bloodshed. In the Old Testament ones, there was bloodshed. That points to Christ. We have Christ. Visible signs and tokens. Now consider the visibility of circumcision. Once it's performed, basically speaking, it's visible only to the recipient and God. It's not like a hat or a badge that Abraham wore. is visible to Abraham, visible to God. It's known by testimony in that covenant community. That's rather similar to baptism, isn't it? Once you're baptized, when you go forth into the world, when you go forth into the community, Do they know? Can they see? It's visible to you or known to you and known to your community. You can see how these things parallel each other so well. And so God gives Abraham a token and it is to be of course administered as we'll see to the you, to those in that association with him and his seed. It's visible to Abraham. It is a daily reminder to Abraham. Maybe the next time he begins to falter. Here is a daily reminder to him, I am someone who has been sealed, as it were, to a covenant. Sealed to a covenant. And he would, and as he considers the sign, He is to think upon what? God. And His covenant. And what God has bound Himself unto to Abraham and what Abraham is bound unto in relation to God. He is my God. I am His child. And He has been sealed to a covenant. My friend, if you have been baptized, you have been sealed unto a covenant. And it is known to God, even as it is known to you. And it is known by that community, the church. And sometimes when you do not remind yourself of your baptism, but when you are going forth and acting as those who are unbaptized or uncircumcised, you have those in the community that will remind you of such things. And thanks be to God, we do. See, the ancient Jews and the proselytes, all those in the house, were marked men. It's interesting, in the Lord's Providence yesterday, I was at an Eagle Scout ceremony. And in that ceremony, one referred to the Eagle Scout as a marked man. People know about it, and they expect something different. I would say to you that in an infinitely greater degree, What marks one out in circumcision and baptism is much more solemn, more binding, as instituted by God himself in our duties owed unto God. One says regarding these tokens that it does not only seal God's promises of forgiveness, grace, and salvation to you, but that also it seals and binds you to performance of your promise. and vow of faith and obedience, which is the branch of the covenant, to be performed according as was professed on your part. By baptism you've been marked with a seal. See to it that its impression has been made upon your hearts, that what is signified outwardly has been sealed under your hearts and souls. and that you walk accordingly. So first, looking at circumcision as that Old Testament sacrament of grace. Second, a few thoughts regarding an improper view of circumcision. The misunderstanding of circumcision And at heart of improper views of circumcision is to equate the external with the internal. In other words, that because someone has this external visible token or sign of the covenant that God is their God and this is a child of God, to equate that and assume that the internal reality is also the case, that this one truly, not just outwardly, but in heart and soul and spirit, is one that is born again, or most assuredly shall be born again, knows the new birth and that grace in the Lord Jesus Christ, and will dwell forever in eternity with God in that glorified state. to equate the external with the internal, or the idea that circumcision, or now baptism, saves. The Jews, as one said, viewed circumcision as their stronghold. If shaken loose of their trust in the law and the moral law as somehow making them right with God, they would yet rely on this sign to show their separation from all ungodliness. For example, with much the same presumption as today, a rabbi of old says, God swore to Abraham that no one who was circumcised should be sent to hell. Or another old rabbi, Abraham sits before the gate of hell and does not allow that any circumcised Israelite should enter there. This is a soul damning error. I want to be most clear about that, that if this is believed and that if the substance is not wrought on the inner man and one walks in this external way, this is a soul damning error. This is one of the devices of Satan to draw many in that path of destruction. Looking at the sign and neglecting the thing signified. Paul writes to those in Galatia who had been drawn away into this error. He says, For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. I would point out to you that Abraham, who we are told, was faithful unto the Lord and faithful to bring his children, and with the promise in relation to his grandchildren, up in the ways of the Lord, to teach them the way of the Lord, that they would know the way of the Lord. And I would point out to you that Abraham, one of Abraham's grandsons, was Esau. Esau, my friends, was someone who was in external covenant with the Lord. He was, until cut off, he was among that people of God, the circumcised, those of the seed of Abraham physically. And we don't find it early on in Esau's youth where he's verbally denouncing or rejecting those promises. as is the case with many. We might say Esau was a covenant child, in every sense of the word, externally. Or in today's language, we would say Esau was baptized, birthed into that visible covenant community. But we know for a fact, do we not, that Esau is in hell. We know that from the scriptures. I've been pastoring long enough now to have seen Esaus in our midst. Children who were baptized came week after week sang the praises of the Lord, some of which even making profession of faith, even as those Israelites of old, they came to the Lord with words. They came and swore the covenant, but their heart was not right with the Lord. And it pains me to say, but I would not be fulfilling my duties as a watchman to give warning unto you and you that some of you may be Esau's. And it breaks a parent's heart, it breaks a pastor's heart, many tears, many prayers. But it is the instrument of faith and the work of the Spirit in Christ that is the efficacious action in the new birth. The Lord may be pleased to answer your parents' prayers or your pastor's prayers. But if you are trusting in sitting here or in your baptism is somehow saving you. You are not only sadly misled, but you are in a most deadly way of soul damnation being led. The trust in these external things, the trust in the outward token, the trust in your baptism is like you going to a magazine and cutting out a picture of a man or a woman, cutting it out. and then saying, this is my husband, this is my wife. It's the picture. The substance is not there, is it? You must believe. It's an improper view of circumcision. It's an improper view of baptism that will equate the external sign, be it circumcision or baptism, in saying all those that are baptized are regenerate or will be regenerate. They're all saved. Of course, we find that air in the Roman church, in the Lutheran church, and much on the rise in Presbyterian churches or others today with the doctrines of the federal vision. These are soul damning airs. Baptism is not a regenerational instrument. Oh, God may be pleased. to regenerate whenever he so desires. And it may well be during that time. But to equate the two, or to suggest that all of those that are baptized are saved or will be saved, is a peril to the soul. Well, the third thing to draw our attention to is unto whom the sign is administered. unto whom the sign is administered. I'd like to make, and I'll put quotations around this, make a case from Romans chapter 4 for believer's circumcision. A case from Romans 4. Let's just say that's all we had to go by. Maybe some other considerations, but looking at Romans 4, what the apostle says about circumcision there, and what does he say? He tells us very clearly in Romans chapter 4 that circumcision is a seal of the righteousness of faith. Oh, what does it chiefly signify? Oh, in relation to the promises of salvation, of the work of Christ, it's most closely related to the faith of Abraham, a seal of the righteousness of faith. In other words, circumcision, I could make the case from Romans 4 that circumcision was given in relation to Abraham's faith and therefore minister to Abraham upon him believing and making that profession of faith or agreeing to the covenant. Because I find nothing, nothing in Romans 4 that would lead me, in my case, Very careful here if we're thinking this way. Nothing in there that would lead me or suggest to me that infants ought to be circumcised. You read Romans 4. Faith, imputation of righteousness, this blessedness. So I make the case from Romans 4 that only infants ought to be circumcised. And if you're not very knowledgeable of the Old Testament, And given some, I trust, powers of persuasion and looking at the Word, if you're not informed of these things and understand these things very well, I think I could convince multitudes of this. Many evangelicals are hardly aware of the Old Testament. Barely aware. I've heard some incredible things said about Esau and the positive. It made me drop my jaw. You're a pastor in this church. It's an evangelical church, and there are many good things you do, but clearly the understanding of the Old Testament and that administration and the other covenant of grace is gone. And so I think I could fairly persuade you in looking at Romans 4, circumcision, relation to faith, only those professing believers. However, However, I would have other scriptures to show me that what I think are good and necessary consequences are good and necessary inferences that I made some illogical inferences at some point. Now this case, I'm not saying one can logically improperly make the case from Romans four because to make that case and then I look at what Genesis chapter seven and what does this tell us about what does it tell us about circumcision? Verse 12, a child of eight days old. Whatever logical case you think you may come up with, it goes square in the face of scripture itself. Eight days old. And another thing I would point out, that if circumcision is so closely related to the profession of faith and the justification by faith that Abraham has, which these are some things related to these promises, but if it's so closely associated with that, why was it instituted in Genesis 15? When Abraham believed God, believed in God, and it was credited unto him as righteousness. Why so many years, many, many years later? You see, all those in external covenant were to be circumcised. It is a sacrament of initiation. of either relation to the visible covenant community or, as it were, formal entrance into it by way of this sign. I point out similar language in the New Testament. You're no doubt familiar with Paul's letters to the church at Corinth. And there was much wickedness going on, in fact. It's rather clear that not all of those that said they were in the Lord were in the Lord, Unto whom is the letter addressed? The letters are addressed to the saints. To the saints in Corinth. Now, you've got two options here. You can say, well, Paul is only writing to the elect in Corinth. That's it. Because everyone knows a saint is one that has been sanctified, that has the spirit of regeneration, that is holy in the Lord. Well, that is impossible to take that in that sense. That it is the saints, all those visible saints, all of those tares as well amongst the wheat, all of those goats as well amongst the sheep, the visible people of God. In this sense, Prior to his being, as it were, cut off, in this sense, Esau was a saint. He was one that was separated out from the people of the world, visibly, as was Jacob. And now, as to unto whom this sign is administered, we have the clear statement in Scripture of the relation of circumcision to baptism. We're not even left with an inference in this regard. If you're familiar with Colossians chapter two verses 10 through 12, take a look at Colossians chapter two and 10 through 12 Paul writing to those. Now there's parts of this in which he clearly is speaking about those things signified as sealed under those to whom it belongs. But notice the relation here between circumcision and baptism. And ye are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power, in whom also ye are circumcised. with the circumcision made without hands. Now, when we look at the circumcision of the spirit, we will consider this more fully. But ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. Notice, without explanation, without skipping a beat, in the same breath, he speaks of circumcision and baptism. Ye were circumcised, ye were baptized. He blends these images. This is, as it were, one token, one sign of the same reality. He's not talking about as if somehow the circumcision represents something completely radically different from baptism. He, in the same breath, you've been circumcised. You've been baptized. Circumcision in the Old Testament was, and baptism now is, the sign and seal of that covenant of grace. We are under the same covenant of grace as Abraham. And to understand the New Testament administration in Christ, we need to have some understanding of its Old Testament administration. Same covenant of grace, the signs are nearly equated except for one difference, no shed blood, because that is in the Lord Jesus Christ. And that the sign of the covenant in the initiation into the covenant of grace was circumcision in the Old Testament, baptism in the New, unto the same people, all of those. in the household, all of those in that visible community, unto thy seed and thy seed's seed. We are still an embodied people. We are still a visible people. Yes, there were abuses and confusion of the external with the internal in the Old Testament as well as the New. But the remedy, the remedy is not to change what God has instituted. The remedy is the proper understanding. We're under the same covenant of grace. Paul writes to those in Rome and says, now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. And I don't think the apostle is merely saying that Jesus came from the physical descent or from that group of people that were physically circumcised, but minister of the circumcision in relation to these promises, the same promises all in the Lord Jesus Christ, which are yes and amen. The sign is to be applied to all invisible covenant. This is of the ordinance of the Lord. You are familiar with the account of Moses. We haven't got to the Mosaic administration, but prior to the giving of the law of Mount Sinai, I'm sure you're familiar with the account of Moses in Exodus 4, where he and his wife Zipporah are on their way to Egypt. And you may well recall that God sought to kill Moses. What terrible thing had Moses done or what had he not done? You may recall the account that in the midst of this, God seeking to kill Moses, which by the way, if this was not intended as a chastisement to further Moses, In that walk of faith to the Lord, and in his obedience due unto his God, and God's condescending unto Moses to hold him fast, God could have just struck him dead. But in God seeking to kill, obviously it's for Moses' benefit, but also another, Zipporah. And there's that very unusual language that we find where Zipporah circumcises their son. Now, how did she relate that this had something to do with God seeking to kill Moses? We're not given all the details, but clearly it was understood. And we're not told why Moses failed to do so. Perhaps it is the case because Zipporah, not being a natural born Israelite, may have had hesitations. and may have persuaded Moses not to do this, which would explain quite well why she cuts the foreskin, throws it at Moses' feet and said, now thou art a bridegroom of blood or a bloody husband unto me. And the Lord's wrath was diverted through that shed blood. and that covenant of grace. But make no mistake, God was not pleased with Moses contemning and not carrying out that sign upon his child. And from the lesser to the greater, God is not pleased with those who either contemn or neglect the sign today. It is that which is instituted by God now in baptism as it was circumcision then. And we trust in the Lord and the Lord alone to bring his blessing upon what he has instituted. May we have a proper appreciation of the Lord's marvelous dealings with His church, which did not begin 2,000 years ago, but in the garden, upon the back of man's sin, in the promise of a seed, and in the subsequent enlargement of this promise and His dealings with a visible people. We look and trust in the Lord our God alone. Amen.