Rom 4:11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the
righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision;
that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be in
uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them; ASV
Rom 4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the
righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that
he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not
circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: KJV
Rom 4:11 And he received a sign of circumcision as a seal of the
righteousness of faith while in uncircumcision, for him to be a father
of those believing through uncircumcision, for righteousness to be
counted to them also, LITV
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COMMENTARY
This can only mean that circumcision,
when it relates to salvation, is a sign of previous faith. The verse
clearly says what circumcision was. It was a seal of the -righteousness
of faith-. That is, apart from Faith circumcision has absolutely -no- salvific significance/meaning. None! Circumcision
therefore, with respect to salvation, must be given ~After~ a person
demonstrates faith! Does Little Willie demonstrate faith???
CTs answer; Of course not you blithering idiot! And neither do we circumcize Little Willie. We Baptize him!
Response; It makes no difference. If you are equating Abe w/the church and say Willie is "in the covenant" then since Abe was circumcized -After- he believed God you must also Baptize Willie -After- he believes God!
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These *s are real questions that a Covenant Theologian once asked of me.
*What does the verse say about circumcision?
It says 2 things;
1. Circumcision was a sign; of what? Of the true circumcision of
the heart that occurs at salvation when a man receives the
righteousness of God which Abraham manifested by his faith, as the
verse says. And that faith he had -before- he was ever circumcized.
2. Circumcision was a seal; of what? It was the seal of the
righteousness of God which Abraham received by faith, as the verse
says. On these 2 observations drawn directly from the verse it is plain
to see that the circumcision spoken of here in Rom 4:11 is in
direct correlation to salvation. The entire passage of Rom 4
speaks of salvation; faith; belief; righteousness. Therefore to
divorce circumcision in vs 11 from these truths is to miss the
meaning of the verse completely. Apart from salvation circumcision
really has no Biblical meaning other than it constituted one a physical
Jew. Rom 4:11 is completely void of this ’physical
Jew’ notion and is speaking of the New Covenant blessing of
salvation. Therefore again, circumcision is called a
‘seal’ because, according to this verse it was a
confirmation of entrance into the New Covenant and the righteousness that was
promised in that Covenant which Abraham is said here to have received by faith -before-
he was ever circumcized.
This is enforced when it says that Abraham might be the father
of all who believe even tho they are not circumcized. It is not said
that Abe was the father of all who are circumcized or all who are
ethnic Jews. Neither does it say -anything- about "covenant
children". Rather he is the father of all who are in the New
Covenant, which is to say all and only those who have the same faith as
father Abraham, as the verse plainly says. It is therefore clear that
Paul is speaking of the blessing of salvation in the New Covenant and
nothing else at all.
*What did circumcision mean to Esau?
In the light of Rom 4:11, nothing. Esau never knew salvation;
faith; belief; or the righteousness of God. Neither is he even
mentioned anywhere within close proximity to Rom 4:11. In
fact he is only mentioned once in the entire book; 9:13 where it is
said that he is hated by God. Therefore for circumcision to have any
meaning at all for Esau that meaning must be sought in some other place
in the Bible; which is, as I said above, it constituted one a physical
Jew. And in Esau’s case it was a physical Jew whom God hated from
all eternity, even tho he may have been circumcized.
*What did circumcision mean to any other infant?
Nada..."any other infant" is not in Rom 4:11, unless of course you
consider the notion of ‘elect infants’. But even there we
have no way of knowing as well as the fact that the verse says nothing
at all about infants.
Romans
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