Is baptism the New Covenant equivalent of circumcision?

Response

Circumcision was the physical symbol of the covenant God established with Abraham. Although the initial covenant was made in Genesis 15, circumcision was not commanded until Genesis 17 – at least 13 years later, after Ishmael was born. At that time, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham (“father of a multitude”), a name that looked forward to the fulfillment of God’s promise. The covenant was made with Abraham, later with Isaac and Jacob, and with all their descendants.

Baptism is, in a way, the symbol of the New Covenant God establishes with His Church. Jesus instructed baptism in the Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” «Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: », (Matthew 28:19). Baptism is the outward symbol of an inner transformation. It signifies rebirth in Christ.

Many Reformed traditions have drawn a strong parallel between circumcision and baptism and have used the Old Testament instruction on circumcision to support the baptism of infants. The reasoning is as follows: just as infants born into the Old Testament Jewish community were circumcised, infants born into the New Testament church community should be baptized.

While there are similarities between baptism and circumcision, they represent two distinct covenants. The Old Covenant had a physical entry requirement: one had to be born to Jewish parents or brought as a servant into a Jewish household (Genesis 17:10-13). One’s spiritual state was not dependent on the act of circumcision. Every male was circumcised, regardless of their devotion to God. However, even in the Old Testament, the circumcision of the heart was always the ultimate goal.

At that time, there was an acknowledgment that physical circumcision alone was insufficient. Moses instructed the Israelites in Deuteronomy 10:16 to circumcise their hearts, and even assured them that God would perform this circumcision «And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. », (Deuteronomy 30:6). Jeremiah also emphasized the necessity of a heart circumcision «Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings. », (Jeremiah 4:4).

In contrast, the New Covenant offers a spiritual pathway: one must believe to be saved «And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. », (Acts 16:31). Therefore, one’s spiritual journey is closely linked to the symbol of baptism. If baptism signifies entry into the New Covenant, then only those committed to God and placing their trust in Jesus should undergo baptism.

The genuine circumcision, as Paul teaches in Romans 2:29, is that of the heart, and it is achieved by the Spirit. In essence, today, a person enters into a covenant relationship with God not through a physical ritual but through the Spirit’s work in the heart.

Colossians 2:11-12 speaks of this spiritual circumcision: “In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.” This circumcision

Does not involve the cutting of the body; it is a cutting away of our old nature. It is a spiritual act and refers to nothing less than salvation, effected by the Holy Spirit. Baptism, mentioned in verse 12, does not replace circumcision; it follows circumcision— and it is clearly a spiritual circumcision that is meant. Baptism, therefore, is a sign of inward, spiritual “circumcision.”

This passage also specifies that the new life, represented by baptism, comes “through your faith.” This implies that the one being baptized has the ability to exercise faith. Since infants are not capable of exercising faith, they should not be candidates for baptism.

Someone born (physically) under the Old Covenant received the sign of that covenant (circumcision); likewise, someone born (spiritually) under the New Covenant, “born again,” John 3:3, receives the sign of that covenant (baptism).