Feb 25, 2010
Part III: Interview with Dr. Crampton (from paedobaptism to credobaptism)
Q6: What is the relationship between circumcision and baptism in your current thinking and how do typical paedobaptists view this relationship?
A6: Paedobaptists usually view the relationship between circumcision and water baptism on a “one to one” basis. That is, they see these two “sacraments” (circumcision in the OT and water baptism in the NT) as with little or no difference except for the administration of rite itself. As expressed in the Westminster Confession of Faith: “The sacraments of the Old Testament, in regard of the spiritual things thereby signified and exhibited, were, for substance [essence], the same with those of the New.” There is a sense in which this is true, in that in both the Old and the New Testaments, all things point to Christ and His salvific cross work. But whereas circumcision in the Old Testament was for Abraham and his physical (male) seed, having to do with the relationship between the people of Israel and the promised land of Canaan, as explained by Paul, in the New Testament, water baptism represents the circumcision of the heart that has already been regenerated (Colossians 2:11-12; Philippians 3:3). The sacraments in the New Testament are for those who have already been converted; those who have already had their hearts transformed by the salvific cross work of Jesus Christ. So, there is a significant difference between the circumcision of the Old Covenant community (which dealt with Abraham’s physical seed), and the New Covenant community (which has to do with the spiritual seed of Abraham).
Q7: How is the New Covenant “not like” the covenant God made with the Fathers?
A7: I have already partially dealt with this issue above, but I would add that, according to Jeremiah 31 and Hebrews 8, the difference in the Old Covenant and the New Covenant is that the Old was breakable whereas the New is not. The Old was more involved with the physical seed; whereas the New is more concerned with the spiritual seed. According to the two passages cited above, the New Covenant community consists of those who “know the Lord.” It is for believers, not believers and their infant seed.
Comments
Sean McDonald on Jul 26, 2010 8:06pm
Why was circumcision given to proselytes and their children, who did not receive the land promise?