Well known patriarchs such as Abraham and Moses were considered righteous because of their faith in God. Both men were used mightily of God. Yet, if they had been disobedient in their covenantal responsibilities the Bible makes it clear that they were in jeopardy of losing their salvation.
God commanded Abraham to circumcise all male children:
“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. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.” Genesis 17:10-14
Moses was also told to circumcise all male children. His disobedience almost cost him his life:
“And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him.
Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.
So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.” Exodus 4:24-26
The following circumcision commentary is very interesting: “Its significance is, that the cutting of the outside flesh of the organ of generations denotes corruption as inherent in us from birth, and transmitted by our parents, and symbolizes our severance from nature's defilement to a state of consecrated fellowship with God. Jehovah consecrated the nation to Himself; and whatsoever male was not circumcised on the eighth day was liable to be "cut off." Moses had neglected to circumcise his son, owing to Zipporah's repugnance to it, as a rite not generally adopted in the East, even by the descendants of Abraham and Keturah, the Midianites. The Lord sought to kill him, which he and his wife were divinely admonished arose from the neglect. She took a sharp stone or flint (compare Josh 5:2,8), the
implement sanctioned by patriarchal usage as more sacred than metal (as was the Egyptian usage also in preparing mummies), and cut off her son's foreskin, and cast it at Moses' feet, saying, "a bloody husband art thou to me," i.e., by this blood of my child I have recovered thee as my husband, and sealed our union again. (Ex 4:25).
A name was given on the day of circumcision, as at baptism (Luke 1:59; 2:21). The painfulness of Old Testament initiatory rite, as compared with the New Testament baptism, marks strongly the contrast between the stern covenant of the law and the loving gospel. Jesus' submission to it betokened His undertaking to fulfill the law in all its requirements, and to suffer its penalty incurred by us. (from Fausset's Bible Dictionary)
Upon entering the promised land, Joshua performed circumcisions at the hill of Gilgal. Gilgal means rolling -"rolling" away of the reproach of uncircumcision. (Fausset's Bible Dictionary)
Jesus informed John the Baptist that water baptism was to be done to fulfill “all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:15)
Jesus told Peter and the disciples to teach people “…to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:20
Ten days after Jesus made the foregoing statement, Peter gave specific instructions on the Day of Pentecost. Peter began his sermon by quoting the prophet Joel, “…whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved,” Peter tells the bystanders to be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sin. The Word indicates they believed Him because three thousand souls were baptized, and accepted into the family of God.
Ananias instructed Paul to call on the name of the Lord during his own baptism. “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. “ Acts 22:16
Colossians 2:6-13
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
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, in putting off the body of the 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.”
As recorded in both the Old and New Testaments a child did not receive his official name until the day he was circumcised.
Luke 2:21 “And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.”
Genesis 21:3-4 “And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.”
Luke 1:59-60 “And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.”
During our water baptism “in Jesus Name” we take on His name and become part of God’s Holy Nation (family). Prior to water baptism we are foster children so to speak. Afterward we are adopted into the family having taken on His name.
Acts 4:9 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Acts 10:42-43 “And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”
God commanded Abraham to circumcise all male children:
“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. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.” Genesis 17:10-14
Moses was also told to circumcise all male children. His disobedience almost cost him his life:
“And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him.
Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.
So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.” Exodus 4:24-26
The following circumcision commentary is very interesting: “Its significance is, that the cutting of the outside flesh of the organ of generations denotes corruption as inherent in us from birth, and transmitted by our parents, and symbolizes our severance from nature's defilement to a state of consecrated fellowship with God. Jehovah consecrated the nation to Himself; and whatsoever male was not circumcised on the eighth day was liable to be "cut off." Moses had neglected to circumcise his son, owing to Zipporah's repugnance to it, as a rite not generally adopted in the East, even by the descendants of Abraham and Keturah, the Midianites. The Lord sought to kill him, which he and his wife were divinely admonished arose from the neglect. She took a sharp stone or flint (compare Josh 5:2,8), the
implement sanctioned by patriarchal usage as more sacred than metal (as was the Egyptian usage also in preparing mummies), and cut off her son's foreskin, and cast it at Moses' feet, saying, "a bloody husband art thou to me," i.e., by this blood of my child I have recovered thee as my husband, and sealed our union again. (Ex 4:25).
A name was given on the day of circumcision, as at baptism (Luke 1:59; 2:21). The painfulness of Old Testament initiatory rite, as compared with the New Testament baptism, marks strongly the contrast between the stern covenant of the law and the loving gospel. Jesus' submission to it betokened His undertaking to fulfill the law in all its requirements, and to suffer its penalty incurred by us. (from Fausset's Bible Dictionary)
Upon entering the promised land, Joshua performed circumcisions at the hill of Gilgal. Gilgal means rolling -"rolling" away of the reproach of uncircumcision. (Fausset's Bible Dictionary)
Jesus informed John the Baptist that water baptism was to be done to fulfill “all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:15)
Jesus told Peter and the disciples to teach people “…to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:20
Ten days after Jesus made the foregoing statement, Peter gave specific instructions on the Day of Pentecost. Peter began his sermon by quoting the prophet Joel, “…whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved,” Peter tells the bystanders to be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sin. The Word indicates they believed Him because three thousand souls were baptized, and accepted into the family of God.
Ananias instructed Paul to call on the name of the Lord during his own baptism. “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. “ Acts 22:16
Colossians 2:6-13
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
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, in putting off the body of the 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.”
As recorded in both the Old and New Testaments a child did not receive his official name until the day he was circumcised.
Luke 2:21 “And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.”
Genesis 21:3-4 “And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.”
Luke 1:59-60 “And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.”
During our water baptism “in Jesus Name” we take on His name and become part of God’s Holy Nation (family). Prior to water baptism we are foster children so to speak. Afterward we are adopted into the family having taken on His name.
Acts 4:9 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Acts 10:42-43 “And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”
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