1. Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church0 by Eric Douma Gospel of Grace Fellowship May 1, 2016

2. Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church1 Romans 4:9-12 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

3. Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church2 “And everyone that is born, the flesh of whose foreskin is not circumcised on the eight day, belongs not to the children of the covenant which the Lord made with Abraham, but to the children of destruction…” (Jubilees 15:26). “No Israelite man who is circumcised will go down to Gehinnom” (Exodus Rabbah 19:5). “Great is circumcision, for despite all the religious duties which Abraham our father fulfilled, he was not called ‘perfect’ until he was circumcised” (Judah the Patriarch, 2 nd cent. A.D.).

4. Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church3 Romans 4:9-10 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised.  “Is this blessing…” = the blessing of having been forgiven from vss. 7-8 Romans 4:7-8 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

5. Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church4 Romans 4:11-12 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.  “Sign” = a seal authenticating his righteousness by faith  “without being circumcised” = Gentile believers  “of circumcision” = Jewish believers

6. Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church5 1.We must understand that faith in Christ commends us to God, not our physical lineage or pedigree. 2.We should understand that circumcision is fulfilled in Christ’s finished work, not in baptism. 3.We must know that God given rituals don’t save; they are “pictures” of our salvation by faith alone.

7. Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church6 Romans 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God. Romans 9:6-8 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.

8. Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church7  Calvin: “We therefore conclude that, apart from the difference in the visible ceremony, whatever belongs to circumcision pertains likewise to baptism” (Institutes 4.16.3). Colossians 2:11-12 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

9. Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church8 CircumcisionBaptism a conditionan event looked forwardlooks back unbelievers + believersbelievers only Romans 6:1-4 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

10. Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church9 1 Peter 3:18-22 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. 21 Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.