The Covenant of Abram
Well, I really didn't want to write about biblical topics when I started this blog but that's how it's starting out. I wanted to write my own existential philosophical views so that I could practice communicating them, it doesn't look like that's going to happen, at least not yet.
I chose the Covenant of Abram as a topic for two reasons. The first is because it came up in discussion in my house one evening when watching TV. We were watching a medical program and they showed a baby being circumcised. My youngest daughter thought that it was
"Gro-o'ss" and so I had to explain (or try to explain) where the idea came from. Not an easy task! The second reason is I wanted to know what the covenant meant to me as a Christian and why the Apostles came to the conclusion that Gentiles did not need to be circumcised.
The covenant between Abram and God starts in Genesis 15:5-6 Then He brought him outside and said "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him as righteousness. God also promised Abram a specific area of land that his descendants would inherit in Versus 7 through 21 but this is not the point. The point of this passage is in verse 6. Abram BELIEVED IN THE LORD and the Lord ACCOUNTED IT to him as RIGHTEOUSNESS. It wasn't what Abram did that brought him Righteousness but his faith in the Lord. Abram believed that God would fulfill
His promise given to Abram. And God said because you have faith in Me you are righteous before me. Grace through faith. This is what the Covenant means to me as a Christian. Jesus makes a promise (John 3:15-16) to those who believe in Him will have eternal life. Through our faith in Him he accounts to us Righteousness.
God Required a sign to show and to remind Abram (who has now become Abraham because of the covenant) and his descendants that a covenant has been made between God and Abraham. In Genesis 17:10-14 God Tells Abraham "you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you." Circumcision was the outward sign of the covenant much like in marriage when Bride and Groom exchange rings to signify there covenant to each other. This was to be done to all Jewish males. It was apart of the law of the people of God. The sign of the old Covenant. Now we move to the New testament were there is a New covenant through Jesus. This creates a problem in the minds of converted church patriarchs who feel that the Gentiles need to be circumcised according to the law. Apostle Peter points out in Acts 15:6-11 that they have been saved through their faith in Jesus and have been given the Holy Spirit just as the Jews. It was no longer Profitable to have the outward sign of the old covenant because as Christians they, Jew and Gentiles alike, are no longer held to the law outwardly but have circumcision of the Heart as paul says in Romans 2:25-29.
As a Christian the sign of the covenant between Christ and me is baptism by water which signifies my commitment to Jesus and through him the washing of sins and resurection of new life through Him. Jesus says in the Gospels that if you love Me you will keep my comandments and that requires the circumcision of your heart.
I chose the Covenant of Abram as a topic for two reasons. The first is because it came up in discussion in my house one evening when watching TV. We were watching a medical program and they showed a baby being circumcised. My youngest daughter thought that it was
"Gro-o'ss" and so I had to explain (or try to explain) where the idea came from. Not an easy task! The second reason is I wanted to know what the covenant meant to me as a Christian and why the Apostles came to the conclusion that Gentiles did not need to be circumcised.
The covenant between Abram and God starts in Genesis 15:5-6 Then He brought him outside and said "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him as righteousness. God also promised Abram a specific area of land that his descendants would inherit in Versus 7 through 21 but this is not the point. The point of this passage is in verse 6. Abram BELIEVED IN THE LORD and the Lord ACCOUNTED IT to him as RIGHTEOUSNESS. It wasn't what Abram did that brought him Righteousness but his faith in the Lord. Abram believed that God would fulfill
His promise given to Abram. And God said because you have faith in Me you are righteous before me. Grace through faith. This is what the Covenant means to me as a Christian. Jesus makes a promise (John 3:15-16) to those who believe in Him will have eternal life. Through our faith in Him he accounts to us Righteousness.
God Required a sign to show and to remind Abram (who has now become Abraham because of the covenant) and his descendants that a covenant has been made between God and Abraham. In Genesis 17:10-14 God Tells Abraham "you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you." Circumcision was the outward sign of the covenant much like in marriage when Bride and Groom exchange rings to signify there covenant to each other. This was to be done to all Jewish males. It was apart of the law of the people of God. The sign of the old Covenant. Now we move to the New testament were there is a New covenant through Jesus. This creates a problem in the minds of converted church patriarchs who feel that the Gentiles need to be circumcised according to the law. Apostle Peter points out in Acts 15:6-11 that they have been saved through their faith in Jesus and have been given the Holy Spirit just as the Jews. It was no longer Profitable to have the outward sign of the old covenant because as Christians they, Jew and Gentiles alike, are no longer held to the law outwardly but have circumcision of the Heart as paul says in Romans 2:25-29.
As a Christian the sign of the covenant between Christ and me is baptism by water which signifies my commitment to Jesus and through him the washing of sins and resurection of new life through Him. Jesus says in the Gospels that if you love Me you will keep my comandments and that requires the circumcision of your heart.
posted by Joel Hayes | 2:30 PM
2 Comments:
Joel, I can't tell you how proud I am of you. This is very well written and is Biblically correct. Keep up the good work and I look forward to your own "existential philosophical views" but I think this is exactly what you are doing. I look forward to the next post.
Love Mom
I made a comment but I accidentally put it in on the previous entry
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