Baptism

must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with
money from a foreigner --those who are not your offspring. Whether born in
your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My
covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant.
Notice here several facts:
1. Though Abraham was the second party in the covenant, the covenant was
with him and to with his descendants. It was a communal act. It was not only
Abraham, but also the entire tribe including those born in the household and
slaves bought with money, irrespective of their faith. It was to be done in
anticipation of God's promise of salvation.
2. It was an external surgery and did not change his state. Yet he became
eligible to the blessings of the covenant. He did not get the blessing unless;
other basic requirements are met.
3. Yet it was not an open sign. Unless he was disrobed no one could know
it. It was personal.
Thus baptism is the sign of the New Covenant just as circumcision was the
sign and seal of the Abrahamic covenant. A seal does not provide the validity
of the document. It attests to the origin or the person who make the
document. It is so with baptism. Baptism does not save; it is God who
saves. The seal declares the ownership. We shall see later that Paul actually
call baptism, the spiritual circumcision.
Circumcision was the sign of the Jewish origin. It declared the owner as
Yahweh.
What does baptism do? It declares that Jesus is the owner.
Baptism is the sign and not the substance of salvation. James says: If a man
says he has faith, and has not works, can faith save him? The important word
here is "say". There must be more than a profession. There must be reality in
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