9. In what way is baptism a symbol of our covenant relationship with God?

In Old Testament times, circumcision marked the covenantal relationship between God and Abraham (Genesis 17:1-11) with national as well as spiritual significance. Abraham’s circumcision signified and confirmed his previous experience of justification by faith—trusting in the Messiah to come for his salvation, and not in his own works. His circumcision was “a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised” (Romans 4:22).JTL16 11.1

However, circumcision itself did not guarantee entrance into the true spiritual dimension of the covenant between Abraham and God. Abraham’s heart, and those of his descendants, had to, by faith, remain at-one with the heart of God. When Israel rejected Jesus as the Messiah, they broke their covenant relationship with God, terminating their special status as His chosen people (Daniel 9:24-27). Spiritual Israel then replaced the Jewish nation as God’s people (Galatians 3:27-29).JTL16 11.2

Jesus ratified the covenant at the cross, and subsequently baptism became the sign of spiritual circumcision. The new covenant instituted at Jesus’ death requires an inward faith, a renewed heart which Jesus called “the new birth” (John 3:6, 7). Circumcision of the flesh became obsolete at Calvary; baptism is now the event in which the believer ‘puts on Christ’ and demonstrates his or her relational covenant with Him, the God of unfailing, faithful love. Only our lack of faithfulness to this covenant-keeping God could ever cause our covenant with Him to be broken.JTL16 11.3