GOD’S UNBREAKABLE COVENANT WITH MAN

Part 4

In Genesis 17 God made it clear to Abraham that he had a part to play in the covenant that he had made with him. Though Abraham could not break the covenant because he was not a participant in the covenant, there was a part that he needed to play. Just as baptism cannot make a person right with God but is a sign or an outward manifestation of an inward reality, (1Pet 3:21) so God wanted Abraham to have a sign that would declare him as a legal beneficiary of an eternal covenant made by God himself. 

Genesis 17:10-11 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.

We know from the New Testament that because of Abraham’s faith and consequent obedience to God’s word to him, he received the sign of circumcision before he was ever physically circumcised. Take a look. 

Romans 4:11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.

What does that mean? It means that Abraham received the sign of circumcision which is the Holy Spirit. Wow! Thousands of years before Jesus would come to this earth, Abraham tapped into what Jesus came to give. Yes! Abraham received this spiritual reality before he was physically circumcised. Carefully consider this next scripture. 

Ephesians 1:13-14 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

The deposit guaranteeing Abraham’s inheritance was in fact the Holy Spirit! So, how is someone marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit? By believing! It is faith alone that taps you into the profound realities of God’s goodness, favor, power, and blessing! Though Abraham tapped into the power of the Holy Spirit by believing and acting upon the word of the Lord. His covenant with God was foretelling the ultimate covenant that would soon be made known on planet Earth, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 

You won’t want to miss tomorrow’s Encouraging Note as we discuss the ultimate covenant in part five of … 

GOD’S UNBREAKABLE COVENANT WITH MAN

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