In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. (Colossians 2:11-12 NKJV)
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14 NKJV)
Today, I have the great privilege of being part of a water baptism service. This is one of my favorite things. Baptism is a living picture of being buried with Him into His death, then raised up with Him to walk in newness of life. What could be better? Jesus said that baptism is the first step in a life of discipleship. It’s an act of commitment. It is a moment of personal identification with His completed work. I am in Him and He is in me.
Abraham received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that was already his by faith. His was a physical sign, ours is of the heart. Paul says that the indwelling of the Spirit is our mark of the covenant, the circumcision of our heart. If you’re a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, then you have a presence on the inside of you that is the guarantee of your inheritance. God wants you to have a salvation that is sure. Just as Abraham could never go back to being uncircumcised, you also are permanently marked. That sense of His presence on the inside, that conviction that comes when you sin, these are manifestations of God’s seal telling you that you are His.
As you head to the gathering of the saints, be alert to what God is doing in your heart. He is in you, He has marked you, and He wants you to know so.
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