Sign and Seal

3. Baptism is a sign and seal of the new covenant.

Before we go into the details let us first understand what is a covenant.
Webster's New World Dictionary defines a "Covenant" or "Testament" as follows. "A binding and solemn agreement to do or keep from doing a specified thing; compact, a will, or an agreement made by or between two or more parties; orig., a covenant, esp. one between God and man; a statement, act, etc. testifying to the fact, validity, or worth of something; testimonial (©1995 Zane Publishing, Inc. ©1994, 1991, 1988 Simon & Schuster, Inc.)"

A Biblical Covenant is a contract or a promise by God with people. There is actually two major convenants. (in fact when God deals with an individual or a family or a community he makes a covenant with them). The Old Covenant given in Old Testament and the New Covenant given in the New Testament. Even though the covenant is new, both the Old and the New covenants are essentially same.

The mediator is the same: Jesus
Acts 4:12   Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Acts 10:43   All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
1Tim. 2:5-6   For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men --the testimony given in its proper time.

At the time of Mosaic covenant, Jesus himself was present.
Exod. 24:9-11 Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank.

The condition is the same- faith
Gen. 15:6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Rom. 4:3 What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

In both cases there were seals and signs of the covenant.

What are some of the seals of the covenants?

In Abrahamic covenant the seal was through a sacrifice by God walking between the pieces of the sacrifice (Gen 15:17-21). In Abraham's case the election was passed on to Abraham through the Priest of the Most High, Melchizedek in a communion ceremony (Ex. 13:18) In the Mosaic covenant we read:
Exod. 24:8 Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words."

In both these events it was sealed with animal sacrifice and sprinkling of blood. The element was blood and was sprinkled. This was a historical one event.

What is this seal in the new covenant?

Hebr. 9:19 -12:24 When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. ...Hebr. 9:21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. ...Hebr. 10:22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. . Hebr. 12:24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

In the Old Covenant it was followed by a feast where the elders took part in the presence of Yvh (Ex 24:9-11),"leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank. "In the new covenant breaking of the bread and the partaking of the Lord's table.

The sign of the old covenant both Abrahamic and Mosaic were circumcision.

Gen. 17:9-13 Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 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 you and me.

For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old 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 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 say 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 the soul. A person that fully trusts Christ has the blessed assurance of salvation (Heb. 11:1) Confessing Christ is the ongoing results and not the means of salvation. If Roman 10:9-10 is right, baptism has no role in salvation. It is the confession with tongue that matters. Declare your faith in words boldly. When the heart is filled, the mouth will speak and works will follow.

Lev. 14. The purpose? As a Proof to the People. If there is a parallel here, let us understand it.