Believer's Circumcision

And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, Genesis 17:12

And the uncircumsized man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant. Genesis 17:14

A man child breaking a covenant? If a child's will is involved, then we are saying a child can be held accountable. Just as in the Roman Catholic church, a baby who dies uncircumcised is in deep trouble and headed for Limbo--that is his soul is.

Must it be the infant's will, or is his fate determined by someone else? Can adults be involved? And this does not even touch the issue of how girls and women are brought into or excluded from covenant relationship.

While a baby cannot circumcise himself, neither can a baby baptize himself. May I be so bold as to say that the will of someone else is involved?

Can parents bring their children into a covenant relationship with God? Can a covenant people or a church do this? Can God select people and bring them to himself? All this is to bring into question the emphasis on the will of man.

I think of Ruth, a Moabite woman who most certainly joined God's people, but was neither circumcised nor baptized. Could her circumcized husband have joined her into Israel?

Concerning the age of one brought into God's family, it may be objected that a baby (or anyone under the age of twelve) has not exercised their free will in this contract. Therefore, a circumcised infant could, upon coming of age, "go bad". All who are baptized are not saved people, even adults. Ask any preacher how so called converts fall away.

It may be directed to me, that since I was baptized as a baby, it was not a Believers Baptism. I object. My parents were believers.