Savoy on the Sacraments. Part 5
What is the relationship between the sacraments of the Old Testament and the New? Savoy continues the discussion…
Savoy…
5. The Sacraments of the Old Testament, in regard of the spiritual things thereby signified and exhibited, were for substance the same with those of the New.
Savoy returns in the conclusion to the introduction to the sacraments, to where it had started. The assumption that there is an organic link between the sacraments and the Covenant of Grace leads to only one conclusion. As the same covenant was being worked out during the OT and NT eras, so the signs and seals of each era are complimentary and in essence the same. The spiritual realities of both OT and NT were the same and thus the signs are the same in substance. See this illustrated in these references to the Covenant of Grace:
Gen 17:7, And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Acts 2:38-39 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Romans 4:11-13 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. 13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Galatians 3:29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
So, baptism has replaced circumcision and the Lords Supper replaced the temple sacrifices, but essentially what the both signify are the same, ie God’s saving covenant with mankind.
There are some interesting examples of this in Scripture.
In 1 Cor 10:1-3 Paul links the cloud and the passing through the dead sea with Baptism, saying that these things signify to the Jews, what baptism signifies to us. The manna and the water from the rock signified to the Jews, what the Lord’s Supper signifies to the Christian.
1 Cor 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
The Salty Scrivener 