Abraham’s righteousness was not his own personal faith; his righteousness was Christ, whom he appropriated by faith. Thus, the seal of circumcision was not a seal given as a personal testimony. The seal was God’s seal of the promised and coming Christ, in whom Abraham believed. The meaning of Abraham’s circumcision was not, “Abraham got saved.” Rather, it was, “Salvation will come to the world!” It is true that Abraham was personally saved, and that he was saved by faith. But he was saved because he believed in the objective promise—that is, in the coming Christ.
