In the days of Paul a false gospel crept into the church that said- you not only have to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ but you also have to be circumcised to be saved. Although nobody preaches the need for circumcision in church in this century there are some who preach work based salvation like- you need to be water baptized to be saved; or you need to bring to remembrance all your sins and confess them to be saved; or you need to meet some 'xyz' requirement to be saved.
Paul countered these false gospels by saying- Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe... (Romans 4:9-11)
Paul taught that Abraham was justified before his circumcision and that circumcision was only a sign of his justification. Therefore he concluded that it was not works like confessing sins or water baptism that saved Abraham but faith alone. Am I saying that you should not be water baptized? God forbid. Water baptism like circumcision is only a sign of justification. It is an outward expression of an inward reality.
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