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24*Infant*Baptism:*Putting*Old*Wine*Into*New*Wineskins?**Finally*it*might*be*noted*that*this*analysis*of*the*nature*and*function*of*the* covenant* signs* commanded* by* God* in* the* Old* Testament* raises* the*possibility*that*baptism*ought*not*to*be*regarded*as*the*formal*covenant*sign*of* the* new* covenant* at* all.* Nowhere* in* the* New* Testament* does* Jesus*command*baptism*to*be*practiced*as*a*specific*new*covenant*sign,*nor*do*he,*or*the*apostolic*authors*of*the*epistles,*equate*it*with*circumcision*directly. 12 *The*only*specific*mention*of*a*sign*in*connection*with*the*new*covenant*is*to*be*found*in*Jesus’*teaching*regarding*the*Lord’s*Supper.*In*Luke*22:20*Jesus*declared* of* the* cup* of* wine* he* offered* after* supper* “this* cup* is* the* new*covenant*in*my*blood,*which*is*poured*out*for*you”.*Paul*adds*in*1*Cor*11:25*that*he*commanded:*“do*this*as*often*as*you*drink*it,*in*remembrance*of*me.”*This*would*suggest*that*it*is*the*Lord’s*Supper*which*functions*as*the*sign*of*the* new* covenant,* not* baptism.* As* in* the* case* of* the* Old* Testament*covenants* the* cup* enacts* the* promise* that* God* has* made,* namely* the*forgiveness*of*sins*through*the*shed*blood*of*the*Lord*Jesus.*In*just*the*same*way*that*the*rainbow,*circumcision*and*Sabbath*were*given*to*enable*God’s*people*to*remember*the*covenant*promises,*so*too*is*the*Lord’s*Supper.*It*is*therefore*perhaps*somewhat*ironic*that*the*vast*majority*of*paedobaptists*practice* only* credo:communion,* and* deny* the* instituted* covenant* sign* to*those* who* they* believe* to* be* members* of* the* church.* The* controversial*Federal*Vision*theology*has*highlighted*this*apparent*inconsistency. 13 ***************************************Circumcision%and%the%New%Covenant%%%*Although*circumcision*was*not*given*to*Abraham*as*an*outward*sign*of*an*inward* spiritual* reality,* it* subsequently* came* to* be* utilised* as* a* metaphor*speaking* of* the* need* for* the* Israelites* to* undergo* an* inward* spiritual*transformation* that* they* evidently* lacked.* The* physical* sign* of* the*Abrahamic*covenant*thus*became*a*prophetic*picture*of*the*need*for*a*new*covenant.* The* call* for* the* Israelites* to* circumcise* their* hearts* is* found* in*both*Deuteronomy*and*Jeremiah,*books*which*emphasise*the*need*for*real*inner* heart* devotion* to* God* in* place* of* mere* external* legalistic* obedience*and* which* make* clear* that* the* Israelites* cannot* bring* about* this* inner*transformation* themselves.* It* requires* a* new* work* of* God,* equivalent* to* a*new*creation*or*a*resurrection.*In*Deut*10:15:16*Moses*calls*upon*the*Israel:ites* to* circumcise* their* hearts,* yet* in* Deut*30:6*it*is*clear*that*their*hearts*********************************************************************12*See*Martin*Salter,*“Does*Baptism*Replace*Circumcision?*An*Examination*of*the*Relation:ship*between*Circumcision*and*Baptism*in*Colossians*2:11:12,”*Themelios*35,*no.*1*(2010):*15:29;*David*Gibson,*“Sacramental*Supersessionism*Revisited:*A*Response*to*Martin*Salter*on*the*Relationship*Between*Circumcision*and*Baptism”*Themelios*37,*no.*2*(2012):*191:208.*13*Steve* Wilkins* &* Duane* Garner* (eds),* The% Federal% Vision* (Monroe:* Athanasius* Press,*2004);* Guy* P.* Waters,* The% Federal% Vision% and% Covenant% Theology:% A% Comparative% Analysis*(Phillipsburg:*Presbyterian*&*Reformed,*2005).*