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32*Infant*Baptism:*Putting*Old*Wine*Into*New*Wineskins?**received*the*blessings*of*the*inaugurated*new*covenant.*As*was*noted*at*the*start,* all* are* agreed* that* baptism* symbolises* an* integrated* package* of*spiritual* realities.* It* is* a* ritual* washing,* which* pictures* cleansing* from* the*stain*of*sin.*It*dramatises*death*and*burial,*which*pictures*identification*with*Christ*in*his*wrath:bearing*death*on*the*cross.*It*dramatises*resurrection*to*new* life,* which* pictures* the* regeneration* and* new* birth* of* conversion.* It*dramatises*the*receipt*of*the*Holy*Spirit,*picturing*how*those*who*share*in*the*new*covenant*have*been*baptised*by*the*Spirit.*The*language*of*the*New*Testament* letters* maintains* the* closest* possible* connection* between*baptism,* regeneration* and* personal* salvation* (1* Pet* 3:21;* Titus* 3:5),* and*bases* its* exhortation* to* faithful* living* on* the* ground* that* those* who* have*been*baptised*have*received*the*realities*of*which*baptism*is*a*picture*and*ought*to*live*in*confident*assurance*and*faithful*conformity*to*them.**Perhaps*the*most*significant*element*of*baptismal*symbolism*is*that*of*receiving*the*Holy*Spirit.*In*Acts,*baptism*is*closely*connected*with*either*the*promise,*or*the*receipt,*of*the*Holy*Spirit.*The*prime*reason*why*those*who*have*only*received*the*baptism*of*John*need*to*be*re:baptised*in*Acts*19:5*is*because*they*have*not*received*the*Holy*Spirit.*Cornelius*is*baptised*because*his* baptism* by* the* Holy* Spirit* demonstrates* that* he* has* been* accepted* by*God* and* shares* in* the* blessing* of* the* new* covenant* (Acts* 10:47:48).* This*close* connection* between* baptism* and* the* receipt* of* the* Holy* Spirit* is*unsurprising.*If,*as*has*been*argued,*Jesus*is*the*fulfilment*of*the*promise*of*offspring* for* Abraham,* then* the* gift* of* the* Holy* Spirit* is* the* promised*blessing*of*the*covenant,*and*the*deposit*guaranteeing*enjoyment*of*the*new*creation* to* come* (2* Cor* 1:22;* Eph* 1:13:14).* As* Paul* explains* in* Gal* 3:14,*Gentile*believers*have*received*the*blessing*given*to*Abraham,*which*is*the*Spirit,*by*faith*without*circumcision.*It*is*the*gift*of*the*Spirit*which*means*that* new* covenant* believers* have* the* status* of* full* adult* sons* in* God’s*household,*in*contrast*to*Old*Testament*believers*who*were*the*equivalent*of*infant*sons*living*under*the*guardianship*of*the*law.**The*relationship*between*baptism*and*the*receipt*of*the*Spirit*is*further*evidence* that* baptism* is* not* to* be* regarded* as* the* replacement* of*circumcision*as*a*sign*of*a*covenant*identical*in*its*administration.*A*person*becomes*a*member*of*the*new*covenant*community,*incorporated*into*and*united*with*Jesus,*by*God’s*work*of*baptism*by*the*Holy*Spirit.*As*Paul*writes*in*1*Cor*12:12:13,*what*makes*a*person*a*member*of*the*body,*a*participant*in*Christ,*is*that*they*have*been*baptised*by*God*into*the*one*body*by*the*one*Spirit.* This* refers* not* to* some* second* blessing* experience,* but* simply* to*receipt* of* the* Spirit*at*conversion.*This*Spirit*baptism,*which*effects*union*with*Christ*and*regeneration,*is*the*work*of*God.*It*accomplishes*the*inner*transformation* that* the* Old* Testament* demanded* and* pictured* by* the*metaphor* of* “circumcision* of* the* heart”.* In* Col* 2:10:15* this* regenerating,*uniting*and*forgiving*action*of*Christ,*which*is*elsewhere*clearly*the*work*of*