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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*
FOUNDATIONS**the*Spirit*(Rom*2:29),*is*spoken*of*as*being*circumcised*by*Christ*(Col*2:11).*As* was* noted* above,* there* is* no* language* in* the* New* Testament* which*speaks* of* baptism* as* a* direct* replacement* for* circumcision,* and* the* only*language*specifically*referring*to*a*memorial*sign*of*the*new*covenant*refers*to*the*Lord’s*Supper.*However*the*New*Testament*does*speak*of*the*receipt*of* the* spirit* as* a* “seal”* of* the* new* covenant,* and* a* guarantee* of* the* full*enjoyment* of* the* new* creation* to* come. 25 *Once* again* this* suggests* that*baptism* is* not* the* functional* equivalent* of* circumcision.* It* is* not* a* sign*confirming*God’s*promise,*but*an*enactment*of*the*receipt*of*the*fulfilment*of*God’s* promise,* and* as* such* only* appropriate* for* those* who* have* already*been*“sealed”*by*God.*Baptism*does*not*point*ahead*to*what*God*will*do,*but*instead*points*back*to*what*he*has*done*for*the*person*being*baptised.**The* close* nexus* between* baptism* and* regeneration* in* the* New* Test:ament*has*led*some*paedobaptists*to*argue*for*the*baptism*of*infants*on*the*basis* of* presumptive* regeneration. 26 *In* many* ways* this* would* be* a* more*understandable*justification*for*infant*baptism,*in*that*it*does*justice*to*what*the* New* Testament* teaches* that* baptism* signifies.* It* is* not* a* sign* of* a*promise* but* an* enactment* of* salvation* received.* However* presumptive*regeneration* as* a* basis* for* baptism* is* exegetically* unsustainable,* is* not*supported*by*the*practice*of*circumcision*in*the*Old*Testament*where*those*who* are* declared* not* to* be* elect* are* circumcised,* and* is* demonstrably*falsified* by* the* fact* that* a* large* number* of* those* baptised* on* the* basis* of*“presumed”*regeneration*turn*out*not*to*be*regenerate. 27 ***Summary%%*As* the* foregoing* discussion* demonstrates,* the* relationship* between* God’s*covenant* with* Abraham,* and* between* the* sign* of* circumcision* and* New*Testament*ritual*of*baptism,*is*highly*complex.*This*is*not*surprising*since*the*whole*nature*of*the*relationship*between*the*Old*Testament*covenants*and* their* fulfilment* in* the* new* covenant,* and* between* biblical* types* and*their*fulfilments,*is*also*highly*complex.*Signs*and*rituals*commanded*by*God*take* on* rich* metaphorical* meanings.* Baptism* is* multivalent,* connected* in*different*ways*to*cleansing,*regeneration*and*forgiveness*and*baptism*in*the*Spirit.***********************************************************************25*2*Corinthians*1:22;*Ephesians*1:13.***26*See* the* discussion* of* Berhof,* Systematic% Theology,* 639;* Lewis* Bevens* Schenck,* The%Presbyterian%Doctrine%of%Children%in%the%Covenant*(Phillipsburg:*Presbyterian*&*Reformed,*2003).*See* also* The* Thirty:Nine* Articles* of* Religion,* Art* XXVI* which* states* that* baptism* is* a* sign* of*regeneration.*%%27*See*for*example*William*H.*Griffiths*Thomas,*The%Principles%of%Theology:%An%Introduction%to%the%ThirtyQnine%Articles*(London:*Vine*Books,*1978),*371:387*[O/P].*%**!33*
Page 1 and 2: No 63AUTUMN 2012ContentsEditorial 1
Page 3 and 4: Foundations*63*(November*2012):*194
Page 5 and 6: FOUNDATIONS*3**Baptist* Confession*
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Page 9 and 10: FOUNDATIONS*7**Among*the*points*of*
Page 11 and 12: FOUNDATIONS*9**Infants”. 9 *The*s
Page 13 and 14: FOUNDATIONS*11**Baptists* and* paed
Page 15 and 16: *FOUNDATIONS*“Dipping%is%not%nece
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Page 22 and 23: 20*Infant*Baptism:*Putting*Old*Wine
Page 46 and 47: 44* A*Covenantal*View*of*Baptism*an
Page 50 and 51: 48**A*Covenantal*View*of*Baptism*an
Page 62 and 63: 60**A*Covenantal*View*of*Baptism*an
Page 68 and 69: 66*The*Anglican*Doctrine*of*Baptism
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82*The*Anglican*Doctrine*of*Baptism
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92* “Let*the*little*children*come
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100*“Let*the*little*children*come
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112**Baptism:*Three*Views**written*
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114**Baptism:*Three*Views**family)*
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116**Baptism:*Three*Views**“impas
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118**A*Christian’s*Pocket*Guide*t
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