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FOUNDATIONS*37**by* the* Holy* Spirit* into* the* Body* of* Christ* and* the* blessings* of* the* new*covenant.*Whilst*a*person*who*is*newly*converted*ought*to*be*baptised*as*soon*as*possible,*it*is*questionable*whether*there*is*any*real*need*to*baptise*a* long:professing* believer* who* was* baptised* as* an* infant.* It* makes* little*sense* to* press* for* the* rebaptism* of* a* person* who* came* to* personal* faith*years*ago.*Such*a*person*has*been*baptised*by*the*Holy*Spirit*into*member:ship*of*the*Body*of*Christ*and*has*been*functioning*as*a*member*of*Christ’s*Body,*serving*and*using*the*gifts*that*they*have*been*given.*Water*baptism*to*symbolise* something* that* took* place* years* previously* will* make* no*difference*to*their*standing*with*God,*their*inclusion*in*Christ,*the*forgive:ness*of*their*sins,*their*spiritual*gifting*or*their*personal*assurance.*Of*course*if*such*a*person*feels*that*in*conscience*they*wish*to*be*baptised*then*there*is*no*reason*to*refuse*to*do*so,*but*to*insist*that*they*need*to*be*baptised*as*an*act*of*obedience*to*Christ*is*to*demand*something*anachronistic.***2. The%Age%of%Baptism 29 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%**Paedobaptists*commonly*argue*against*credobaptism*on*the*grounds*that*it*introduces* the* artificial* concept* of* an* “age* of* responsibility”* below* which*churches*are*unwilling*to*baptise*young*people,*with*the*result*that*believing*children* are* denied* membership* and* participation* in* the* church.* This*criticism* needs* to* be* taken* seriously* by* credobaptists.* If* baptism* is* to* be*administered*to*adults*on*the*basis*of*their*credible*profession*of*faith,*then*those*who*profess*faith*in*this*way*ought*to*be*baptised*irrespective*of*their*age.*In*most*cases*very*young*children*will*not*in*fact*profess*such*faith,*but*a* small* number* may* do* so,* in* which* case* the* church* should* be* willing* to*baptise* them.* However* the* corollary* of* this* is* that* Christian* parents* must*beware* of* the* danger* of* seeking* to* push* their* children* into* professions* of*faith* and* baptism.* It* is* better* to* teach* the* gospel* to* children* and* to* leave*them* to* make* their* response* to* it,* rather* than* to* push* them* to* incant* the*response* that* we* long* to* hear.* I* would* be* more* likely* to* respond* to* the*request*of*a*child*for*baptism*who*has*come*to*ask*to*be*baptised*of*their*own*initiative*rather*than*because*they*have*been*pushed*to*do*so*parents*or*others.*We* should* not,* however,* think* that* the* problem* of* age* is* confined* to*credobaptists.* Paedobaptists* have* to* make* the* same* judgment* but* at* a*different*place.*As*was*noted*above,*paedobaptists*almost*invariably*practice*credo:communion,*which*requires*exactly*the*same*judgment*to*be*made*in*relation*to*the*professions*of*faith*by*children.*Arguably*since*baptism*is*a*one:off* ritual* to* mark* conversion,* whereas* the* Lord’s* Supper* is* a* regular*********************************************************************29*For*a*counter*view*to*that*presented*here*see*the*practice*of*Capitol*Hill*Baptist*Church*Washington*DC:*http://www.capitolhillbaptist.org/we:equip/children/baptism:of:children/*!