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44* A*Covenantal*View*of*Baptism*and*Its*Relationship*to*Evangelism**happened* to* cause* such* a* change* in* the* doctrine* of* the* church* since* the*sixteenth*century*work*of*reformation*first*broke*upon*the*shores*of*Great*Britain?**The* Magisterial* Reformers* were* similarly* in* harmony* concerning* the*primary*marks*of*a*true*church:*the*preaching*of*pure*doctrine*and*the*right*administration*of*the*sacraments*(baptism*and*the*Lord’s*Supper).*Calvin,*in*his* hugely* influential* Institutes! of! the! Christian! Religion,* stated* that:*“wherever* we* see* the* Word* of* God* purely* preached* and* heard,* and* the*sacraments*administered*according*to*Christ’s*institution,*there*it*is*not*to*be* doubted,* a* church* of* God* exists.” 2 *Therefore,* a* correct* doctrine* of* the*sacraments*is*essential*for*the*life,*purity*and*health*of*the*church.*A*right*understanding*of*the*sacraments,*including*baptism,*cannot*be*supposed*to*be*a*secondary*and*non:essential*topic*for*the*church*of*Jesus*Christ.**In*this*paper,*I*intend*to*explore*a*range*of*issues*concerning*covenantal*baptism;* sometimes* this* view* is* broadly* assumed* to* be* that* of* paedo:baptism.*However,*in*recent*times*some*credobaptists*have*sought*to*freshly*articulate* their* own* perceived* connection* between* the* new* covenant* and*baptism. 3 *Nonetheless,*my*intention*is*to*uphold*that*the*covenantal*baptism*as*taught*in*the*Westminster*Standards*is*one*which*is*faithful*to*Scripture*and*the*Presbyterian*reformation*which*emanated*from*Geneva.*In*order*to*build*a*biblical*foundation,*one*that*is*hopefully*pastoral,*I*intend*to*explore*a* range* of* exegetical* and* common* fallacies* that* are* brought* against* the*Westminster*Assembly’s*conclusion*on*baptism.*The*issue*of*baptism*as*it*relates*to*evangelism*is*a*crucial*and*pivotal*matter*that*needs*to*be*examined.*The*question*that*deserves*our*attention*can*be*put*in*this*way:*in*which*direction*should*the*sign*of*baptism*point?*At*this*juncture*we*will*introduce*the*first*English*Baptist*John*Smyth,*and*his*legacy*that*remains*in*the*church*to*this*day;*a*legacy*which,*in*essence,*changes* the* sign* nature* of* baptism.* While* I* seek* to* propose* a* covenantal*baptism,*one*that*is*to*be*applied*to*adults*outside*of*the*covenant*of*grace,*as* well* as* the* children* of* believing* parents,* my* approach* is* hopefully*persuasive*and*peaceful.*A*key*goal*is*to*connect*this*theology*of*baptism*to*evangelism,* most* especially* to* the* covenant* responsibilities* that* we* must*uphold* to* instruct* our* children.* Indeed,* we* must* explore* these* matters*together* in* a* humble* and* teachable* spirit* with* a* constant* appeal* to* “all*Scripture”* (2* Tim* 3:16),* not* only* to* selections* from* the* New* Testament,*while*remembering*the*call*for*reformation*in*our*generation.**********************************************************************2*John* Calvin,* Institutes! of! the! Christian! Religion:* Vol.* 1,* ed.* John* T.* McNeill* (Louisville:*Westminster*Press,*1960,*repr.*2006),*1016,*1023,*[4.1.4*and*9]..*Hereafter*called*Institutes.*3*Stephen* J.* Wellum,* “Baptism* and* the* Relationship* Between* the* Covenants”,* Believer’s!Baptism:! Sign! of! the! New! Covenant! in! Christ,* eds,* Thomas* R.* Schreiner* and* Shawn* D.* Wright*(Nashville:*B*&*H*Publishing,*2006).*