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FOUNDATIONS*49**the* gospel* to* come* to* a* Gentile* city* and* for* baptism* only* to* be* applied* to*infants,*and*not*to*include*the*children*of*those*converts*because*they*were*beyond*infancy.*We*run*into*reverse*logic*in*the*arguments*of*those*who*deny*baptism*to*the*children*of*Christians.*It*would*be*just*as*easy*to*reply*that*“it*does*not*seem*to*bother*them*[Baptists]*that*there*is*no*express*command*to*exclude*believers’*children*from*receiving*the*sign*of*baptism”.*One*common*fallacy*is*that*those*who*practice*a*covenantal*position,*only*baptise*infants;*it*often*comes* as* a* revelation* to* some,* when* they* discover* that* we* baptise* adults*following*conversion*also,*but*only*if*they*have*never*been*baptised*before.*However,* we* do* not* want* simply* to* appeal* to* theological* logic,* but* to* the*Scriptures.*There* is* majestic* harmony* to* the* opening* line* and* closing* verses* of*Matthew’s*Gospel.*Jesus*Christ*is*introduced*as*“the*son*of*Abraham”*and*the*new* covenant* commission* is* to* “make* disciples* of* all* nations”,* “to* baptise*them”* in* (into)* the* name* of* the* Trinity,* and* to* teach* them* in* an* ongoing*sense,*to*“observe*all”*that*Christ*commanded*(Matt*1:1,*28:18:20).*The*links*with* the* ongoing* fulfilment* of* the* Abrahamic* covenant* to* “all* nations”* are*undeniable.*The*newness*of*the*new*covenant*is*stunning,*but*this*can*only*be* fully* appreciated* if* we* understand* Christ* as* “the* son* of* Abraham”.* To*think*of*this*title*is*to*be*reminded*of*God’s*covenants*and*indeed*Malachi*prophesied*that*Christ*will*be*“the*messenger*of*the*covenant”*(Mal*3:1).*According*to*Paul,*God*preached*the*gospel*to*Abraham*(Gal*3:7:9)*and*promised*him*that*“in*you*all*the*families*of*the*earth*shall*be*blessed”*(Gen*12:3).* This* spoke* specifically* of* the* Gentiles,* but* also* of* the* inclusion* of*families.*When*God*“made*a*covenant”*with*Abraham*(literally,*made*is*“cut”*kāraṯ*and*a*“covenant”*is*bǝrīṯ),*the*Lord*said*“To*your*offspring*I*give*this*land”*(Gen*15:18).*Thus*the*covenant*of*God*was*not*to*Abraham*alone,*but*also*to*future*posterity.**Almighty*God*promised*Abraham:*“I*will*establish*[literally,*is*hăqimōṯī]*my*covenant*between*me*and*you*and*your*offspring...*to*be*God*to*you*and*to* your* offspring* after* you”* (Gen* 17:7).* The* Hebrew* verb* construct* used*here* for* “I* will* establish”* is* the* active* verb* form* Hiphil,* which* means* God*will*actively*fulfil*his*side*of*the*covenant.*J.*V.*Fesko*explains*that*God*first*“cut”* a* covenant* with* Abraham* which* he* then* “establishes”,* not* only* with*Abraham,*but*with*his*“seed”. 13 *The*promise*also*required*that*Abraham*had*to* keep* the* covenant,* and* circumcision* was* to* be* “a* sign* of* the* covenant”*(Gen*17:9:14).*Abraham*applied*the*“covenant*sign”*to*all*the*males*in*his*household;*failure*to*do*so*would*mean*a*breaking*of*the*covenant*and*any*uncircumcised*would*be*“cut*off*from*his*people”*(Gen*17:14).**********************************************************************13*J.*V.*Fesko,*Last!Things!First:!Unlocking!Genesis!1Y3!with!the!Christ!of!Eschatology*(Fearn:*Christian*Focus,*2007),*80:81,*87:88.*!