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50* A*Covenantal*View*of*Baptism*and*Its*Relationship*to*Evangelism**The* Abrahamic* covenant* clarifies* the* classic* biblical* structure* of* God’s*covenant*dealings*with*his*people.*This*can*be*understood*to*be*likened*to*a*chain,*one*which*has*four*links:*“Command–sign–promises–responsibilities”.*Abraham* applied* the* sign* of* circumcision* by* God’s* command,* but* he* was*also*required*to*“command*his*children*and*his*household*after*him*to*keep*the*way*of*the*LORD...*so*that*the*LORD* may*bring*to*Abraham*what*he*has*promised* him”* (Gen* 18:19).* This* does* not* exclude* the* doctrine* of* election*but* God* has* ordained* that* his* election* operates* along* the* lines* of* this*covenant*framework,*though*not*exclusively.*God*can*sovereignly*call*people*outside*of*these*covenant*dealings*to*himself,*if*he*chooses.*Now*the*“penny*should*drop”*metaphorically*speaking.*Those*who*were*circumcised*were*“Abraham*and*his*son*Ishmael...*all*the*men*in*his*house,*those*born*in*the*house*and*those*bought*with*money*from*a*foreigner”*(Gen*17:26:27).*Later*the*sign*of*circumcision*was*applied*to*“Isaac*when*he*was*eight* days* old”* (Gen* 21:4).* Abraham* had* already* “believed* the*LORD”* (Gen*15:6)* and* he* was* counted* as* righteous* (Gen* 15:6),* as* the* NT* abundantly*testifies*(Rom*4:9:25;*Gal*3:14,*29).*But,*what*about*13:year:old*Ishmael,*the*men*in*the*household,*and*later*baby*Isaac?*If*some*contest*that*circumcision*is*not*the*foreshadow*of*baptism,*then*what*is?*This*sign*was*not*applied*as*an*“adult*believer’s* only* circumcision”.*To*the* contrary,* God* reveals* in* the*OT* that* the* communication* of* his* grace* is* generous* and* inclusive,* not*exclusive*and*narrow.**Every* covenant* in* the* Bible* includes* children* (Gen* 1:28;* 2:9,* 17;* 9:9;*17:10;* Deut* 5:6:21;* 6:4:7;* 2* Sam* 7:12:16;* Acts* 2:38:39;* Eph* 6:1:4).* Every*biblical*covenant*requires*the*believing*parent(s)*to*uphold*God’s*covenant*through* an* obedient* life* to* the* Lord* and* to* teach* their* children* to* do* the*same.* This* understanding* enhances* a* doctrine* of* the* family,* which* the*Scriptures*simply*assume.*From*Adam*to*Noah,*from*Moses*to*David,*from*Pentecost* until* the* Second* Coming* of* Christ,* an* individualistic* faith* is*precluded.*The*idea*of*God*administering*his*covenant*of*grace*in*a*way*that*is*bereft*of*a*covenant*sign*to*be*applied*with*promises*to*children,*is*alien*to*the* whole* of* the* Bible.* God’s* covenants* embrace* the* future* posterity* of*faithful*and*obedient*believers.*This*is*what*Peter*preached*in*Jerusalem:*“Repent*and*be*baptized*every*one*of*you*in*the*name*of*Jesus*Christ*for*the*forgiveness*of*your*sins,*and*you*will*receive*the*gift*of*the*Holy*Spirit.*For*the*promise*is*for*you*and*for*your*children*and*for*all*who*are*far*off,*everyone*whom*the*Lord*our*God*calls*to*himself”*(Acts*2:38:39).*The*new*covenant*follows*the*same*identical*structure* of:* “Command–sign–promises–responsibilities”.* A* believer* is* to*receive* the* covenant* sign,* with* their* children,* and* sometimes* the* whole*household,*and*the*promises*are*the*“forgiveness*of*sins”*and*the*poured*out*“Holy*Spirit”*(Acts*1:4;*2:33,*39);*and*this*must*include*the*responsibility*of*discipleship* through* the* church* (Matt* 28:18:20).* When* those* “afar* off”,*