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56* A*Covenantal*View*of*Baptism*and*Its*Relationship*to*Evangelism**in*faith,*for*God’s*efficacious*grace*to*be*tied*to*the*new*covenant*sacraments*that*he*personally*instituted*before*his*ascension,*including*baptism.**A*third*weakness*in*the*argument*for*rebaptism,*often*unknowingly,*is*a*subliminal* denial* of* God’s* faithfulness* and* therefore* it* potentially*misrepresents*this*NT*ordinance.*The*theological*term*to*explain*God’s*grace*in* baptism* is* prolepsis;* meaning* something* that* is* represented* as* existing*before* it* does* so.* I* would* not* want* to* hurtfully* undermine* the* practice* of*child* dedication* but* it* was* probably* introduced* to* replace* the* covenant*baptism*of*children*with*a*“dry*baptism”*not*taught*in*Scripture.*Why*should*the* church* exchange* God’s* institution* for* the* baptism* of* children* with* a*dedication* that* does* not* convey* or* teach* Christ’s* authority,* purpose* or*promised*grace?*The*WCF*is*correct*to*affirm*that:*“The*efficacy*of*Baptism*is* not* tied* to* that* moment* of* time* wherein* it* is* administered;* yet*notwithstanding,*by*the*right*use*of*this*ordinance,*the*grace*promised*is*not*only* offered,* but* really* exhibited* and* conferred* by* the* Holy* Spirit,* to* such*(whether* of* age* or* infants)* as* that* grace* belongs* unto,* according* to* the*counsel*of*God’s*own*will*in*His*appointed*time”*(28:6).**Fourthly,* rebaptism* fails* to* properly* display* the* attribute* that* God* is*eternal*(Deut*33:27;*Rom*16:26).*There*can*be*much*joy*associated*with*the*baptism*of*adults*and*infants,*and*as*we*return*to*our*daily*lives*following*a*service*including*baptism,*we*often*forget*what*happened*or*our*memory*of*the*sacrament*grows*dim.*This*is*not*the*case*with*the*“eternal*Spirit”*(Heb*9:14)*and*his*remembrance*of*baptism.*Ultimately*the*covenant*signs*are*for*the* Triune* God,* as* we* learn* from* God’s* covenant* with* Noah.* The* Lord*instructed*him*that*when*the*bow*is*in*the*clouds*“I*will*see*it*and*remember*the*everlasting*covenant”*(Gen*9:8,*11,*14:17).***The*Westminster*Larger*Catechism*magnifies*the*eternity*of*the*Triune*God* because* it* affirms* that* baptism* is* a* “sign* and* seal* of* ingrafting* into*himself,*of*remission*of*sins*by*his*blood,*and*regeneration*by*his*Spirit;*of*adoption,*and*resurrection*unto*everlasting*life”*(Q.*165).*Resurrection*of*the*body*is*future* for*all*and*this*teaches*everyone* that* some* blessings* are* to*follow*baptism:*for*infants*we*look*forward*in*faith*to*regeneration,*but*all*baptised*Christians*look*forward*to*the*sealed*promises*represented*in*this*sacrament,*ones*that*are*only*realised*fully*in*heaven.*What*should*Miriam*have*done?*When*she*was*converted*in*her*teens*she*could*have*gracefully*responded*to*the*elders*that*her*first*baptism*at*infancy* was* valid,* and* that* rebaptism* is* unnecessary,* indeed* unbiblical.*Miriam* could* use* such* an* opportunity* to* testify* to* the* faithfulness* of* the*Triune*God*to*her,*to*point*to*the*grace*of*God*which*has*now*been*revealed*to* her* as* a* needy* sinner* and* to* remind* people* that* “God* keeps* his*appointments”.***