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64* A*Covenantal*View*of*Baptism*and*Its*Relationship*to*Evangelism**There* is* a* connection* between* God’s* covenant* and* God’s* signs* of* the*covenant,*which*in*the*NT*are*baptism*and*the*Lord’s*Supper.*The*shadow*of*baptism* in* the* OT* was* circumcision:* whereas* circumcision* involved* the*shedding*of*blood*and*therefore*it*pointed*forwards*to*the*future*shed*blood*of*Christ,*baptism*points*backwards*to*the*shed*blood*of*Christ*and*Christ’s*completed* atonement.* Baptism* in* the* new* covenant* is* to* be* administered*using*water*and*the*new*covenant*name*of*God,*“the*Father,*and*the*Son,*and*the*Holy*Spirit”;*and*it*is*to*be*applied*to*adults*and*the*children*of*believing*parents.*As*with*the*sign*of*the*covenant*–*circumcision*in*the*OT*–*in*the*NT*this*sign*is*to*be*applied*not*only*to*believers,*but*also*to*the*children*of*believing*parents.*The*exclusion*of*children*in*baptism*by*evangelicals*is*a*mistake.*A*sincere* question* has* been* considered:* In* which* direction* does* the* sign* of*baptism*point?*Baptists*would*argue*that*it*points*to*our*faith*in*Jesus*and*our* obedience* to* him.* However,* the* signs* of* the* covenant* do* not* point* to*man*but*instead*to*God.**Baptism*is*not*connected*to*the*timing*of*its*ordinance*for*its*efficacy.*The*same*is*true*of*the*Lord’s*Supper.*The*waters*of*baptism*speak*of*the*shed*blood*of*Christ*and*the*out:pouring*of*the*Holy*Spirit*–*Titus*3:5:6*says:*“he* saved* us,* not* because* of* works* done* by* us* in* righteousness,* but*according*to*his*own*mercy,*by*the*washing*of*regeneration*and*renewal*of*the* Holy* Spirit,*whom* he* poured* out* on* us* richly* through* Jesus* Christ* our*Saviour,*so*that*being*justified*by*his*grace*we*might*become*heirs*according*to*the*hope*of*eternal*life.”*Baptism* must* always* declare* the* “priority* of* grace* over* faith”.* We* are*not* saved* by* faith.* We* are* saved* by* grace* through* faith* (Eph* 2:8:9).* It* is*important*that*we*recover*the*biblical*doctrine*of*baptism*to*ensure*that*God*is* most* glorified,* to* strengthen* the* view* that* evangelism* must* be* God:centred,*with*Christ*declared*in*the*gospel,*freely*offered*for*the*salvation*of*sinners.* This* is* something* which* is* by* God’s* grace* alone.* A* covenantal*approach* to* baptism* best* represents* this* vision* so* that* the* church’s*evangelism*is*in*harmony*with*biblical*theology.*****