Do Baptist Parents Speak to Their Babies?

The question, "Should we baptize babies?" is of a piece with the question, "Should we talk to babies?" Paedobaptism is neither more or less odd and miraculous than talking to a newborn. In fact, that is just what paedobaptism is. God is speaking in water to a newborn child. If the child cannot understand what a parent is saying, is it rational for the parent to speak to him or her?

Baptist parents as well as others speak to their infants and do not expect the child to understand or to verbally respond for many months. They see nothing irrational in this. They speak to their children - that is, they employ symbols - not because they think the infant understands all that is being said or because they expect immediate response.

They speak to their child so the child will learn to understand them and talk back. So too, we baptize infants and consistently remind them of their baptism and its implications so they will come to understanding and mature faith.

We name them so they will grow up to respond to that name. We speak to them so they will begin to speak back. We name them in baptism so they will begin to live in and out of baptism.

-- Peter J. Leithart, The Baptized Body

Why Did God Reject Cain's Sacrifice?

Precisely becuase it was no sacrifice. God showed Adam and Eve what had to happen in order for sins to be covered-- blood must be spilled. Abel clearly knew this, as did Cain.

But Cain believed God should meet him on his terms, and engaged in will worship. Upon God's rejection of his non-sacrifice, Cain acts as if Abel is at fault or somehow stealing his birthright.

Eve arguably believed him to be the promised seed as she names him "Begotten" and attributes his birth first to the help of the Lord and not to Adam.

Irish Articles of Religion: Article 70

Although in the visible Church the evil be ever mingled with the good, and sometimes the evil have chief authority in the ministration of the word & Sacraments: yet, for as much as they do not the same in their own name but in Christ’s, and minister by his commission and authority, we may use their ministry both in hearing the word and in receiving the Sacraments.

Neither is the effect of Christ’s ordinance taken away by their wickedness: nor the grace of God’s gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receive the Sacraments ministered unto them; which are effectual, because of Christ’s institution and promise, although they be ministered by evil men.

Irish Articles of Religion: Article 74

God hath given power to his ministers not simply to forgive sins (which prerogative he hath reserved only to himself), but in his name to declare and pronounce unto such as truly repent and unfeignedly believe his holy Gospel, the absolution and forgiveness of sins.

John Calvin Was a Lutheran... Sort of

A little known fact is that John Calvin subscribed to the Augsburg Confession while ministering at Strasbourg and at the Conference of Ratisbon in 1541, as did his colleagues Farel and Beza.

Some argue that Calvin accepted only the Variata (Melanchthon's lightly altered version), and while this may be true (it's uncertain), Melanchthon stated there were no changes of "matter, substance and meaning," and Calvin appealed to Melanchthon as the best interpreter, showing a posture of true and hearty agreement.

Today is Saint James, Apostle and Martyr day

The Collect:
Grant, O merciful God, that, as thy holy apostle Saint James, leaving his father and all that he had, without delay was obedient unto the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed him, so we, forsaking all worldly and carnal affections, may be evermore ready to follow thy holy commandments, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Irish Articles of Religion: Article 84

Although the Law given from God by Moses as touching ceremonies and rites be abolished, and the Civil precepts thereof be not of necessity to be received in any Commonwealth: yet notwithstanding no Christian man whatsoever is freed from the obedience of the Commandments which are called Moral.

Irish Articles of Religion: Article 85

The Sacraments ordained by Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian men’s profession: but rather certain sure witnesses, and effectual or powerful signs of grace and God’s good will towards us, by which he doth work invisibly in us, and not only quicken but also strengthen and confirm our faith in him.

Collect for the 10th Sunday after Pentecost

O God, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy, that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Irish Articles of Religion: Article 89

Baptism is not only an outward sign of our profession, and a note of difference whereby Christians are discerned from such as are no Christians; but much more a Sacrament of our admission into the Church, sealing unto us our new birth (and consequently our Justification, Adoption, and Sanctification) by the communion which we have with Jesus Christ.

Irish Articles of Religion: Article 92

The Lord’s Supper is not only a sign of the mutual love which Christians ought to bear one towards another, but much more a Sacrament of our preservation in the Church, sealing unto us our spiritual nourishment and continual growth in Christ.

Debate: Is the Federal Vision biblical and consistent with the historic Reformed tradition?

Time/Date: 9:30 p.m. EST Friday, August 2nd

Location: Toastpilled chat

Pro-FV: Dr. Basedologist
Anti-FV: Covenantal Pugilist

Consider yourself invited! Will include audience Q&A via our moderator.

Link to background reading

Will the Real Baptism Please Stand Up?

Ephesians 4:8 states emphatically that there is one baptism. This is a multi-faceted claim on the part of the apostle.

First, this text weighs against the practice of rebaptism. There is one baptism: having received it, there is no need for anyone to seek out another baptism.

Second, there is one baptism that sums up the meaning of the multiple old covenant baptisms... [The Levitical washings and] baptismal rites (cf. Heb. 9:10) are folded into the one baptism of the new age.

Third, there is one baptism in that all Christian baptism is based upon and derives from Christ’s baptism.

Fourth, Paul’s language of one baptism resists the modern tendency to split baptism into “water baptism” and “spiritual baptism.” I take this as self-evident in the passage: if Paul has in view a “secret baptism,” how could we know who to seek unity with? Paul, in other words, insists on a unity of the rite and the Spirit’s work. God does something Spiritual through physical means.

-- Rev. Rich Lusk

Calvin - Aphorisms on Holy Baptism

God is so kind and liberal to his servants, as, for their sakes, to appoint even the children who shall descend from them to be enrolled among his people. (Institutes 4.16.15)

God pronounces that he adopts our infants as his children, before they are born, when he promises that he will be a God to us, and to our seed after us. This promise includes their salvation. (Institutes 4.15.20)

I am not moved by the objection that the mere promise of God ought to be sufficient to assure us of the salvation of our children.... [God gives us a] surer confidence seeing the covenant of the Lord engraven on the bodies of our children. (Institutes 4.16.9)

The children of the faithful which are born in the Church are from their mother’s womb of the household of the kingdom of God. (Commentary on Acts Ch. 10)

The salvation of infants is included in the promise in which God declares to believers that he will be a God to them and to their seed ... Their salvation, therefore, has not its commencement in baptism, but being already founded on the word, is sealed by baptism. (Antidote to Trent 6.5)