Sermon Tone Analysis

Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Intro: Last Sunday hope I established how -regardless of who gets baptism, when or how - the big deal about baptism is that signs and seals personal and tangible way - the promises of Triune God - to adopt you, justify, and to sanctify you.

All are to use their baptism as a way of confirming those promises in our lives!

Real unity even with those who don’t believe children of believers are entitled as disciples in covenant relation to God to that sign and seal yet.

Tempted to avoid that question - because it divides but in an age where somany young people are leaving the church - is it possbile one of the resons is because - don’t see their need to be part of this covenant relationship with God, part of the reason is we have neglected to show what baptism means for a believer and how we are to raise covenant children?

Shell shock of Reuben’s issues after birth - blood work confirm what type - biological answers… blah blah blah.

Then the doctor said something that changed my life and I believe Reuben’s.

Best thing I can tell you is taht - there is no limit to what a child with down Syndrome can learn, if he learns to learn.

So instead of like my friend's brother John - non verbal - busy dairyfarm, instituation; real concerted effort before Reuben could speak to use signs… concerned effort - read read read … kids pick him up - = All promise of what he would live into … In some ways, picture, sign and seal of baptism like that for adult convert, but also God’s intent that children of believers would growup with the same early intervention.

- God’s jump start program graciously includes infants of believers and baptism is a mark of that!

We have established that God uses sign and seals of baptism and Lord’s Supper powerfully.

Not saving and can’t be trusted in , as John Trapp put it, but nor can they be neglected… used well - through out our lives - confirm, supplement personally the gospel and its promises to us.

The supper is grace of edification, the water of baptism for beginnings of new disciples of Christ.

Both only signs and seals of promises activated by faith - but none the less really used by God.

With baptism hope you see how applicable not only at time its given’ but in ongoing way.

Same meanign for adults as for covenant children - hold before them personally the union and commuion with F, Son and Holy Spirit in which they are to live.

Bu blood of Christ, adoption, justification, sanctification … life for disciples - can’t look into their souls sees if really - but those who profess, and those whom being born in Christian home, - will grow up not as regenerate Christian necessarily - but as disciples of Christ.

What does it mean that even infant babies of believers are to receive this mark of gospel promises on their lives?

What does it mean to them and to us?

A. The Inclusion or Exclusion of Covenant Children is not Based Upon Specific Example of Scripture

ie.

12x, 3x households,

households,

no infant baptism, but also not once in book of acts or letters of the apostle’s do we have a case where Christain paretns are called upon to have their children baptized years later when have faith… not single time , not even Timothy - whom we know had a mother Eunice who was both a Jewess and a believer

This is all happened before Paul came on the scene, before a church was established by Paul there.

And there is no record of Paul baptizing Timothy or any other child that grew up in the faith - when he owned the faith and joined him in the missionary work!

There is evidence of him making a profession and of the church laying hands on him to set him aside - but there isn obedience in the NT of a child of a believer ever being baptized not in infancy but in their latter teens or adult years, though there were 2nd gen Xns.

Arguments from silence fail, but the burden of proof is on those who say, OT kids included in people of God, recieved sign of covenant but narrowed and not allowed in the NT,nor are they to be considered as being part of God’s people, in covenant with God!

It is no argument that believer's babies do not have faith yet.

Neither did Jewish babies - yet initiated into the covenant given the sign and seal of the righteousness that is by faith, regardless if they had it already or even would have it all.

God didn’t give the covenant sign and seal of as a proof or testimony of that individuals faith, but rather of what God and what path they were being committed to!

The sign and seal that

Paul is saying like circumcision -sign and seal given to show the promises of having our sinful flesh put off, by placing our faith in the death of Christ, we can die to sin; by placing our faith in Resurrection of Christ - we can participate through faith - in this new covenant way that Christ raises us up to new life Paul in v,.11 says baptism has now replaced as the Christian circumcision.

Whether he’s referring to water which is the symbol or spirit baptism (that is the reality we are to experience) it is clear that baptism is not as much about the individual’s faith, as what they are to put their faith in - what promises of the covenant are, what the nature of the salvation are, and what the conditions by which they are to take hold of and grow in those realities!

So

B. Baptism is Based on Covenant Nature of our Relationship with God.

But whether we believe children of believers should be baptized or not, we must recognize the church never baptizes because we know someone has been born again.

Even for adult converts not on basis of their regeneration.

When a new convert gives a credible profession of faith - we don’t try to be God but - based on what he or she says, and based on how they live - we trust that profession, but it s no guarantee that the person is born again.

Many will get baptized externally say yes, live decent life, but fall away.

Sad thing - thatin some parts of evnagleical church - baptism is a one time decision - taht is not about commiting to being a disciple -who recognize borkeneess and in repentance rely on Christ.

Altar call good for heaven - no memebership - no walking with.

Just as sad as a church that doesn’t require baby’s parents -to commmti to gospel living in home - to raisein wayo f disciple!

You see with baptism, the issue is discerning that person, whether baby or new convert, that they are going to live with the promises of God and in the conditions of Christ’s new covenant and we give them this sign and seal of this covenant to help them do that!

Well in the OT that commitment was made for children of believers too.

The promise of God in OT was for our children as well -even if not all of them going to be saved … Amazing to think that God wanted Ishamel and Esau circumcised even though already revealed beforehand that they would not believe!

Yet why did they get the mark = the basis is the promises to us and our children - to be their God, and dedicated to be his people … sanctify everything he is and has to LORD, including children…

The big deal with Abraham was that God was committing to him and His descendants - and wanted the basis by which that would happen sign and sealed over each in his household!

Abraham was to repsond like we are devoting himself and his household - to knowiong and waliing in the terms of that covenant:

In this passage the sign and the seal itself is even called the covenant of grace,

That was the basis for OT covnant initatory sign and seal.

God wanted a sign between us and him, between all our children and the living God!

But what about in the NT.

Well that covenant set up with Abraham is still in effect isn’t it?

The Abrahamic covenant was not just a temporary promise, just later used as an analogy for the New Covenant.

As if Christ’s New Covenant that we live in is just a little bit like Abraham’s covenant.

No God says in both OT and NT the Abrahamic covenant is an everlasting covenant.

Sure some parts of it have come to greater and more universal fulfiollment in Christ.

And sure some part of it have less physical and a deepend spritiual meaning - but the covenat is everlasting, the relationship not just for Jews but for Gentiles as well!

Christ’ coming is not the end of this covenant, but the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant for us.

It is no exaggeration to say that we Gentiles are the children of Abraham, and that if anyone is going to be saved it is by coming into that everlasting covenant by virtue of Christ!

Well that covenant set up is still in effect isn’t it?

Look at

Look at

It is the same condition in the NT as the OT - righteosness by faith.

But Galatians says it is also the same blessings that are promised as Christ brings that covenant to fulfillment and now applies it to the nations!

But here now is the critical question in this covenant with Abraham -of righteosuness by faith, with all its promised blessings, with all of the forgiveness, justification, promised Spirit, promise to bless the nations - is that just administered to individual believers, or is that covenant relationship - with all its conditions, and promises -extended to the children of believers as well?

That is why Peter says what for a baptist would be shocking words on the day of Pentecost.

In Acts, we hear Peter saying the covenant promises are not just for believing individuals but for their children as well:

Internal /external distinction… but not bassis, not just because ap[rt of external, because real promise sealed on them - real covenant action and benefit -even if not regeneration - for our children…

The children of believers, even just one believing parent in that household, regardless if they come to faith ever or not, are really set apart from unbelieving children - children are holy;

No automatics in kigndom of God, no of course, grace and faith, but there is a heritage of the godly - represetnative of household - parents faith - God working withthat household…

Proimse of the old coveant, as it is for the new ie ,

Of ocourse coveannt of peace not removed… the covenant is in effect for a NT household!

But people can become covenant breaker or covenant keeper - but the covenant arrangement; the terms of the covenant - But listen the basis not in persons faith but in Christ work and mercy, it itthe whole arrangement with its promises is to be extended to each member in our homes!

The conditional aspect of whether an individual in a beleiveing household will truly inwardly enter into the blessing of the covenant by faith, isn’t the question right now.

That’s a question about salvation.

But in terms of God making and extending the covenant that is the issue in baptism and circumcision.

The question of us receiving it of faith - acknowledging our brokenness and active repentance -is whether we live into the realities extended.

those still proclaimed and in effect for young as well as old!

This is why Ursinius in his commentary in age when infant baptism hotly debated, said we can’t shy away from this - His words: in denying baptism to children of the church, [Anabaptists], not only deprive them of their rights, but they prevent the grace of God from being seen in its richness, since God wills that offspring of the faithful should be included amongst the members of the church… they detract from the grace of the New Covenant, and narrow down that of the old…they weaken the comfort of the church, and of faithful parents; and here is the kicker: “They set aside the solemn obligation by which God will have the offspring of this people consecrated to him from their very infancy, distinguished, and separated from the world; they weaken in parents and children the sense of gratitude, and the desire which they should to perform their obligation to God!” - Do you see why he thinks denial of infant baptism is no triflling matter - It is to keep us from living out our pledge of our children to God, and of God’s pledge to be the God of our children.

Circumcision was God’s way of marking his people with a Visible pledge to honour his covenant for those who expressed faith in him.

Circumcision was God’s way of marking his people with a Visible pledge to honour his covenant for those who expressed faith in him.

Just like a SEAL is a pledge of its author that he will upohold his promises when descrbied conditions are met .

Let’s say I am trained as a spy - given a type of passport - a commssion by King - safe conduct.

given it and is valid - but only really applied when get behind enemy lines, pull it out and use it!

IE If you have the King’s Pown The seal’s validity does not depend on the time that the conditions of the covenant accompanying it are met.

Like the seal of a document, the seal of circumcision could be applied long before the recepients of promised and signified blessings met the conditions of the covenant.

IE If you have the King’s PownThe seal’s validity does not depend on the time that the conditions of the covenant accompanying it are met.

Like the seal of a document, the seal of circumcision could be applied long before the recepients of promised and signified blessings met the conditions of the covenant.

The seal’s validity does not depend on the time that the conditions of the covenant accompanying it are met.

Like the seal of a document, the seal of circumcision could be applied long before the recepients of promised and signified blessings met the conditions of the covenant.

The seal’s validity does not depend on the time that the condtions of the covenant accompanying it are met.

like the seal of a document, the seal of circumcision could be applied long before the recepients of promised and signified blessings met the conditions of the covenant.

the seal was simply the visible pledge of God that when the conditions of his covenant were met, the blessings he had promised would apply WCF 28:6)

the seal was simply the visible pledge of god that when the conditions of his covenant were met, the blessings he had promised would apply WCF 28:6)

So too circumcision was God’s pledge to provide all the blessing of his covenant when the condition of faith was met.

So too baptism for adult convert, who is a bbay Christian, and a child of bleiver who though not yet saved is raised as a disciple of christ!

Our faith does not create God’s covenant or cause it to be extended to us - he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world , but our faith does claim (and live out) the covenant blessings that God provides by his grace and pledges with his seal.

God gives that pledge to a baby Christian convert, as much as to the baby being baptized, then growing up in the church!