Throughout Scripture we see God working His grace and judgment through families. — John Sartelle
I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. — Exodus 20
Jesus said, Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven. — Matthew 19
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
Why do we baptize? and what does it signify? Before we look into the question of who we baptize, these questions are necessary to give context to the discussion and frame it.
Baptism is revealed as a command in Scripture. In the great commission found at the end of the Gospel of Matthew we hear Jesus calling us to make disciples and to baptize them in the Triune Name of God. In the Acts of the Apostles and apostolic letters we read of the Word of God being preached and people believing and having their households be baptized.
To determine what baptism signifies, we remember that baptism, like many Christian doctrines, finds its root in the Old Testament. Genesis 15 reveals the covenant God made with Abraham when God alone (pictured as a smoking pot and flaming torch) passed through the torn animals. In Genesis 17 God gave Abram a new name and the sign of the covenant: circumcision. Circumcision was to be given to every man of Abraham's household and male infants were to be circumcised. Yet we know from examples given in Scripture (such as Esau) that not all who were given the sign of the covenant remained in the covenant, that is, not all of the visible community of faith are of the elect.
Baptism signifies our introduction in the covenant of grace. Not only is it a symbol of this introduction but it seals us in this community. The (Ana)Baptists err on two counts, viz., that baptism is a token of our profession of faith, and that there is no spiritual reality corresponding with the sign. Baptism is no mere token of faith! We cheapen the sign (and thereby grace) when we say it merely symbolizes grace without saying that baptism conveys (or is a means of) grace. Let us be clear, it is not justifying grace that baptism conveys, that is, we are not saved by baptism. However baptism marks the recipient as a member of the church, a people on whom God has bestowed his especial blessing. Baptism does not confer benefits solely at the moment when one is baptized but throughout the life of the Christian. Christians are encouraged to remember their baptism; we recognize that we live as we began, by the grace of God alone.
With this in mind we can begin to answer the question: who do we baptize? We baptize those who are heirs of the covenant of grace. Which of course leads to the question, who are heirs to the covenant? Remembering the Bible is one book — not two — we see that in covenants made with Old Testament figures, the covenant included the figures’ descendants. While Noah was noted as righteous, his children entered the ark as well. God promised with Abraham and his children received the sign of the covenant. Job offered sacrifices not only for himself but his household, etc. Examining the new covenant we see it is greatly expanded; the gospel is for all nations instead of primarily Jews, women are baptized instead of men only being circumcised. Children were included in the old covenants are they to be excluded in the new? (Remember, these covenants are outworkings of the same covenant of grace whereby Jesus secures redemption for his people and takes the wrath due them.) Wouldn’t there be an obvious command forbidding the baptism of our children? Instead of seeing this, we see that God is faithful to households. ‘What must I do to be saved?’ asks the Philippian jailer, Paul and Silas answer, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household.’ Consequently, the jailer and his household are baptized.
Are children of believers the same as those of non-believers? Μη γενοιτο! May it never be! The Apostle Paul advises that even the children of a marriage with one believer are considered holy and set apart. We see throughout history God is delighted to work in families; by the grace of God the children of believers are included in the covenant and normally grow up to be believers themselves, exercising faith in God. Growing up in antipædobaptistic churches, I was ‘dedicated’ as a child to the Lord, and saw many such ‘dedications’ while growing up. Yet we nowhere in Scripture read of child dedication ceremonies. Even these churches realize there was something fundamentally different about Christian children. How great is God’s grace. Let us then give our children the sign of the covenant to which they were born (or adopted); they have ‘a right to the rite’ (Strawbridge).
A final word (Reader, I do not entice you with this phrase only to have you read several more paragraphs.) on the subject concerns the benefits of infant covenantal baptism. Baptism is effectual not only at the time of baptism but throughout life. When parents vow the oaths of baptism they commit themselves to raising the child in accordance with the grace of God. The child is to be immersed in Scripture and the ways of God, and sprinkled by appropriate discipline. The parents cannot presume on God’s grace but grasp hold of his promise and faithfulness to families. The children are reminded of their baptism when they see others being baptized into the household of God. Moreover, stressing the communal aspect of God’s great salvation, the congregation vows to assist in raising the child into his baptism. Praise be to God for allowing such a structure and that he did not call us to be alone but brought us into a community, a household of faith.
I leave you with the words of Calvin:
For how sweet is it to godly minds to be assured, not only by word, but by sight, that they obtain so much favour with the Heavenly Father that their offspring are within his care? … Should we not … rejoice with all our heart in thanksgiving, that his name may be hallowed by such an example of his goodness? —Institutes 4.16.32
