# "Baptism, Election, and the Covenant of Grace"



## R. Scott Clark (Jun 8, 2007)

You can pre-order copies here.

There's a little more info on the HB.


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## BobVigneault (Jun 8, 2007)

Dr. Scott,
Can you give a quick blurb on how this booklet might help the layman who is trying to make heads or tails out of the NPP/FV wrangling going on? I'm assuming that's why this is being published. Thank you sir.


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## R. Scott Clark (Jun 8, 2007)

Hi Bob,

It's similar to the piece published in the _Confessional Presbyterian Journal_ vol 2. 

You can see the first part here.

Yes, it's designed to help laymen sort out some of the basic questions in the FV controversy. It doesn't deal directly with the NPP, since that's a related but distinct set of issues.

Some stuff from the intro:



> Over the last thirty years, considerable disagreement has arisen among the confessional Reformed and Presbyterian churches over what happens in baptism, what baptism promises, to whom and under what circumstances. The controversy has intensified in recent years with the rise of the self-described "Federal Vision" movement which says that baptism confers upon the baptized person a conditional, temporary election, union with Christ, justification, and adoption. As a shorthand, let us call these baptismal benefits. The Federal Vision also downplays or denies the distinction between the church considered as a visible or invisible entity or the distinction between an internal or external relation to the covenant of grace.
> 
> ...According to the Federal Visionists, having been admitted to the covenant by grace (i.e., by baptism), a Christian is obligated to retain those benefits by cooperating with grace or faithfulness. This is how they define "faith," as trusting and obeying. Those who have faith so defined will retain the benefits given in baptism and will show themselves to have been really elect in the traditional sense of the word. Sometimes the Federal Visionists speak as if there are two kinds of election: the first is an eternal, unconditional election and the second is a historical, temporary, conditional election.
> 
> ...





BobVigneault said:


> Dr. Scott,
> Can you give a quick blurb on how this booklet might help the layman who is trying to make heads or tails out of the NPP/FV wrangling going on? I'm assuming that's why this is being published. Thank you sir.


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## AV1611 (Jun 8, 2007)

What is the premise of the book?

[EDIT: I see you provided this whilst I was composingmy post ]


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## R. Scott Clark (Jun 18, 2007)

It's now in print and available from the Reformed Fellowship.

rsc


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## Philip A (Jun 18, 2007)

R. Scott Clark said:


> Yes, it's designed to help laymen sort out some of the basic questions in the FV controversy. It doesn't deal directly with the NPP, since that's a related but distinct set of issues.



While the book addresses the FV issue directly, it should be noted that baptists ought not to read the book, unless they don't plan on being baptists for very long


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## Semper Fidelis (Jun 18, 2007)

Philip A said:


> While the book addresses the FV issue directly, it should be noted that baptists ought not to read the book, unless they don't plan on being baptists for very long


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## turmeric (Jun 18, 2007)

Philip A said:


> While the book addresses the FV issue directly, it should be noted that baptists ought not to read the book, unless they don't plan on being baptists for very long



 Kill two birds with one stone! Economy of effort, I like it!


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## R. Scott Clark (Jun 18, 2007)

Rich wrote to ask about the link.

Yes, it's an email address to the office of the Reformed Fellowship. The secretary, Shellie Terpstra should be able to help you. They are also sending out two copies to every URC congregation.

Until we have some in our bookstore or they put it on the RF site, that's the best I can do.

Thanks,

rsc


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## Sebastian Heck (Jun 19, 2007)

And who's sending a copy to us poor German Reformed folks in Old Europe???


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## elnwood (Jun 19, 2007)

Philip A said:


> While the book addresses the FV issue directly, it should be noted that baptists ought not to read the book, unless they don't plan on being baptists for very long



I, too, laugh at that assertion!


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## R. Scott Clark (Jun 19, 2007)

Hi Sebastian,

Will send you a copy when I get some. I'm waiting for RF to send me a few.

Send your postal address to my work email please.

best,

S



Sebastian Heck said:


> And who's sending a copy to us poor German Reformed folks in Old Europe???


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