# Paedobaptists. Is this Orthodox Reformed thinking?



## travis (Jan 9, 2007)

This question is primarily for paedobaptists...

Okay, I have been reading and have come to the following thoughts about infant baptism. Please let me know if they are out of line with traditional reformed thinking.

Baptism extends all the covenantal promises to the child and engrafts them in the covenant 'olive tree' that Paul speaks of in Romans. It is by faith that these will receive the promises and be elect unto eternal life. If the engrafted branch does not embrace these promises by faith and bare good fruit, they will be cut off from the covenant 'olive tree' just as Paul mentions in Romans. It will be worse for them on judgment day than for the Soddomites. This helps explains the hard passages in Hebrews where Paul mentions people that have partaken of the spiritual food yet have know fallen away. If I understand correctly, these are members of the covenant 'olive tree' that have been cut off.

From what I can tell, this falls in line with what Calvin taught and with what some of the modern reformers (Horton and *gasp* Wilson) hold to. A very high very of the covenant and efficacy of baptism.

If baptism does not engraft us with Christ, then what does it do?
Thank you in advance...


----------



## Me Died Blue (Jan 9, 2007)

I would agree with your description as basically biblical and confessional, with one clarification: Baptism itself does not actually bring the children of believers into the visible covenant (which they are in from birth, see WCF 25.2), but is rather the commanded _recognition_ of that status by the parents and the Church.


----------



## R. Scott Clark (Jan 9, 2007)

Travis,

Mike Horton doesn't quite put it as you do and he doesn't agree with Doug Wilson. You're missing some important qualifiers. 

See my essay in the Confessional Presbyterian. I deal with this at length and so will not do it here.

rsc



Me Died Blue said:


> I would agree with your description as basically biblical and confessional, with one clarification: Baptism itself does not actually bring the children of believers into the visible covenant (which they are in from birth, see WCF 25.2), but is rather the commanded _recognition_ of that status by the parents and the Church.


----------



## travis (Jan 9, 2007)

Sure, that will just be $18


----------



## travis (Jan 9, 2007)

Okay, so I spent the 28.50 and got the 2005 and 2006 publications....

Hooray for reformed theology... the main depleator of my checking account!!!


----------



## turmeric (Jan 9, 2007)

Hey, it beats crack!


----------



## travis (Jan 9, 2007)

Funny, it IS crack, to me.


----------



## Scott Bushey (Jan 9, 2007)

travis said:


> Funny, it IS crack, to me.



and praise God for that!


----------

