# Question about the timing of baptism?



## tellville (Mar 2, 2007)

I have some questions:

Let us assume that children of believers are included in the New Covenant. 

Why does this demand then that the children be baptised? Could it be that children are in the covenant (like the Presbyterians say), but that no one receives the covenant sign until one makes a profession of faith (like the Baptists say)? 

I guess what I am wondering is what is the Presbyterian case for the timing of Baptism? Why does the Presbyterian feel that the timing of Baptism must be at the infancy stage? Why is it deemed _necessary_ that just because someone is in the Covenant, that this is reason alone to receive the sign of the Covenant? Did not the Jews wait 8 days to circumcise their child? Maybe the Christians are to wait until a profession of faith is given? 

I am seriously asking these questions as I do not know the answers. It is not meant to be a critique.


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## AV1611 (Mar 2, 2007)

tellville said:


> Why is it deemed _necessary_ that just because someone is in the Covenant, that this is reason alone to receive the sign of the Covenant?



Does it not stand to reason that the sign and seal of the covenant is to be applied to those in the covenant and therefore if infants were in the covenant they ought to be baptised? I suppose the paedobaptist would reply that 8 days went by on the command of God whilst no such command is made for baptism?


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## Jane (Mar 2, 2007)

I can only tell you about my experience when I joined the Presbyterian Church in American in 1997. (I am now a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.) 

My daughter was seven and had not been baptised. I wanted her to be baptised, and the Session expected me to have her baptised when I joined by public profession of faith. As the pastor explained to my daughter, baptism was like putting the name of God on her for all of the angels to see. 

The class that I had prior to the public profession of faith also taught that baptism was a non-bloody continuation of the covenant of circumcision. Just as the covenant of circumcision was to include the children of the Jews, so baptism is to include our children because God is to be "your God and the God of your children." Why would He no longer include children in the covenant with the sign of the covenant after the coming of Christ? 

We as Presbyterians do not believe that baptism actually confers regeneration upon the child. The child becomes a non-communicant member in a Presbyterian Church. That means that he/she is a member without voting privileges and without the right to take the Lord's Supper because he/she has not yet made a public profession of faith.


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## KMK (Mar 2, 2007)

AV1611 said:


> Does it not stand to reason that the sign and seal of the covenant is to be applied to those in the covenant and therefore if infants were in the covenant they ought to be baptised? I suppose the paedobaptist would reply that 8 days went by on the command of God whilst no such command is made for baptism?



This is news to me! I always thought that the Presbyterians *did* baptize on the eighth day (baptism being the new circumcision and all). You learn something new everyday on PB!


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## tellville (Mar 2, 2007)

Thank you Jane for your answer, but it doesn't quite answer my question about the Presbyterian _timing_ of Baptism. However, I am quite surprised they had you Baptise a seven year old! I guess the Presbyterian "cut off" date is higher then I initially thought.


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## Davidius (Mar 2, 2007)

AV1611 said:


> Does it not stand to reason that the sign and seal of the covenant is to be applied to those in the covenant and therefore if infants were in the covenant they ought to be baptised? I suppose the paedobaptist would reply that 8 days went by on the command of God whilst no such command is made for baptism?





tellville said:


> Thank you Jane for your answer, but it doesn't quite answer my question about the Presbyterian _timing_ of Baptism. However, I am quite surprised they had you Baptise a seven year old! I guess the Presbyterian "cut off" date is higher then I initially thought.



Richard got it. While circumcision was done eight days after birth, this is one part of the sign that has changed in the New Testament. If an adult is converted his children are baptized with him or shortly thereafter (see the baptism of Lydia's household in Acts). I think children that are born after a conversion are usually baptized ASAP but there is no set time. Sometimes people wait and let family members come to witness.


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## tellville (Mar 3, 2007)

Thanks Paul. I was looking for an answer and you have provided it. I can now chew on that for a while


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