Household Baptisms under the New Covenant

[BlackCalvinist]

Hi folks! Been a while. Here's my magic question (cutting and pasting from another forum):

Ben, Gloria and Bondy:

I asked the two TE's (Pastors « Wallace Presbyterian Church) and two of our RE's (Elders « Wallace Presbyterian Church - Charles and Rock specifically.....I actually forgot to ask Andy even though we had a long convo after church) the following question:

Okay, OT pattern:
You = patriarch.
Every male in your house - slave, kid.....covenant sign.

*all nod*

NT pattern:
Household baptisms - believers, children of believers.

*all nod*

So....if I come to the session with my 14-year old foster child who has NOT made a profession of faith, but lives in my house, will the session OK the baptism ?

*Me: big smile*

Scott - Adopted, probably yes. But around 14, there's that age where they are accountable and able to understand the gospel a bit more, so I'd probably say no. Keep in mind, there are a few new categories with NT baptism - women are getting the sign now and we see 'believers' baptism' in the NT in addition to covenant infant baptism.

Charles - Agrees with Scott.

Rock - Agrees with Charles and Scott.

Stephen - Oh, absolutely. I agree with Hart (D. G. Hart - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) - ANYONE in your house..... Scott disagreed ? That's not surprising (*chuckles*). I'm probably in the minority here. (leaves to go stop his daughter Molly from doing flips in a dress)

Enjoy.

Next stop, let's ask Puritanboard.

======end quote

So here I am. What say ye, Puritanboard ?

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Is the Mosaic or Abrabramic Covenant the same covenant of grace? Is it different than the New Covenant in the Covenant of Grace? To whom are these children or adults responsible too? Where does the authority come from?

 

[Edward]

"IV. Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or both believing parents are to be baptized."

I'd agree that the 14 year old, if of normal capacity, is not an infant, so that the baptism would not be appropriate. But there aren't enough facts given as to the nature of the foster relationship to determine if the child is a member of the household or a sojourner were the age changed.

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Edward,

What constitutes a household? To whom are we accountable for in our homes? Do we disciple those who even oppose us? Even the slaves of the New Covenant were considered household weren't they?

I have taken in Children from other families and discipled them. Yes, they were baptized. They acknowledged the truth. At what point do we cut them loose? At what point do we tell them they aren't responsible to the Elders and the Church? At what point does the Church cut them loose? I can give you the Anabaptist's answers and the Congregationalist's answers. I have some answers but want to hear what you have to say. Remember we are living in a Western Culture that isn't biblically based necessarily nor written to. Is that the one the Apostles were operating under?

Maybe I am a Baptist's and Presbyter's worse nightmare. I have so many questions.

 

[Rom]

I would baptize them unless they refused. A household is a household is a household.

I don't know who was in Lydia's house, but if I were reading that account and remembered Noah and Abraham's household I'd think that there may have been plenty of older children.

Do we Presbyterians now have our version of an "age of accountability"?

 

[Romans922]

Yes, baptize all in the household. That is the only example we have in the Scriptures.

Whether there is an age of accountability really has no bearing on who is baptized in the household (even though there is no 'age of accountability' I can find in Scripture). Scripture reveals all in the household are to be baptized.

In application, if you look at all the servants circumcised in Abraham's household, I'm sure there were many men of varying ages including 30, 40, etc. who served in his household. They were all circumcised because they were in Abraham's household (Abraham's faith).

So with that said, if one is truly under submission of a believer's house (not just 'playing by the rules'), then they should be baptized.

 

[Constantlyreforming]

Yes, baptize all in the household.

good post Andrew. I agree fully. It may take time from conception to have an ability to exercise volitional belief as the result of faith; but this is not what constitutes the ability to be saved.