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Feb 26, 2010

Part IV: Interview with Dr. Crampton (from paedobaptism to credobaptism)

Richard Barcellos | 4 Comments | Login to comment

Q8: Does the Reformed Baptist position disavow Covenant Theology? Please explain.

A8: It is true that some paedobaptists claim that the Reformed Baptist position on infant baptism disavows covenant theology. But this is a misunderstanding of the teaching of the Reformed Baptist Church. Chapter seven of the 1689 London Baptist Confession, which is entitled “Of God’s Covenant,” refutes this false claim. As James Renihan has explained, Reformed Baptists believe that “the structure of Scripture is properly defined by…covenant theology,” and “to grasp this fact is to grasp the central architecture of the entire Bible.” For this reason, “confessional Reformed Baptists are…full-blown adherents of covenant theology.” Moreover, Reformed Baptists believe that a proper understanding of covenant theology demands disciple or confessor baptism, because it does justice to both the continuity and discontinuity of the covenant.

Q9: How would you respond to this? Infant inclusion in the Covenant of Grace is of the essence of the Covenant of Grace. (I am thinking specifically of the fact that the Westminster Standards teach that the CofG was first revealed in Gen. 3.)

A9: To state that infant inclusion in the Covenant of Grace is of the essence of the Covenant of Grace is an erroneous claim. The reason being that, as claimed by the Westminster Larger Catechism, the Covenant of Grace is with the elect. Therefore, to adhere to infants being included in the Covenant of Grace would necessitate the belief in the doctrine of “presumptive election,” a presumption which is without biblical warrant. I deal with this subject in my book.

Category: Sacraments

Comments

Tim Etherin on Mar 1, 2010 6:48am

"The reason being that, as claimed by the Westminster Larger Catechism, the Covenant of Grace is with the elect."

Excellent. Any idea which question deals with that?

Patrick Sciacca on Mar 1, 2010 4:19pm

Q.31

Tim Etherin on Mar 1, 2010 6:01pm

Well, it couldn't get much clearer could it! Thanks Patrick.

The paedos I know would totally agree that the CoG is made with the elect and simply say that the various covenants that administered it (Abraham, Moses, New) include elect and non-elect. For them to be a member of the New Covenant does not mean that you're a member of the CoG. Infant or adults who do not have faith in Christ are heirs to the curses of the New Covenant.

It just seems to me that that doesn't consider the New Covenant as very new.

Sean McDonald on Jul 26, 2010 8:10pm

Is the principle of divine covenants being made with "covenanters and their seed" a type or shadow of the Old Testament? If so, why was it included in the Covenant of Redemption (made with Christ and His seed, the elect) and the Covenant of Works (made with Adam and all his posterity), prior to all types and shadows?

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