The promise is for believers and their children.

Acts 2:39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."

This is the promise.


Heb 10:15And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,
16"THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM
AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD:
I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART,
AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM,"
He then says,
17"AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS
I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE."

It’s the New Covenant in Christ’s blood, and if the promise is for them too, then why should the sign of the covenant be withheld?



[This message has been edited by Notafraid (edited 12/7/2005 11:20p).]

I had no idea what you were talking about so I did some research. I didn't know that reformed see baptism as a typological paralles so strongly. I knew that the Lutheran church did.

So, when the child grows up and has a born again experience, are they rebaptized or is the original one enough?

TLS,

Just one baptism...

[This message has been edited by Notafraid (edited 12/8/2005 10:03a).]

In the Catholic Church, they are baptized as an infant, and confirmed when they make their own choice. The "born again experience" does not enter into the equation as a sacrament. Having had one back in 1983, though, I can appreciate what it does for one's faith.

73,"John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb...."

Are you John the Baptist prophesied of in the Old Testament? DYING before the kingdom was opened to all as promised?

"I would only add that people of faith are baptized, and Jesus said that little children have the type of faith that gets one into heaven." right, the type... as it say "like" these little ones...

"Standing in the gap for my infant kids during their baptism is something I was proud to do."

You can offer no scripture for this idea, it is foriegn to the Bible teaching on salvation. I am not attacking your pride in your children!

NotAfraid, again...

quote:

---

It’s the New Covenant in Christ’s blood, and if the promise is for them too, then why should the sign of the covenant be withheld?

---

It is not withheld! What makes you think it is? What makes you think its a sign? and is it a sign from God to man or man to God?

This discussion is perfect to show how ideas are stretched to fit particular scriptural misunderstanding.

One of the very flaws mentioned in Jeremiah 31 Notafraid seek to promote and ignores in context of what he seeks to prove with the passage. Lack of faith, merely fleshly passage of God people which is over with the fulfilling of the Promise in Christ!

Read the NEXT verse in Jeremiah 31:34

No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,'because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

Are you saying that an infant KNOWS the Lord? It is a qualification for the ones Jeremiah is speaking of!

You must know Jesus before you can submit to Him...The sign of God's people is Faith in His son!

[This message has been edited by AgGermany (edited 12/10/2005 7:37a).]

AgGermany - In the OT, the child was presented to the Lord on the 8th day, for entry into the synagogue through circumcision. His parents stood in for him. The same is true with Christian infants today, only baptism replaces circumcision, and the church replaces the synagogue.

John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb...

Luke 1:15: for he will be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

As regards believers standing in the gap for others, including children, there is a scripture verse....

1 Corinthians, chapter 7:14: For the unbelieving husband is consecrated through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is consecrated through her husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is they are holy.