Audio Messages:
Pastor Wade Burleson

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A Household of Faith

Genesis54.mp3 (13.6 MB)

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Genesis 17:19-27 (KJV)

19. And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
20. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
21. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
22. And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
23. And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.
24. And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
25. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
26. In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.
27. And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.

The place of children within the covenant people of God has long divided the Christian church. Do children belong to the 'household' of God? Should children be baptized as a expression of the parent's belief and faith in God's gracious provision of salvation in Christ?

1. The practice of infant baptism defended.
   Those who practice the baptism of infants do so for several reasons . . .
   1. A few believe that infant baptism corresponds to Jewish proselyte baptism.
      Some believe it was a custom or rite used by the Jews before the times of John the Baptist, Christ, and the apostles, to receive proselytes into the Jewish faith (Talmud).
   2. Many believe that baptism corresponds to Abrahamic circumcision.
      Just as Abraham took infants and circumcised them, so Christian parents should take their infants and baptize them since the church is an extension of the Old Testament. But the Abrahamic covenant only externally symbolized an internal and spiritual one.
   3. Some believe that infants receive the grace of regeneration at baptism.
      This is the point of separation between Roman Catholics and Protestants.
      1. Roman Catholics teach baptism is one of the seven sacraments.
         This means that grace is imparted in the act of baptism -- without it; no grace.
      2. Evangelical Protestants believe that the work of Christ saves infants.
         Baptism is a sign and a seal that the infant is in the covenant of grace.
2. The problem with infant baptism defined.
   In short, the problem can be defined in three separate, simple difficulties that I have with it.
   1. Nowhere in the Word of God is infant baptism supported.
      "Infant baptism cannot be proved by the scriptures" Martin Luther. "It is nowhere mentioned by the evangelists that any child was by the apostles baptized" John Calvin. "The scriptures are the supreme authority and sole authority in all that pertains to religion. We repudiate all tradition. We rely exclusively upon the scriptures. The Word of God is the perfect rule of faith and practice" R.B.C. Howell.
   2. Everyone in the New Covenant believed first, and then was baptized.
      In the great commission we are told to 'teach' and then to 'baptize' (Matthew 28:19). The Bible says of Lydia "she was baptized, and her household . . ." (Acts 16:15), only because everyone in Lydia's household believed. On the day of Pentecost Peter cried, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ" (Acts 2:38).
   3. The New Covenant is not an extension of the Old, but totally New.
      Every external type in the Old Covenant points to a spiritual reality of the New. Circumcision is a symbol of the change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit. "And the Lord Your God will circumcise your heart . . ." (Deuteronomy 30:6).
3. The principle behind infant baptism declared.
   "Our children belong to God." We can declare that through a dedication of our kids. Baptism is an outward profession of an inward possession. It is saying to someone Christ lives. He lives in me. There is nothing inappropriate for parents to dedicate their children to the Lord, but baptism should be reserved until a child experiences God's grace in regenerating the heart. However, we respect those who disagree with us.

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