WHAT ABOUT COVENANT/INFANT BAPTISM? 

One thing unfamiliar to many Evangelical Christians today is the doctrine of the covenant, and along with that, the biblical basis for baptizing not only believers, but also their household/children. The below document entitled "Christian Communicants at Heritage R.P.C." helps explain this doctrine from Scripture, and also gives our policy for those who are considering membership at HRPC but aren't sure yet about the biblical basis for baptizing their babies. 

Christian Communicants at Heritage R.P.C.

CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANT

A Christian Communicant (CC) is a baptized Christian who has been admitted to the Lord’s Table, is regularly worshipping at HRPC, but is not a vowing member of the congregation of HRPC. The session receives and recognizes such Christian Communicants as members of the church universal who are presently being provided spiritual care and guidance by the Elders of HRPC.  

THOSE RECOGNIZED AS CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANTS AT HRPC

Anyone who is a baptized, communing member in good standing of a sound, Bible believing church, or has been a member of such a church, but for righteous reasons has left that church and its membership in good standing, and is now regularly attending the worship at HRPC, but is not seeking and/or is ineligible for membership at HRPC.

CHRISTIANS UNWILLING TO PRESENT THEIR CHILDREN FOR BAPTISM RECOGNIZED AS CHRISTIAN COMMUNICANTS AT HRPC

Because Christian Communicants who hold to what is often called “believers-only baptism” cannot fully submit to the governance of the HRPC Elders, in particular in refusing to present their children for covenant baptism[1], it would not be beneficial nor entirely sincere, honest, wise, or righteous for the Elders of HRPC to have such persons take vows for formal membership at HRPC.[2] The Elders of HRPC do recognize that many are unfamiliar with or have wrestled with the doctrine of covenant baptism, and that our church culture in our nation today predominately holds to the view of “believers-only baptism”. We do not desire to turn those who hold to “believers-only baptism” away, but to lovingly and patiently teach covenant/household baptism from Scripture to them, showing the error of "believers-only baptism" in its withholding baptism from believer's children.

This conviction of “believers-only baptism” is in contrast to covenant baptism. HRPC, as a Reformed/Presbyterian Church, holds to covenant baptism, that God not only covenants and brings into His Church believers upon their profession of faith, but has always and still continues to covenant with the whole household of the believer, for his covenant is everlasting, Gen. 17:13, and works down through the generations of families in order to be realized in all its promises, blessings, and glory, Gen. 17:7, Ex. 20:6, Deut. 4:9ff., 11:19, 30:6, Ps. 78:1-8, Mal. 4:5-6, Luke 1:17,50,55, I Cor. 7:14, Eph. 6:1-4, etc. This household principle is explicitly reaffirmed concerning the new covenant in Christ’s blood, Jer. 32:38-41, cf. 31:31-34. Because God covenants with all in the household and has commanded the sign of the covenant be given to all in the household from infancy (Gen. 17, Acts 2:39, etc.) to formally receive them into His church (Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38-47), and because God’s displeasure and judgment may fall upon the infant children who do not receive the covenant sign (Gen. 17:14) and upon the parents who neglect to present their children to receive the covenant sign (Deut. 4:24-26), the Elders of HRPC would be disobeying the Lord and doing a great disservice to any who wish to be admitted as members of HRPC, yet refused to present their household, and particularly their young children, for baptism.

Further, admitting such into membership would possibly undermine the unity of the church body, as members must vow the following regarding the infant children of HRPC: “Do you, the people of the Lord, promise to receive this child in love, pray for him, help care for his instruction in the faith and encourage and sustain him in the fellowship of believers; and as a congregation do you bind yourselves to assist in the instruction of this child?”

The children of believers are within God’s covenant, and as such, have fellowship with the body of Christ, and while they certainly must be called to repent and believe in Christ for salvation and forgiveness of sins, this call to repent and believe for children of believers occurs within the covenant and church, as baptized members. Therefore, this vow recognizes that the children of believers are, from conception, within the covenant of grace, members of the particular church in which they are baptized, and on that privileged basis are to be instructed in the faith and encouraged and sustained within that covenantal fellowship with God and Christ, as His children (Lk. 18:15-16; Mark 10:13-16).

Christ makes it clear that there are those who are in Him who bear fruit, and those who are connected to Him and His Church and covenant for a time, but are not born of the Spirit and therefore do not bear fruit, and are ultimately taken out of Christ’s church and covenant and cast into hell as covenant breakers (John 15:1-8, 16; cf. Rom. 11:16-24, Heb. 10:15-31, etc.).

God has always covenanted with households and commanded the covenant sign be given to all in the household, particularly the children (Gen. 17:7ff; Acts 2:39), but this does not mean that all in the household, or even the children, are already regenerated (though they may well be in God’s kindness, for Christ Himself quotes from Ps. 8 in Matt. 21:16 saying that God has perfected praise “out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants”), nor that all in the household will necessarily be saved.

God’s covenant mercies and kindness command us to diligently teach our children (Deut. 6) and raise them in the covenantal nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:1-4), with the great, covenantal hope that God will indeed bring to them inwardly what has already been signed and sealed to them outwardly in the sacrament of baptism, namely, circumcised hearts/the washing of regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Baptism in the new covenant functions in the same way as circumcision in the old covenant, as both symbolize the same spiritual realities, Col. 2:11-14.

HRPC Elders, along with all Reformed and Presbyterian churches, and in agreement with those who hold to “believers-only baptism”, affirm that those who are outside of the covenant of grace and scope of the Gospel, in particular, those who were not born into a Christian home with at least one believing parent (I Cor. 7:14), have no part in God’s covenant, and therefore are not eligible to receive the covenant sign of baptism, unless or until they are born of the Spirit and express repentance and faith, demonstrating God has brought them into His covenant and church, and are no longer far off from Christ but have been brought near by His blood, Eph. 2:11-13. All such who are born outside of the covenant household must first repent and believe in Christ before they may be baptized.

However, those born within a household of at least one believing parent are covenantally holy (I Cor. 7:14), and on that basis alone are within God’s covenant of grace. They therefore have a right to baptism, and the parents/head of such households have a duty to present their children for baptism. They do so, so that their children are received as members of the particular church into which they are baptized, and all the benefits and blessings that come with being a member of Christ’s Church.

As members, the children have the blessings and privileges of the church’s care and nurture, which indeed is God and Christ’s nurture and care for them through His ordained means. A child outside of the covenant and church is a child separated from the primary source of God’s means of grace (word, prayer, and sacrament). But covenant children are to be baptized, not because water baptism regenerates or creates the covenant relationship, but as a sign and seal of these things, to be realized in that child in God’s sovereign timing, working through His appointed means of grace (including baptism and prayer, but chiefly God’s Word) that are dispensed from His church and flow to its baptized members.

Thus, the Eldership, the parents, and the congregation vow to apply the means of grace to that covenant child, with the hope and prayer that God will work through His appointed means to regenerate the covenant children (if He has not already done so) and bring them to repentance and faith in Christ. Through repentance and faith, the children will receive the blessings of the covenant that have been signed and sealed to them in baptism, and escape the covenant’s judgment and curses, which will become theirs if they fail to repent and believe and serve the Lord, 1 Cor. 10:1-12; Heb. 10:26-31. These covenant judgments and curses fall upon all, whether child or adult, who do not persevere and endure in the faith to the end. But those who are truly born of the Spirit shall surely persevere and endure to the end, by God’s grace, for they are the elect of God, I Pet. 1; Heb. 11:32-39.   

While neglecting the covenant, its sign and seal of baptism for covenant children, and covenantal nurture, is truly (albeit unintentional) sinful neglect, the Elders of HRPC heartily affirm that those who hold to what is often called “believers-only baptism” to be  fellow brothers/sisters in the faith and fellow members with us in the Universal Church (UC).[3] We also recognize that such brothers/sisters, despite neglecting baptism, do strive to raise their children in the Lord’s will. The Elders gladly welcome such brothers and sisters who seek to worship with HRPC as a locally organized, particular expression of the visible UC[4], in obedience to God, with as much unity as possible given doctrinal differences and practices regarding the covenant and baptism (or other important doctrines).

As a Christian Communicant at HRPC, the Elders regard the relationship somewhat akin to the foster care system in our nation, in that they are truly providing spiritual care and guidance as Elders of the house/church of God to such Christian Communicants, but “adoption papers” are not as of yet signed to make them members of HRPC. The hope, of course, is that unity in the faith and practice occurs, and there can be a true adoption/vowing membership ceremony that takes place! Perhaps a loose analogy from Scripture may be found in the “God-fearers” in Luke and Acts, who were involved in synagogue and Temple worship and God’s requirements of that time, but did not submit to circumcision.

The HRPC Elders gladly welcome Christian Communicants to the Lord’s Table, as faithful Christians belonging to the universal church, so long as they are regularly attending the stated worship services at HRPC (Heb 10:25), endeavor to promote the unity and spiritual growth of the body of believers, “to do the performance of such duties, public and private, as do conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man” and “maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God, and in the performing of other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification”,[5] and desire to participate in the Lord’s Supper as often as it is celebrated (1 Cor 11:25-28).[6] 

[1] See WCF 28.4-5 on the importance of not neglecting this ordinance, and 28.6-7 on baptism as a means of grace.

[2] In particular: “[Will you] worship together within this body of HRPC on a constant basis and partake of the appointed sacraments in a manner prescribed by the Scriptures?” (Hebrews 10:25)

“Will you submit in the Lord to the teaching and government of this church in accordance with the admonition of Scripture to “obey them who have the rule over you?”  (Hebrews 13:17)

“Do you agree to submit, in the Lord, to the government of this church and also, if you should become delinquent either in doctrine or life, to submit to its admonition and discipline?”

[3] Matt 16:18; Eph 2:19-22; 3:14-21; 5:23; Col 1:18, 24; 1 Thess 5:12; Heb 13:7, 17; CRPC-BCG 2.2; WCF 25.1, 2

[4] The instances of particular, localized churches in the New Testament are numerous:  Acts 8:1; 11:22, 26; 14:23, 27; 15:4; Rom 16:1, 5, 23; 1 Cor 1:2; 4:17; 11:18; 14:23; 16:19; 2 Cor 1:1; Phil 4:15; Col 4:15, 16; 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1; Phil 1:2; James 5:14; Rev 2:1, 8, 12, 16; 3: 1, 7, 14; See also CRPC-BCG 2.3; WCF 25.4.

[5]  WCF 26.1, 2; see also Eph 4:2, 25, 32; 5:19, 21; Col 3:13; 16; Gal 6:2; 1 Thess 5:11; Heb 3:13; 10:24; 1 Peter 3:8; 4:8-10

[6] The Lord’s Supper would be withheld in the case of heinous, repeated, scandalous, conscious sin. This would apply to any vowing member as well.