The Confession of Faith (44)

In the previous discussion of this article on baptism, the errors in regard to the sacrament were dealt with since this sacrament should be administered according to the institution of Christ Himself. Today we will try to write something about the doctrine of the Anabaptists, or the Baptists, as they are usually called.

I am certain that my readers know their viewpoints regarding baptism, namely, that only adults are baptized and that by immersion, and that those who were baptized in their youth must be baptized again. They also require a personal confession of faith at that time, as we hope to see later. This means that they are looking for a church of converted people only.

Let us try to follow with our Article. We read, “Neither doth this baptism only avail us, at the time when the water is poured upon us, and received by us, but also through the whole course of our life.” This part of the article deals with persons of the church of former days who thought that baptism was connected with the sins of the past, and that when it was administered, the sins committed until then were forgiven. Many, therefore, did not become baptized in their youth but postponed it as long as possible, waiting until they became seriously ill or even were on their deathbed. In times of epidemics, earthquakes, disasters or wars, so many people were requesting baptism that the ministers and priests could hardly fulfill their task.

Such things took place because the people did not have a proper understanding of the meaning of baptism. It is not the washing away of the sins of the past. We confess that baptism is a sign and a seal of the washing away of the sins committed both before and after baptism. Baptism is a continual remembrance of what the God of the covenant has said, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children.” Likewise Isaiah wrote, “And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord.” Our fathers have also spoken in this way, which then became the condemnation of the Baptists. They wrote, “Therefore we detest the error of the Anabaptists, who are not content with the one only baptism they have once received, and moreover condemn the baptism of the infants of believers, whom we believe ought to be baptized and sealed with the sign of the covenant, as the children in Israel formerly were circumcised, upon the same promises which are made unto our children. And indeed Christ shed His blood no less for the washing of the children of the faithful, than for adult persons.”

The confession relates baptism to God’s covenant and His promises. The Lord made a covenant with Abraham, but the children are also included. God’s covenant is the strong foundation of infant baptism. Under the Old Testament the Israelites with their children were under the covenant; the Lord called them His children although they were not all true converted Israelites but had only an external relationship to the covenant. Without regeneration we miss the incorporation into the covenant. In like manner, the basis of infant baptism is the Covenant of Grace. The question is not whether the children or the parents are regenerated, but in baptism God confirms His covenant to the salvation of the elect and to the comfort of His people. At God’s time the elect become partakers of Christ’s merits, the one in his youth, the other when he is old, all according to God’s free and sovereign pleasure.

Baptism does not take place on the ground of presupposed regeneration, as Kuyper has said. We would have to show that this is true in our life only by our Christian conduct and are then children of the covenant. Thousands are deceived in this way for a great eternity! We must go back to the time of Christ and of the apostles, who received the commandment from Christ Himself to preach and to baptize, to discover whether infant baptism is right or wrong. It is true that the disciples did not begin by baptizing the children among the Gentiles. Every missionary will first preach God’s Word according to the command of Christ. When people gladly receive the Word, they will be baptized, but then also the little children receive the sacrament.

The Anabaptists have a text in God’s Word which they consider to be a condemnation of infant baptism, but which I believe they have interpreted according to their own viewpoint. In Mark 16:15&16, the Lord Jesus commanded His disciples to preach the gospel all over the world. Then He said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” It is clear here that first of all we are to believe and then we can be baptized. The Anabaptists say that children cannot comprehend the truth and therefore are unable to believe, which means that we may not baptize a child. Baptism is also a sacrament to strengthen faith, but children cannot exercise faith and, therefore, again no baptism for children.

Can we say something against this, for it seems to be written so logically? Yes, we can, because I believe that we have here a misinterpretation of God’s Word. The Lord Jesus gave commandment to His disciples to go out to the Gentiles, who, as stated above, had no knowledge of the Word, but when they accepted the truth after instruction therein, they with their children were baptized. The ground of baptism is not the faith of the children, but is God’s covenant and His promises. The right to baptize does not lie in faith, in the ability to believe, and in conversion, but it is a sign and seal of God’s promises, which can only be received by faith.

It will be too long if we attempt to finish this discussion at this time; therefore, we hope, D.V., to continue with this important question, which at times puzzles our young people. If we had a little more knowledge of the truth, I do not think it would be so difficult, young people. Ask the Lord to enlighten our minds, and then there will also be more desire to search the Scriptures, which speak of the Lord, His commandments, and also the institution of the sacraments, which are so often misinterpreted.

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