Just a question on baptism from the Presbytarian understanding, when you baptize your infants, do you believe that the remission of their sins is taking place?

As the WCF reads regarding baptism:
Would you also say that baptism regenerates them?

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Andrew Cunningham
Reno, NV(Soon to ship out to Camp Pendleton...USMC)
Attending:Community Bible Church (Reformed-ish, Non-denom)
"by His scourging we are healed" Isaiah 53:5
"Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin" Psalm 51:2

No, and no.

The confession states that it is a sign and seal of regeneration, and the remission of sins. The efficiacy is found in the ingrafting into the church.

I'm not a Pressie (yet), but I am a WCF'er.

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Vaughan
BTh Student, Sydney Missionary Bible College
Ashfield Presbyterian Church
Sydney, Australia
The Ransomed

So baptism ingrafts you into the church?

I would be cautious reading this into the WCF. For example, the 1689 LBC states:

There are some obvious differences:
1) dropping the admission into the visible church
2) dropping the word "seal"
3) addition of the phrase "fellowship with him, in his death and resurrection"
4) dropping of "covenant of grace"
5) dropping of regeneration
6) addition of "giving up...newness of life."

But, interestingly enough, your question could be asked of a Baptist as well, because we include "remission of sins" in the statement. I think you just skipped the phrase "sign and seal." which is a very important phrase.

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Yes.

What he said.

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~James Helbert~, Wytheville, VA
Providence Reformed Presbyterian Church, RPCUS
TheBibleAlone.com / The Edinburgh Inn
"Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” - Zechariah 3:2

Visible church. Honestly, modern Baptists believe this. That is why we baptize professors into membership in the local church.

Heh... I was holding off on the visible/invisible thing until later

K, thanks for the clarification. I didn't think all presby's believed that because of my discussions with them. Some presby's that I have talked to though claim that baptism regenerates them... =/... Recently as well, I did some research on the Federal Vision and unless i read it wrong, they as teach baptismal regeneration.

You did not read it wrong.

Actually, as I have been studying the writings of Federal Vision proponents, they aren't teaching baptismal regeneration...all they are saying is that baptism 'clothes the recipient with Christ', 'places him in Christ'; it places someone in union with Christ and therefore makes the subject a 'recipient of all that is Christ's'. It also gives cause to declare the baptized to be 'elect', 'saved' and places the subject into 'a real relationship consisting of real communion with the Triune God through union with Christ'.

There is just no way they are teaching baptismal regeneration.

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Robert Truelove
Pastor
Christ Reformed Church
Lawrenceville, GA