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Puritan Board Freshman
Are the children of believers members of the visible church? Should they be counted as members of the local church despite their not being baptized?
I am asking because a friend of mine, who is a Calvinistic Baptist, had admitted to me that he considers his children as being members in the visible church and as members of the local church, but that he would still say that baptism should be administered to them only upon a credible profession of faith. I had never heard a Baptist take this position so I thought I'd see if anyone else holds to the same. It seems that his position derivers from the fact that he holds to a WCF style of covenant theology that affirms the covenantal standing of the children of believers, but he does not see baptism as being the New Covenant equivalent of circumcision. He likewise would consider his children to be Christians. Thoughts?
I am asking because a friend of mine, who is a Calvinistic Baptist, had admitted to me that he considers his children as being members in the visible church and as members of the local church, but that he would still say that baptism should be administered to them only upon a credible profession of faith. I had never heard a Baptist take this position so I thought I'd see if anyone else holds to the same. It seems that his position derivers from the fact that he holds to a WCF style of covenant theology that affirms the covenantal standing of the children of believers, but he does not see baptism as being the New Covenant equivalent of circumcision. He likewise would consider his children to be Christians. Thoughts?