WAWICRUZ
Puritan Board Freshman
"Since we must make judgments about God's will from his Word, which testifies that the children of believers are holy, not by nature but by virtue of the gracious covenant in which they together with their parents are included, godly parents ought not to doubt the election and salvation of their children whom God calls out of this life in infancy." — The Canons of Dort, The First Main Point of Doctrine, Article 17
It is part of Reformed orthodoxy to hold that the sacrament of baptism is in no way regenerative. Regarding the above article, mention is made of "holy not by nature." Do we take this as alluding to the non-regenerative aspect of baptism, in that the nature of man is unaffected by sacramental administration?
"By virtue of the gracious covenant in which they together with their parents are included..." seems to point to the external inclusion to the covenant, by which parents are exhorted not to doubt the internal dimension. In this act of deeming our children as members internally of the covenant, are we not presuming on the Lord's will regarding the matter since we as yet do not have the "fruits of election" apparent as stipulated in Article 12 of the same document?
It is part of Reformed orthodoxy to hold that the sacrament of baptism is in no way regenerative. Regarding the above article, mention is made of "holy not by nature." Do we take this as alluding to the non-regenerative aspect of baptism, in that the nature of man is unaffected by sacramental administration?
"By virtue of the gracious covenant in which they together with their parents are included..." seems to point to the external inclusion to the covenant, by which parents are exhorted not to doubt the internal dimension. In this act of deeming our children as members internally of the covenant, are we not presuming on the Lord's will regarding the matter since we as yet do not have the "fruits of election" apparent as stipulated in Article 12 of the same document?
Last edited: