The Extent of the Covenant in Genesis 17 and how it relates to New Testament Baptism

[Rayn]

I have what I hope is a pretty basic question. Every covenantal arguement for infant baptism that I've read includes a reference to Genesis 17:7, "And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you." This is interpreted in connection with Acts 2:39, "For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." From here Paedo-baptists conclude that the New Covenant community consists of believers and their children.

But I continue to wonder that if this is true, what do we make of the rest of Genesis 17. "He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, both he who is born in you house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised," Genesis 17:12-13. WAY more than believers and their children -- and if Paedo-baptist exegesis is correct, what does this imply about the New Covenant community?

 

[Contra_Mundum]

In the history of man, and in particular God's people, not everyone has had servants. When it was more common than today, in many circumstances these people were considered part of the household. In those days, God commanded a believing householder to sanctify not only his individual person, but everything and everyone who belonged to him to the Lord his God--whose Ownership over himself that householder recognized.

I would say that the beginning of the NT age reflected a similar social perspective to Abraham's and the OT's generally. Some people, for instance Cornelius or Lydia, clearly had the status and/or wealth to have large households under their authority, and these would probably have included servants. I don't doubt that there was servant/slave baptism.

What about today? Isn't the question somewhat moot? How many people in general today, let alone converts, have household servants--not mere employees, but socially contracted and even bound to that order? Suffice to say that if those cultural setting re-arise in some future age, or even some distant place in our own relative time, the church should be accomodating and sensitive to those real-world conditions, and baptize households according to standard definitions. If I'm correct about the NT age, and apostolic practice, it's been done already and may be done again.

 

[Rayn]

What about today? Isn't the question somewhat moot? How many people in general today, let alone converts, have household servants--not mere employees, but socially contracted and even bound to that order? Suffice to say that if those cultural setting re-arise in some future age, or even some distant place in our own relative time, the church should be accomodating and sensitive to those real-world conditions, and baptize households according to standard definitions. If I'm correct about the NT age, and apostolic practice, it's been done already and may be done again.

It could happen on missions, which I have an interest in. I also ask for intellecual purposes as I wonder about it when I read Genesis 17. Thanks for the response.