sevenzedek
Puritan Board Junior
Greetings fellow soldiers,
Answer 166 of the Westminster Larger Catechism says,
Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, and so strangers from the covenant of promise, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him,z but infants descending from parents, either both, or but one of them, professing faith in Christ, and obedience to him, are in that respect within the covenant, and to be baptized.a
I appreciate the precise language of the answer where it says that infants "are in that respect within the covenant." I agree with this. However, this raises an important question. If the children of parents who profess the true religion are members of the Covenant of Grace (CoG), what about the children of those who have a feigned profession? These parents and their children would appear to be members of the visible church, but would not seem to be members of the CoG because of their false profession. I am sure that someone has biblically determined these distinctions. I am just hard pressed to find them right off. I don't even know what we would "commonly" call these distinctions.
If we add to this question that of the CoG made with Adam, who is the head of every person living, the necessity for these distinctions would seem even more necessary. Are there three distinct members of the visible church and two of the CoG? Are there three three distinct members of the CoG? Is it even right to say that those with a feigned profession are members of the CoG?
Answer 166 of the Westminster Larger Catechism says,
Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, and so strangers from the covenant of promise, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him,z but infants descending from parents, either both, or but one of them, professing faith in Christ, and obedience to him, are in that respect within the covenant, and to be baptized.a
I appreciate the precise language of the answer where it says that infants "are in that respect within the covenant." I agree with this. However, this raises an important question. If the children of parents who profess the true religion are members of the Covenant of Grace (CoG), what about the children of those who have a feigned profession? These parents and their children would appear to be members of the visible church, but would not seem to be members of the CoG because of their false profession. I am sure that someone has biblically determined these distinctions. I am just hard pressed to find them right off. I don't even know what we would "commonly" call these distinctions.
If we add to this question that of the CoG made with Adam, who is the head of every person living, the necessity for these distinctions would seem even more necessary. Are there three distinct members of the visible church and two of the CoG? Are there three three distinct members of the CoG? Is it even right to say that those with a feigned profession are members of the CoG?