Turretin Answers Objections To Infant Baptism (9)

XXVI. What is said by some (“Infants are baptized in the faith of their parents”) does not mean that what is in adults is imputed to infants or answers for infants; both because each one lives by his own faith and because if the parents should be hypocrites, their infants would be excluded from salvation. But the faith of parents bears this relation—that they bring their children to be baptized from the faith by which they believe that the gospel promises belong to them and to their children; again, that by it they obtain the grace of God for their children (?Mk. 7:19).

Francis Turretin, Institutes of Elenctic Theology, ed. James T. Dennison Jr., trans. George Musgrave Giger, vol. 3 (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1992–97), 19.20.26.

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  • R. Scott Clark
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    R.Scott Clark is the President of the Heidelberg Reformation Association, the author and editor of, and contributor to several books and the author of many articles. He has taught church history and historical theology since 1997 at Westminster Seminary California. He has also taught at Wheaton College, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Concordia University. He has hosted the Heidelblog since 2007.

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3 comments

  1. I am forever grateful to Jack Miller for his interactions with me on twitter challenging my newly discovered Lutheran assumptions. His push back to me made a light bulb go on, as well as a Renewing Your Mind broadcast that just happened to be on the Extent of the Atonement. These were all things I knew and held to, yet I was swayed by the baptismal texts. Jack and RC pressed home them truths of sovereignty and election, as well as the means of salvation is faith. Faith is a gift to the elect. The sacraments confirm and do not confer salvation. I apologize for my brazen posts. Please forgive me. Thank you Jack and RC and Dr Clark for your continued patience and grace.

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