Does the FV Really Accept the Existence of NECMs?

Over at Green Bagginses, Reed raises the question of the status of NECMs (non-elect covenant members) and how the FV views them. There’s much good there, particularly in the quotations from Turretin on temporary faith and the like. That distinction, between true . . . Continue reading →

Abraham, Moses, and Baptism

I’m in the midst of an interesting discussion of baptism with a friend, who has Baptist convictions but who understands Reformed theology better than many Reformed folks. He is quite sympathetic to historic and confessional Reformed theology. For example, he affirms that . . . Continue reading →

Do Presbyterians Confess That Refusing to Baptize Infants is Sin?

That’s the question I received in my inbox yesterday. The writer asks, …Whereas I know that a consistent Baptist (e.g. Mark Dever) would consider a Christian refusing to be baptized subsequent to conversion as sinning and subject to church discipline, is that . . . Continue reading →

Does Baptism "Save"?

Merrit asks this question: “Two friends and I have been talking about this verse (1 Peter 3:21) and passage for quite some time today. The more we seem to talk about it the more confused I seem to get about it.

Abraham Was Not Moses

In March I had the privilege of contributing to the 9 Marks blog. The point of my post there (and here) was not to argue the specifics of the paedobaptist (infant baptizing) case but, nevertheless, in response to that contribution a correspondent . . . Continue reading →

Circumcision and Baptism

In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith . . . Continue reading →

Baptism and Circumcision According to Colossians 2:11–12

What follows is taken from a larger essay, “A Contemporary Reformed Defense of Infant Baptism:” What is the Connection Between Circumcision and Baptism? The connection between baptism and circumcision is quite clear in Colossians 2:11–12. The connection is not direct, but indirect . . . Continue reading →

William Perkins On Baptismal Regeneration

Paul, Rom. 4. stands much upon this to prove that justification by faith is not conferred by the sacraments. And from the circumstance of time he gathers that Abraham was first justified and afterward received circumcision, the sign and the seal of . . . Continue reading →

What To Do With the Joy That Wells Up Within?

Responding to the Gospel with God's Word

Aimee Byrd at Housewife Theologian asks a great question about what to do with ourselves after a baptism. How do you celebrate this moment? Let me ask you readers, do you clap in your church after a baptism? Our church congregation doesn’t. . . . Continue reading →

Heidelcast 12: Worship, Baptism, And Romanism

On Worship, Baptism, and Romanism

Heidelcast

David writes with a question on worship, which we may paraphrase thus: If we can do something in worship on a Wednesday night Bible study or in personal devotions why can’t we do it in a Sunday morning service? Ken asks whether . . . Continue reading →