— God’s covenant grace flows through generations.
📖 Summary
Reformed theology views infant baptism not as a means of salvation
but as a sign of God’s covenant promise.
It does not replace faith but marks the child as belonging to the covenant community.
1️⃣ Biblical Foundation
📘 Genesis 17:7 (ESV) — God’s covenant extends to Abraham’s offspring.
📘 Acts 2:39 (ESV) — The promise is for you and your children.
📘 Acts 16:15, 33 (ESV) — Whole households were baptized.
📘 Colossians 2:11–12 (ESV) — Baptism corresponds to circumcision as a covenant sign.
2️⃣ Theological Insight
📜 John MacArthur — Baptism: A Testimony of Obedience
“Baptism is not a saving act but a testimony of obedience.”
📜 R.C. Sproul — Essential Truths of the Christian Faith
“Infant baptism is a sign of God’s covenant, not a substitute for faith.”
📜 John Piper — Brothers, We Are Not Professionals
“Though I don’t practice infant baptism, I affirm God’s special covenantal care for believers’ children.”
📜 John Calvin — Institutes IV.16
“Infants are included in the covenant; baptism testifies that God’s grace reaches them.”
📜 Herman Bavinck — Reformed Dogmatics
“Infant baptism arises from covenant theology, not church tradition.”
3️⃣ Misconceptions vs Biblical Truth
| Misconception | Cause | Biblical Truth |
|---|---|---|
| “Baptism saves.” | Sacramentalism | Salvation is by grace, not ritual. |
| “Babies can’t believe, so baptism is invalid.” | Individualism | The covenant is generational. |
| “Baptized infants are automatically saved.” | Misunderstanding | Baptism is a sign, not a guarantee. |
| “Infant baptism is unbiblical tradition.” | Historical ignorance | The early church practiced it as covenant continuity. |
4️⃣ Application | Meaning of Infant Baptism
1️⃣ God’s covenant extends through families.
2️⃣ The baptized child is declared to belong to God.
3️⃣ Baptism is not an end but the beginning of covenant life.
5️⃣ Conclusion | Covenant Grace, Not Ritual Salvation
Infant baptism is not about water but about promise.
It is God’s visible sign that His grace reaches even the smallest among us.
“The promise is for you and your children.” — Acts 2:39
“The covenant of God never stops with one generation.” — Revito
Faith. Truth. Renewal. — Revito
📧 revito247@gmail.com
🌐 www.revito.co.kr
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