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A Brief Defence of Baptism as Practised in Presbyterian Churches (Part II)

Presbyterian churches practise baptism of adult new believers as well as for the infant children of believers. The goal of this article is to present the biblical rationale for what we do. We would certainly not be wanting to be doing something that is merely man-made tradition.

Why do we conduct baptisms of infants whose families are believers in addition to baptism of adults who have come to faith?

Converts to Christianity in New Testament times were designated children of Abraham who is the father of all who have faith (Romans 4:16).

The sign of God’s covenant with Abraham was circumcision. “And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised” (Romans 4: 11a).

It was also applied to his sons who did not yet have faith (Genesis 21:4).  ‘The spiritual sign was not just for those who already embraced the spiritual reality.  … Circumcision was not a simple equation.  It didn’t automatically mean the recipient of the sign was in possession of the thing signified’  (DeYoung).  What it did do was recognise that these individuals were peculiarly blessed as part of the Covenant people.  God has chosen and worked through families – think of the blessing on Abraham and David’s line. 

Thus, circumcision was also applied to the families of those who had faith but who were not Jews. “A foreigner residing among you who wants to celebrate the Lord’s Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part like one born in the land” (Exodus 12:48a).

At the same time, it was clear that a spiritual work in their hearts was necessary.  Circumcision alone did not save, just as baptism does not save today. God’s Word says: “Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, circumcise your hearts” (Jer.4:4a) and “A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit” (Romans 2: 28-29a).  Deuteronomy 30:6 states: “The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants [bold mine], so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.” 

In New Testament times, believers, both Gentile and Jew, are, likewise, named the children of Abraham and heirs of the same promise (Gal 3:29; Gal 3:7).  Circumcision, however, was specifically no longer required any longer for Gentiles to be grafted into Israel (Rom. 11).  On the historically contentious issue of circumcision of Gentiles, the apostles had this to say: “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality” (Acts 15: 28-29).

Galatians 3: 28 gives a new sign to apply to replace circumcision and to apply to all, both Jew and Gentile:

So, in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

The parallel between the two is clear. Colossians 2: 9-15 speaks of Christ circumcising the heart and of God baptising us with the Holy Spirit as two pictures of the same saving work done by God. The outward symbol would likewise be parallel.

In him [Christ] you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self, ruled by the flesh,was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead (Col.2:11-12).

No Bible-believing Christian believes that water baptism saves us, so the baptism spoken of here and in Romans 6:3-4 can only be referring to baptism by the Holy Spirit at conversion – a fact on which there is almost universal agreement. Water baptism is a sign of this (see Ephesians 2: 8-9).  Other passages that clearly teach salvation through faith alone include Acts 16:31; Romans 3:28; 4:5; 5:1; Galatians 2:16; 3:24; Ephesians 1:13; and Philippians 3:9.

Galatians 3:28 (quoted previously) makes it clear that the new sign was extended to Gentiles and women, but there is nothing about a change to excluding children of those who have faith.  If believers had now been required to exclude their children, it would certainly have raised many questions which one would expect to see addressed in the epistles to the churches, but there is nothing.  Instead, the New Testament speaks of household baptisms with no clarification that children are not involved this time (Acts 16:33; Acts 18:8, 1 Corinthians 1:16).  A baptism only for individuals would not seem strange to us in the individualistic West, but would seem very odd and a lesser promise than that given in the Old Testament to its Jewish hearers or, indeed, to family-oriented, tribal cultures nowadays.

Furthermore, in church history, “within two centuries of the Apostles we have clear evidence that the church was practicing infant baptism. If this had been a change to long-standing tradition, we would have some record of the church arguing over this new practice [as they did over so much else].  It wasn’t until the sixteenth century that Christians began to question the legitimacy of infant baptism”  (DeYoung).

Children are seen as part of the covenant community, usually ratified by their walk with God as they grow.  Thus, “children are told to obey their parents in the Lord (Eph. 6:1). Children in the church are not treated as little pagans …, but members of the covenant who owe their allegiance to Christ”  (De Young).

At the same time, as in the history of Israel – “not all who are descended from Israel are Israel” (Romans 9:6).  There will be weeds and wheat mixed together (Matt. 13:24-30).  The weeds in the parable almost certainly refer to the bearded darnel which is indistinguishable from the wheat till maturity at harvest.

Circumcision and baptism are both signs of God’s promise of a righteousness that is by faith and of belonging to the covenant community.

Conclusion

We have a whole Bible and an unchanging God and the New Testament can best be understood in the light of the Old – baptism included.

Bibliography

DeYoung, Kevin.  “A brief defence of infant baptism”.  Gospel Coalition.  15 Mar, 2015.  Web.  27 Apr, 2025.  https://growingfaith.com.au/articles/a-brief-defence-of-infant-baptism

Easton, Matthew. “Baptism, Christian – Easton’s Bible Dictionary.” Blue Letter Bible. 24 Jun, 1996. Web. 27 Apr, 2025. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/Dictionary/viewTopic.cfm&gt;.

Helopoulos, Jason.  Covenantal Baptism.  P & R Publishing: Phillipsburg 2021.

Matthews, Andrew. “Done with Dunking”. Caldron Pool.  21 Mar, 2022.  Web.  27 Apr, 2025.  https://caldronpool.com/done-with-dunking/

Parker, Adam.  “A Pastoral Letter on Sprinkling”.  Reformation21.  15 Mar, 2021.  Web.  27 Apr, 2025.  https://www.reformation21.org/blog/a-pastoral-letter-on-sprinkling

Slick, Matthew.  “Was Jesus Baptized by Sprinkling or Immersion?”.  CARM.  22 Aug, 2013.  Web.  27 Apr, 2025.  https://carm.org/doctrine-and-theology/was-jesus-baptized-by-immersion-or-sprinkling/

– Shona Archer