In a protestant context is the following a fair summary?
For credobaptists, baptism is a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ and a symbol of the individual's union with Christ and identification with the Christian community. Credobaptists, also known as advocates for believers' baptism, hold the belief that baptism is only to be performed on individuals who have made a personal confession of faith in Jesus Christ and many also require the the baptised person has demonstrated a change in their life as a result of that faith. In other words, credobaptists believe that baptism should follow a credible profession of faith, and not be based on family tradition or covenantal relationship.
Baptism is seen as an outward expression of an inward change and a testimony to others of the individual's faith in Jesus. It is seen as an act of obedience to Christ and a way to publicly identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. In credobaptist traditions, baptism is typically performed by full immersion in water, representing the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, as well as the believer's death to their old self and the beginning of a new life in Christ.
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For paedobaptists, baptism is a sacrament that signifies the initiation of an individual into the covenant community of the church. Paedobaptists, also known as advocates for infant baptism, hold the belief that baptism should be administered to both believers and their children, as a sign of God's covenant with His people.
In paedobaptist traditions, baptism is seen as a continuation of the Old Testament practice of circumcision, which was performed on male infants as a sign of God's covenant with Abraham and his descendants. Similarly, baptism is seen as a sign of God's covenant with believers and their children, symbolizing their inclusion in the people of God and their reception of the spiritual blessings of salvation.
For paedobaptists, baptism is not just a symbol of personal faith, but also a sign of the individual's participation in the larger community of faith and their membership in the church. It is seen as a way to pass on the faith from generation to generation and to publicly declare the individual's connection to the wider body of Christ. In paedobaptist traditions, baptism is typically performed by pouring or sprinkling water on the head, representing the cleansing and renewing power of the Holy Spirit.
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Herman Hoeksema wrote a book called "Believers and their Seed" which is a theological treatise on the subject of baptism and the covenant relationship between God and His people.
In the book, Hoeksema argues that the Bible teaches a covenant of grace, in which God establishes a covenant relationship with His people and extends the blessings of salvation to them and their children. He argues that this covenant is administered through the sacrament of baptism, which is a sign and seal of the individual's inclusion in the covenant community of the church.
Hoeksema asserts that the New Testament teachings on baptism are consistent with the Old Testament practices of circumcision, and that baptism should be administered to the children of believers as a sign of God's covenant with them. He argues that baptism is not merely a symbol of personal faith, but a sign of the individual's connection to the wider body of Christ and their membership in the church.
Overall, "Believer's and Their Seed" is a robust defence of paedobaptist theology and a critique of credobaptist views on baptism. It offers a comprehensive understanding of the significance of baptism in the life of the believer and the church and provides a biblical basis for the practice of baptizing the children of believers.
For credobaptists, baptism is a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ and a symbol of the individual's union with Christ and identification with the Christian community. Credobaptists, also known as advocates for believers' baptism, hold the belief that baptism is only to be performed on individuals who have made a personal confession of faith in Jesus Christ and many also require the the baptised person has demonstrated a change in their life as a result of that faith. In other words, credobaptists believe that baptism should follow a credible profession of faith, and not be based on family tradition or covenantal relationship.
Baptism is seen as an outward expression of an inward change and a testimony to others of the individual's faith in Jesus. It is seen as an act of obedience to Christ and a way to publicly identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. In credobaptist traditions, baptism is typically performed by full immersion in water, representing the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, as well as the believer's death to their old self and the beginning of a new life in Christ.
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For paedobaptists, baptism is a sacrament that signifies the initiation of an individual into the covenant community of the church. Paedobaptists, also known as advocates for infant baptism, hold the belief that baptism should be administered to both believers and their children, as a sign of God's covenant with His people.
In paedobaptist traditions, baptism is seen as a continuation of the Old Testament practice of circumcision, which was performed on male infants as a sign of God's covenant with Abraham and his descendants. Similarly, baptism is seen as a sign of God's covenant with believers and their children, symbolizing their inclusion in the people of God and their reception of the spiritual blessings of salvation.
For paedobaptists, baptism is not just a symbol of personal faith, but also a sign of the individual's participation in the larger community of faith and their membership in the church. It is seen as a way to pass on the faith from generation to generation and to publicly declare the individual's connection to the wider body of Christ. In paedobaptist traditions, baptism is typically performed by pouring or sprinkling water on the head, representing the cleansing and renewing power of the Holy Spirit.
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Herman Hoeksema wrote a book called "Believers and their Seed" which is a theological treatise on the subject of baptism and the covenant relationship between God and His people.
In the book, Hoeksema argues that the Bible teaches a covenant of grace, in which God establishes a covenant relationship with His people and extends the blessings of salvation to them and their children. He argues that this covenant is administered through the sacrament of baptism, which is a sign and seal of the individual's inclusion in the covenant community of the church.
Hoeksema asserts that the New Testament teachings on baptism are consistent with the Old Testament practices of circumcision, and that baptism should be administered to the children of believers as a sign of God's covenant with them. He argues that baptism is not merely a symbol of personal faith, but a sign of the individual's connection to the wider body of Christ and their membership in the church.
Overall, "Believer's and Their Seed" is a robust defence of paedobaptist theology and a critique of credobaptist views on baptism. It offers a comprehensive understanding of the significance of baptism in the life of the believer and the church and provides a biblical basis for the practice of baptizing the children of believers.
