How Infant Baptism Relates to … Part 1

Colossians 2:12 Baptism

In this adult Sunday school class, Pastor Albert N. Martin continues his series on infant baptism, focusing on its relationship to the biblical significance of baptism. He first reviews the dual significance of baptism as both a symbolic act (representing applied salvation, remission of sins, regeneration, and union with Christ) and a declaratory act (public confession of repentance and obedience). Martin then demonstrates how leading Paedobaptist confessions and theologians, such as the Westminster Confession and John Calvin, affirm this biblical symbolism of baptism. He argues that this clear biblical teaching is fundamentally incompatible with the practice of infant baptism, presenting an 'insoluble dilemma' for Paedobaptists who must either assert a 'rankest presumption' or redefine baptism's symbolism to be prospective rather than retrospective, a move he critiques as unbiblical and a contradiction of texts like Colossians 2:12.

3 illustrations in this sermon

Paedobaptist Recognition of Baptism's Symbolism: John Calvin

compare analogy

Baptism as a Sealed Document

Driving home: Now, is that the symbolism of infant baptism? Is infant baptism like a sealed document to confirm to that infant that all of its sins are so abolished, remitted, and effaced that they can never come to his sight, be reca…

Calvin's analogy of baptism as a 'sealed document' is used to confirm the remission of sins, highlighting the certainty of forgiveness symbolized by baptism.

The better to explain what I mean, it is like a sealed document to confirm to us that all of our sins are so abolished, remitted, and effaced that they can never come to his sight or be recalled or charged against us, for he wills that all who believe to be baptized, for the remission of sins. And what passages does he quote? Acts 2.38, Matthew 28.19.

17:47 - 18:28 Read in full sermon

Paedobaptist Recognition of Baptism's Symbolism: Pierre Marcel

palette metaphor

Second Rank Soldiers

In this part of the sermon: He cites Pierre Marcel's 'The Biblical Doctrine of Infant Baptism' to confirm that Paedobaptists recognize baptism as a sign of remission of sins, regeneration, and communion with…

Marcel's reference to 'second rank soldiers' for less central biblical texts illustrates that some passages, while relevant, are not the primary or key texts for understanding baptism's significance.

baptism is the sign and seal of regeneration of the death of the old man and the resurrection of the new man through communion in the death and resurrection of Christ. The central texts on which this affirmation rests are as follows. Romans 6.3-6 Colossians 2.12 Then he has other texts as well which we didn't look at last week because they're really not the key or central text but other texts as well which are second rank soldiers as they've been called in the past. Okay? And he says under this the question here is one of incorporation of implanting or grafting. We become one plant with Christ...

25:26 - 26:24 Read in full sermon

Paedobaptist Attempts to Resolve the Dilemma: 'Smoke Screens'

palette metaphor

Smoke, Smoke, Smoke

Driving home: The issue is not what it guarantees the issue is what it symbolizes does it or does it not symbolize the application of redemption to that person yes or no , come right back there I didn't say did it guarantee that the p…

Martin repeatedly uses the metaphor 'smoke, smoke, smoke' to describe Paedobaptist arguments that baptism does not guarantee salvation, indicating they are evasive and obscure the real issue of what baptism symbolizes.

Simon's baptism guarantee that Simon had been saved no of course not so then the reasoning goes from there is to say well then you see then it's okay to practice infant baptism because if baptism doesn't guarantee that Simon wasn't saved then it doesn't have to guarantee that the infant was saved either so that's where we start oh yes but wait that's smoke smoke smoke smoke does it symbolize that the person baptized has been saved that's the issue the issue is not what it guarantees nobody claims at least no evangelicals claim that baptism guarantees anything we all agree amen the question is ...

38:38 - 40:06 Read in full sermon

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