30:6; Ezek. Of the Lord's Supper 31. 8 Rom. Christ, in the work of mediation, acts according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to itself; yet by reason of the unity of the person, that which is proper to one nature is sometimes in Scripture, attributed to the person denominated by the other nature.37 1:17; Deut. 25:46; Mark 9:48; 2 Thess. 31 Acts 10:42; Rom. 3 Exod. 6 Lev. Out of … Obadiah 6:17,18 4:15,16 76:11; Gen. 28:20-22 3. 13 Acts 2:41,42, 5:13,14; 2 Cor. 5:21 William Facey, Pastor, Reading, Berks Although true believers are not under the law as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned,13 yet it is of great use to them as well as to others, in that as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their natures, hearts, and lives, so as examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against, sin;14 together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ and the perfection of his obedience; it is likewise of use to the regenerate to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin; and the threatenings of it serve to show what even their sins deserve, and what afflictions in this life they may expect for them, although freed from the curse and unallayed rigour thereof.  The promises of it likewise show them God's approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof, though not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works; so as man's doing good and refraining from evil, because the law encourages to the one and deters from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law and not under grace.15 The revelation of the gospel to sinners, made in divers times and by sundry parts, with the addition of promises and precepts for the obedience required therein, as to the nations and persons to whom it is granted, is merely of the sovereign will and good pleasure of God;6 not being annexed by virtue of any promise to the due improvement of men's natural abilities, by virtue of common light received without it, which none ever made, or can do so;7 and therefore in all ages, the preaching of the gospel has been granted unto persons and nations, as to the extent or straitening of it, in great variety, according to the counsel of the will of God. The act of baptism removes the person’s original sin, makes them spiritually alive by the infusion of grace that begins the transfor… The 1689 Confession asserts that “the only proper subjects” of baptism are “those who do actually profess repentance towards God, faith in, and obedience to our Lord Jesus”. As a pastor who has baptized many young children—and I might add whole households, something which most credo-baptists that I have known have never done—I have had the privilege of reminding the congregation of the grace promised to our children and to encourage the congregation, in the words of the Westminster Larger Catechism, to improve their own baptism (LC Q. The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament.18 Thanks also to Steve Poling (sdp@i2k.com) for … 2 Ps. 5:7 9 1 Cor. 26:70,72,74 14 Luke 22:32,61,62, Paragraph 1. 15 Gal. 11 Rom. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil,11 do proceed all actual transgressions.12 An oath is to be taken in the plain and common sense of the words, without equivocation or mental reservation.7 The outward elements in this ordinance, duly set apart to the use ordained by Christ, have such relation to him crucified, as that truly, although in terms used figuratively, they are sometimes called by the names of the things they represent, in other words, the body and blood of Christ,7 albeit, in substance and nature, they still remain truly and only bread and wine, as they were before.8 5. Although the question you raise was not directly asked in our EFCA Doctrinal Survey, here are the assessments of the responses: 1. Pages 17. 4:9,10; John 6:23; Matt. 2:14,15 9:24 8:30; 2 Tim. 8 Hosea 1:7 This was first put forth about the year 1643, in the  name of seven congregations then gathered in London . This view argues that the act of baptism regenerates the person being baptized from spiritual death to life (infants and adults), even apart from faith in Christ (ex opere operato, “by the work performed”), and it’s necessary for our salvation. 12 Matt. The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts,1 and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word;2 by which also, and by the administration of baptism and the Lord's supper, prayer, and other means appointed of God, it is increased and strengthened.3 6 Titus 3:3-5; John 6:44, Paragraph 4. However, I firmly believe that the Scriptures do teach that baptism is the sign of God’s gracious covenant promises that he will be a God to us and our children. The sacrament of Baptism is but once to be administered unto any person. 10 Eph. 29. 2:19; 1 John 2:19 6:8; Heb. 5:12-19; 1 Cor. 13 Gen. 1:20; Isa. 7 1 Cor. 6:14,15 Testimonies ought to contain both doctrinal truth and personal experience/transformation. 22:20. 13 Eph. We shall see that a believer’s baptism serves in this way both to motivate and … 8:34; Heb. Works done by unregenerate men, although for the matter of them they may things which God commands, and of good use both to themselves and to others;19 yet because they proceed not from a heart purified by faith,20 nor are done in a right manner according to the Word,21 nor to a right end, the glory of God,22 they are therfore sinful, and cannot please God, nor make a man meet to receive the grace from God,23 and yet their neglect fo them is more sinful and displeasing to God.24 1:9; 1 John 5:20 4 Rom. 14 Matt. 18 1 Cor. 147:20; Acts 16:7 A vow, which is not to be made to any creature, but to God alone, is to be made and performed with all religious care and faithfulness;8 but popish monastical vows of perpetual single life,9 professed poverty,10 and regular obedience, are so far from being degrees of higher perfection, that they are superstitious and sinful snares, in which no Christian may entangle himself.11 7 2 Thess. Thomas Winnel, Pastor, Taunton, Som. 1:19-21, 2:14,15; Psalm 19:1-3 God alone is Lord of the conscience,12 and has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are in any thing contrary to his word, or not contained in it.13  So that to believe such doctrines, or obey such commands out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience;14 and the requiring of an implicit faith, an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience and reason also.15 6:14 20 Deut. 36:27; Eph. 22. 4 Ps. 1 Exod. This makes the baptism a congregational event in which we are reminded not only of the grace promised in our baptism, but of our responsibility to believe those gracious promises and act on those beliefs. Whereas there is none that does good and does not sin,2 and the best of men may, through the power and deceitfulness of their corruption dwelling in them, with the prevalency of temptation, fall in to great sins and provocations; God has, in the covenant of grace, mercifully provided that believers so sinning and falling be renewed through repentance unto salvation.3 3:28 4 Ps. 42:1; 1 Pet. 6:3 2:16; Rom. 5 Acts 11:29,30 11:26 2 James 1:13; 1 John 1:5 4:8 1:7; 1 Cor. Moreover, the Lord continues: ‘ But he that believeth not shall be damned .’ This shows that even if a person could not have Baptism administered to himself, he would be saved, as long as he believed.” 30 The person’s response to the act of baptism, then, is the same as the person’s response to the spoken gospel. Hansard Knollys, Pastor Broken Wharf, London 8:15 And, in fact, I still use these when I am privileged to participate in a baptism, as I did most recently with my daughter when she professed her personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the faith once for all entrusted to the saints. 6:1,2; Titus 2:11,12,14, Paragraph 4. 12 1 Cor. 119:68 . 10 Isa. 6:2,5 5:24 11. 29:13, Paragraph 2. After God had made all other creatures, He created man, male and female,4 with reasonable and immortal souls,5 rendering them fit unto that life to God for which they were created; being made after the image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness;6 having the law of God written in their hearts,7 and power to fulfill it, and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject to change.8 Hosea 3:6,14,15, Paragraph 13. 30 Rom. 14:26,40, Paragraph 7. This makes baptism both a joyous and a challenging experience to the congregation. 21 Ps. 4;4 5 Rom. 18 Ps. Baptist Confession of Faith. 17.      We the MINISTERS, and MESSENGERS of, and concerned for upwards of, one hundred BAPTIZED CHURCHES, in England and Wales (denying Arminianisim), being met together in London, from the third of the seventh month to the eleventh of the same, 1689, to consider of some things that might be for the glory of God, and the good of these congregations, have thought meet (for the satisfaction of all other Christians that differ from us in the point of Baptism) to recommend to their perusal the confession of our faith, which confession we own, as containing the doctrine of our faith and practice, and do desire that the members of our churches respectively do furnish themselves therewith. God did from all eternity decree to justify all the elect,11 and Christ did in the fullness of time die for their sins, and rise again for their justification;12 nevertheless, they are not justified personally, until the Holy Spirit in time does actually apply Christ to them.13