Tried With Fire

There's been a recent post by a well-known Baptist pastor on making church membership more meaningful. One of his points advocates that children be denied baptism and church membership. (See point 5 here. )  I can see why my Presbyterian friends would object to this. As a 1689 Baptist, I would respectfully disagree with the Presbyterians on who is a member of the covenant of grace, but I would also respectfully disagree with Pastor Dever. (Of note, what follows is solely my opinion and not meant to reflect the opinions of my local church.) If Baptists believe that those who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and given new life are members of the covenant of grace, why would we deny them baptism? If adults and children are saved in the same manner, then why is the covenant sign denied to one group and not the other? If children need to grow in maturity and may have lapses, don't adults? Does anyone walk so perfectly as a Christian that there was never a moment of doubt...

72. Q. Does the outward washing with water itself wash away sins? A. No, only Jesus Christ's blood and the Holy Spirit cleanse us from all sins. 73. Q. Why then does the Holy Spirit call baptism the washing of rebirth and the washing away of sins? A. God has good reason for these words. He wants to teach us that the blood and Spirit of Christ wash away our sins just as water washes away dirt from our bodies. But more important, He wants to assure us, by this divine pledge and sing, that the washing away of our sins spiritually is as real as physical washing with water. *74. Q. Should infants, too, be baptized? A. Yes. Infants as well as adults in God's covenant and are His people/ They, no less than adults, are promised the forgiveness of sin through Christ's blood and the Holy spirit who produces faith. Therefore, by baptism, the mark of the covenant, infants shroud be received into the Christian church and should be distinguished from the children of unbelievers....