Psalm 51:5—“in sin did my mother conceive me”

Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom (Ps. 51:4-6).

BAPTIST ARGUMENT:

“David talks about being ‘conceived in sin,’ yet you Reformed view your children as being ‘regenerate’ from conception. That makes no sense.”

(I)

Prof. David J. Engelsma

The adult Anabaptist confesses being conceived in sin and retaining this sinful nature, yet views himself as being regenerate. This makes no more sense in the Anabaptist mind than the regeneration of elect children in infancy.

All humans are conceived in sin and remain totally depraved of nature as long as they live (Romans 7). This is not the issue. The issue is whether God mercifully regenerates the elect children of believers in infancy, or only regenerates the elect when they come to adulthood.

Biblical evidence that God saves the elect children in childhood includes the covenant promise that God will be the God of believers and their seed (Genesis 17; Ephesians 6). God is the God of the seed of Abraham by saving them. Then there is the salvation of Jeremiah from infancy (Jer. 1) and of John the Baptist while he was yet in his mother's womb (Luke 1).

The salvation of infants is closely connected with the application to them of the covenant sign of salvation. Infants were circumcised in the old covenant. Baptism has the same significance as circumcision (Col. 2) and therefore ought to be applied to the infant children of believers, signifying the salvation of the elect children already in infancy.

The question applies to godly child rearing. We Reformed teach our children to honor their parents in the Lord (Eph. 6). How can they do this if they do not honor and love the Lord Jesus Christ as saved persons? Ephesians 6 clearly teaches that the children, as children, are in the Lord as saved members of His church.

How does an Anabaptist rear children?

The fifth commandment of the law implies that children already in childhood are members of the covenant people of God by the saving work of the Spirit. (DJE, 05/08/2019)

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(II)

More to come! (DV)