Like most Baptists, Fred Zaspel is confused concerning the New Covenant, the Gospel, and where children fit in. He writes, "We wonder in the first place on what exegetical ground our Reformed paedobaptist brothers can affirm the idea of covenants being made with believers and their children." Um... how about because Peter said so!
"For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself." Acts 2:39
What was it Jesus said again? "When I am lifted up from the Earth, I will draw all men to Myself" (John 12:32). God is calling all men to Himself. That does not mean, however, that all men will accept His calling.
I do not consider myself to be Reformed in the least, especially considering the early Christians rejected the core foundation of Calvinism (or the Doctrines of Grace, or TULIP) as heretical, having been originally taught by the Gnostics. But, consider this, my Baptist brothers and sisters: Which makes more sense? That with the coming of the New Covenant, male children, who partook of the Old Covenant, no longer had that blessing and were now excluded from the New Covenant, or that female children, who had no part of the Old Covenant, are now included and share the same blessing as the males in the New Covenant?
The New Covenant is always simpler, more inclusive, and greater reaching than the previous covenant. Eight-day-old male children received the sign and seal of the Old Covenant, which acted as a witness or testimony for or against them, and became members of the Old Covenant community. What faith can an eight-day-old express, Baptists?!?!? Be consistent! Why can children today not receive the sign and seal of the New Covenant, which acts as a witness or testimony for or against them, and become members of the New Covenant community? Where the male children were included in the Old Covenant, you would have us believe that all children are now excluded from the New Covenant??? So children are worse off under the New Covenant than they were under the Old Covenant? It seems to me that the New Covenant, which is far more inclusive and of greater reach, would now include all children.
Read that last paragraph again. Do it slowly if need be to let it sink in.
You are saying, Baptist, that children today are worse off under the New Covenant than they had been under the Old Covenant. Under the Old Covenant, at least the male children were partakers. But, according to you, all children are now excluded from the New Covenant and its promises. Again, it seems to me that a "better covenant" that is greater reaching and more inclusive would now include female children with the male children just as it includes gentiles with Jewish believers.
You attempt to argue that there are no examples of the children of believers being baptized in Scripture, yet you ignore the fact that there are no examples of the children of believers growing up and being baptized (as you believe) either. You claim that it is reaching to assume that the household baptisms in Scripture had infant children, but you ignore the fact that it is just as reaching for you to assume that they did not. Especially considering people had more children in the past than most people do today. Furthermore, the Greek is on our side. Every case says the householder believed (singular) and the household (plural) was baptized.
You also have history to contend with. The earliest mention of infant baptism is from the second century. You would have us believe that the apostles never taught such a practice, and yet within 50 years it was being taught and no one objected to it?!?!? The fact is, infant baptism has been practiced for the majority of church history by the majority of denominations, and is still practiced by the majority of denominations today. Granted, many of them, like yourselves, do not fully understand baptism, but nevertheless it is what it is.
If you do not understand how the New Covenant is simpler, more inclusive, and greater reaching than the Old Covenant, then you clearly have not been paying attention and have no understanding of the differences between the covenants.
"Leave the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14