Please critique this outline of the argument for paedobaptism

[anotherpilgrim]

I have a couple of friends who have told me they would like to openly discuss the topic of baptism with me. Now, my friends have no background in covenant theology and I think may even need persuasion in why it is important to interpret scripture and doctrine in the order it was revealed; how the understanding of the old testament should inform our understanding of the new, etc...

In previous discussions with other friends, it has been almost impossible to start the discussion in one place and then proceed in a step-by-step fashion towards the conclusion because of all the interconnected doctrines that are involved in the study of baptism.

I've tried to see if there are other concise outlines out there that state the argument well, but didn't find anything that I thought was forceful for my friends to follow. So in an attempt to come up with a forceful, accurate, and complete outline of the argument for paedobaptism, so they have the a broad understanding of the overall case from the beginning of the conversation, I came up with the following; I'd really appreciate critiques, corrections, and improvements from all of you who have more experience tackling this issue.

Thanks!!

1. Since the fall of man, redemption could only occur through faith in the atonement provided by Christ.
2. Throughout redemptive history, God has interacted with his children in the context of a covenant. At the heart of all redemption covenants is justification by faith.
3. God establishes this covenant of justification by faith with Abraham and gives him the sign of circumcision as a sign that justification comes by faith.
4. God commands the sign of this covenant to be applied all those who fall under the spiritual headship of Abraham and to all who are henceforth born into the covenant community.
5. Those who are not of physical descent of Abraham may join the covenant community providing they and all those under their spiritual headship accept the sign of the covenant and continue to administer it to those born after them in the covenant community.
6. As the Israelite nation enters into the Mosaic covenant, aka the Old Covenant, God reiterates that the sign of justification by faith must continue to be administered to all currently in and born into the covenant community and must be administered to all not of physical descent who wish to become part of the covenant community.
7. Christ comes to establish the New Covenant. This New Covenant is new compared to the Mosaic covenant but of the same covenant as the promise made to Abraham.
8. Christ institutes baptism as the new sign of the same promise of justification by faith and of the promise of the seal of the Holy Spirit that is to come to those who are, justified by faith.
9. Christ commands this sign to be applied to all his disciples as the mark of entering into discipleship, that is entering into the covenant community.
10. Every account of baptism in the book of acts serves to establish that baptism is now the new sign of the same promise of justification by faith.
11. Every teaching regarding baptism in the new testament confirms that baptism is to signify the same promise of justification by faith as given to Abraham.
12. The New Testament teaches us to regard those born within the covenant community as disciples.
13. Therefore, by virtue of the fact that the sign of justification by faith is now baptism, and that the command to apply this sign to all covenant members and those born within the covenant community has been given repeatedly through the Bible and is still standing, and that Christ reiterated as much in the Great Commission, and that children born to believers are members of the covenant community and to be treated as disciples, it follows that children born in the covenant community are still to be given the sign of justification by faith as has been commanded by God, and to withhold the sign from them is disobedience to the command of God.

 

[Unoriginalname]

I am not skilled enough to give a good critique but I am curious as to what fault someone could find with your outline.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

I think it's a reasonable presentation.

No matter how good it could be (proof is in the pudding), you should:
1) have Scripture to support your arguments; and
2) be prepared to address at least some objections to your interpretations and arguments
3) anticipate certain objections, and deal with them

Don't expect people to readily concede their position, even if you have made a good rebuttal. The roots of "practices" are a whole lot deeper (or more extensive) than most people realize. Finding "internal logic" is a fundamental human brain-activity. So even people who do not know much "why they believe and why" nonetheless have an "intuitive" order to their thinking. May not be great shakes, but it works for them. And most people do not have sanguine responses to being unsettled--in any circumstances, on any subject, let alone something as significant as Christianity.

The people who have "invited" you to speak cordially with them might even get angry with you, if they thought you must be trying to confuse and stress them, if they start experiencing cognitive dissonance.

Please bear in mind that when you take it in hand to teach Scripture, you are assuming a grave responsibility. You may be reorganizing a persons's "closet," and neither you nor he may be well prepared for what falls out.

 

[Andres]

Anish,
I recently had the privilege of having my infant son baptized. Because I have many family/friends who are not paedobaptist, I wanted to explain to them at a simple lay-level, why I believed infant baptism to be scriptural. I wrote a post on my blog that you might find helpful if you'd care to read it.

As for your outline, I think it's good, my only suggestion is that if folks are ignorant of paedobaptism, then I am assuming they are ignorant of the language of covenants as well. As you mentioned, this is only an outline, so I trust you'll properly expound on each point. Lastly, as Bruce mentioned, back up all your points with scripture.