This Lord's Day is taken from Acts chapter 2, verse 39. For the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. The essence of our salvation in Jesus Christ is God's promise, not His commandments. His work, not our fleshly efforts. His power to save, not our strength to save ourselves. His righteousness, not our feeble attempts to keep His law. His gracious gift, not our meritorious works. Let me quickly add that I am not saying that God no longer desires our obedience to His holy commandments. Certainly one of the fruits of a genuine salvation in the life of a Christian is that he will desire to demonstrate his love for the Lord by walking in His path of righteousness and truth. With David, who was a man after God's own heart, the Christian will profess by his words and by his deeds, Oh, how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day. However, dear ones, we must understand the essential difference as to nature between promise and command. The essential nature of promise and of salvation is not God's holy and righteous commandments. For none of us in our fallen state can keep God's commandments. Since the fall of man into sin, no human being except Christ, who added to his divine person a sinless humanity. No one since the fall except Christ has escaped the effects of Adam's first sin. Not only was the first sin of Adam accounted as the sin of all his posterity who descend from him by ordinary generation, whether man, woman, or child, But the corruption of Adam's nature, like a dreaded plague, has infected every child at the very moment of conception. So that all of us and all of our children, according to God's inspired word, are sinners by way of Adam's first sin and by way of the corruption of our natures. Dear ones, if we would understand, therefore, the gracious nature of God's salvation, we must see ours and our children's desperately needy condition before God from the moment of conception. Not simply from the moment they turn five or six or seven, but from the moment of conception. And certainly from the time in which they are born, we should see their desperately needy condition. In some churches, it is not uncommon to hear the phrase, the age of accountability, which simply refers to the age at which a child becomes accountable before God for his sin. Interestingly enough, there is no consensus even within these churches as to when this so-called age of accountability begins. Whether at 8 years, or 12 years, or 13, or 16, or 18, or 21, or earlier, or in between, or later, there is no consensus. And you know, the reason why there is no unified consensus is because God in His Word does not teach that we only become accountable before God once we reach a particular level of knowledge and understanding. God makes it exceedingly clear, dear ones, that we become personally accountable before God for our sin at the moment of conception. Now, inasmuch as it is my own dear grandson, Pierce Martin Dubitz, that is being baptized this Lord's Day, you can be fully assured that if there was some way that I, as a grandparent, could soften the blow about his inherent corruption and sinfulness before God, I would certainly do so. But I cannot do so. I cannot do so if I would be faithful to God. And I cannot do so if I would be faithful to you and to your children. I must faithfully point out to you and to all the children present today your desperate need of Jesus Christ because of your sinful condition from the moment of conception. And that is why it is so important that we understand that what we need from Jesus Christ because of our sin and our lost estate is not His commandment to save us, but we need His promise to save us. Because we can't keep His commandments. Dear ones, our children are not conceived nor born into the world in some kind of righteous state, nor in some neutral state of innocency. Listen very carefully to the words of our God. In Psalm 51, verse 5, David says, Behold, I was shapen in iniquity. And in sin did my mother conceive me." That does not refer to the fact that David's mother sinned by unfaithfulness with another man, but it refers to the very state in which David was conceived in a sinful and corrupt condition. In Psalm 58.3, again, we find these words. of David, the wicked are estranged from the womb. They go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. God's testimony, beloved, in Scripture is more than sufficient to establish the sinfulness of our children at conception. But I also appeal to the universal testimony of experience which is observable by all. Namely, that it is not only children who reach a particular level of knowledge and understanding who experience death, but rather infants. Yea, children who are yet in their mother's womb, who fall under the sentence of death, God explains to us in Romans 6.23 that the wages of sin is what? Death. Universal death, dear ones, among all human beings, including little infants, is the result of universal sin among all human beings, including infants. This is so clearly pointed out by the Apostle Paul in Romans 5, verse 12-14, where Paul draws a comparison in particular respects between the headship of Adam, who represented all his seed descending from him by ordinary generation, and the headship of the Lord Jesus Christ, who represented all his seed given to him by God to save, and eternity passed. And between the effects of Adam's disobedience and the effects of Christ's obedience, in Romans 5.12, it says, Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. That is, all have sinned in that one man, namely Adam. Adam was constituted as the federal head. He was the father of all of his children. And as the legal representative of his seed who were in his loins, when he sinned, that first sin, all his descendants sinned in him. In verse 13, Paul continues, for until the law, sin was in the world. But sin is not imputed when there is no law. That is, until the giving of the law by Moses, sin was yet in the world. And there was death that was evident because the sin was in the world. But if there was no express law given, why were they sinning? Paul is arguing in this manner. Why did they sin and why did death reign? Because, again, all men sinned in Adam. And in verse 14, he makes a particular application, I believe, to infants. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. In a particular way, as we consider a child, an infant, who is not conscious of what is right and what is wrong, does not have the consciousness to discern between good and evil, and yet, though they did not sin in the similitude or likeness of Adam, yet death reigns even upon them because they sinned in Adam. Thus, dear ones, because the age of accountability for us and our children is at conception, ours and our children's greatest need is for Jesus Christ and His salvation also from the moment of conception. Which brings us to the reason why salvation through Jesus Christ cannot be based upon commandments, for as we've noted, We can't keep them due to our sinful condition in nature. Thus, dear ones, if our children are to be saved, we must hope for their salvation only in the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ, not in their efforts, not in our efforts, but in the promise which Christ extends. It is not in the commandment. Salvation is not in the commandment. Salvation with regard to our children is not in the commandment, I will do or I will keep. But salvation of our children is in the promise, He will do and He will keep. For to think that salvation is in the commandment is to place ourselves under the covenant of works. And Paul says, by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Whereas to place our confidence in the promise of Christ is to place ourselves under the covenant of grace. Whereby in 2 Corinthians 6.16 God says, by way of promise, I will be their God. and they shall be my people." Of course, we do not deny that faith is necessary for a child, an adult, who embraces Jesus Christ, who enjoys salvation. We do not deny that faith will be exercised in Christ. But we would say, that even the command to believe is not a commandment essentially considered, but is based upon promise, because it is only by the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who purchased a new heart for us, and faith for us, and by the gracious gift of the Holy Spirit, who applies saving faith in our lives gives us the faith to believe. It is still, from beginning to end, dear ones, based upon promise and not ultimately and essentially upon commandment. Jesus Christ is the author and the finisher of our faith, the author and finisher of our children's faith. Our text for this Lord's Day is lodged within Peter's sermon to the Israelites gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Pentecost. My outline for today's sermon is in the form of a proposition. Number one, those to whom the promise is made ought to be baptized. Number two, the promise is made to adults and children. And number three, therefore, adults and children ought to be baptized. Let us consider together then, first of all, that first point. Those to whom the promise is made ought to be baptized. And I would simply make as we begin, looking at the body of the sermon, some remarks regarding the context of this particular verse in Acts 2.39. In Acts chapter 2, we find the details concerning which the Holy Spirit of God is poured out upon his people by way of new covenant blessing, by way of abundance upon his people. And one of the blessings which was promised in the New Covenant was that God's people would enjoy a greater degree of the Spirit's blessing within their lives. We do not make some kind of stark dichotomy as if to say that the people of God in the Old Testament enjoyed no blessing from the Holy Spirit, but we do make the contrast that in the New Covenant we enjoy a greater effusion, an abundance of the blessings of the Lord due to the knowledge and the revelation which God has given to us and due to the actual accomplishment of the work of Christ upon the cross. This was extraordinarily and miraculously evidenced on the day of Pentecost by the Spirit of God giving to the apostles the ability of speaking in foreign languages which they had never learned. You'll see that in chapter 2, verses 4 through 11. The supernatural gift of speaking in foreign languages, which these men had never learned, also pointed, like a two-edged sword, to the need of Israel to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith. We find in 1 Corinthians chapter 14, the Apostle Paul says, in the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people, and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore, tongues," Paul says, are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not. In other words, Paul is saying that the gift of tongues that was given to the apostles was a distinct sign to Israel. that God was now no longer preaching to them or teaching through ministers in whose languages they could specifically understand, but now is a sign. He gives this gift of speaking in other languages. He gives this to the apostles so as to mark and to indicate for them that they are under the judgment of unbelief and that they are to turn to Christ. The response of the multitude in Jerusalem who heard God's praises being spoken in their own native languages was to ask the question, what meaneth this in Acts 2.12? What does all this mean? To which question Peter rises to the occasion and preaches a sermon that God blesses to the hearts of three thousand people. The thrust of Peter's sermon, as you read through Acts chapter 2, is upon the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who just some 50 days earlier had been crucified at the instigation and full approval of the Jews. However, God takes his preached word on this particular day and applies it to the hearts of those listening to such an extent that their consciences are pricked within them And they now ask the disciples at the conclusion of Peter's sermon, men and brethren, what shall we do? In light of all that you have said about our guilt before God, that we crucified the Lord of glory, we put him to death in open shame, what shall we do? You see, dear ones, one of the divine purposes accomplished by God's Spirit in faithful preaching is that of stirring up within our conscience, within our mind, our heart, that which we have erred, ways in which we have sinned against the Lord our God, ways we have perhaps exercised unbelief and unfaithfulness, so that we might see our desperate need of Christ, whether we are unsaved, unconverted, or even whether we are converted, to continue to be pricked in our conscience when we sin against the Lord, so that we are stirred up to flee to Christ for His mercy and His grace, so that we can cry out like these people do, What shall I do? What shall I do? Faithful preaching should not, dear ones, make us comfortable nor complacent. Faithful preaching should not make us self-righteous nor self-sufficient as it relates to our salvation and growth in Jesus Christ. However, faithful preaching should challenge us to look at our sin, but not to continue to simply look at our sin. But once we see the seriousness of our sin, to look to the Lord Jesus Christ for His mercy and grace, and our need of Him, and thereby to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ, and to learn that we can never place confidence in the flesh. That brings us to Acts chapter 2 verse 38, wherein Peter answers the question put to him, what shall we do? Peter responds in Acts 2.38 by saying, Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Now this particular verse all by itself is loaded with so many questions of a theological nature I can only very briefly touch upon some of the issues that are covered here, but I think it's important that I do touch briefly upon them nevertheless. Peter says, repent. Specifically, he refers to the need of these Jews to acknowledge their sin in having crucified the Lord Jesus Christ. to furthermore grieve and to sorrow in their hearts over having done so. You remember in Zechariah that the Lord prophesied that there will come a day when his people Israel will mourn in sorrow and grieve over the Lord as an only begotten Son who has perished. That is what the Lord calls Israel to do here. Repent. not only of that sin, but all the sins generally, which they have certainly committed against Christ. Now, although faith is not specifically mentioned, Peter doesn't say, believe, then repent, and as you'll see, chronological order of things is really not what is being emphasized in this particular verse anyway. But we must infer that if they were to repent, and if they could repent, they must also be able to believe, because it is first of all faith in Jesus Christ that gives us the grace, and from which flows the grace to repent and have genuine sorrow and grief toward the Lord. Next, Peter states that each of them, and I emphasize that in Peter's message, he says, Be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ. Be baptized every one of you. Be baptized each of you in the name or I might say in the authority of Christ for the remission of sins. The Lord is not giving to through Peter to the Jews here a formula by which to administer baptism, baptized in the name, specifically in the name of Jesus Christ, that formula has already been given to us in Matthew chapter 28, where we're told to baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. What Peter is emphasizing here is that they are to be baptized in the name or in the authority of Christ. Because they had put Christ to death, they must recognize the authority, the power of Jesus Christ who has given to them this particular sacrament of baptism. Notice that he says, furthermore, that they are to be baptized in the name of Christ for the remission of sin. Now, again, it's one of those particular passages where many would like to see in that passage or in that text a baptismal regeneration that baptism actually accomplishes and effects inward and spiritual regeneration in the life of all those who are baptized. But I hasten to point out, it does not say they are to be baptized in order that they might have remission of sins. It says that they are to be baptized for or with a view to remission of sins. And that's vastly different. to be baptized with a view to remission of sins. That is, water baptism is the outward sign of the remission of sins which is promised to us. Baptism is with that in mind. Baptism looks to that. It's a sign of Christ forgiving his people of their sins. Dear ones, water baptism no more forgives sin in the New Covenant than circumcision forgave sin in the Old Covenant. They are both outward signs which point to the promise of forgiveness in Jesus Christ. You remember in Romans chapter 4, Abraham, Paul says, was justified A part of justification is the pardoning and the forgiving of all of a person's sins. However, Abraham was justified before circumcision, before the sign of the covenant was administered. Paralleling that in the New Covenant, likewise, it is not baptism that brings forgiveness of sin. It is the Spirit of God which applies the work of the Lord Jesus Christ in our life that brings forgiveness of sin. And you would also note in Acts chapter 10 that Cornelius was not baptized so that he might receive forgiveness of sin, but in Acts chapter 10 it says that the Holy Spirit first fell upon him, which a part of that work of the Holy Spirit is the forgiveness of our sin, creating faith within us, trust in Jesus Christ, looking to him. And then he was baptized afterwards in Acts chapter 10. Someone might ask, I raised the question, what does Mark 16.16 then mean? Mark 16.16, the Lord in this account of his great commission says, he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. And those who Those who believe in a baptismal regeneration argue from this passage that one can only be saved by believing and being baptized. However, if Christ is teaching that in order to be saved, one must actively and consciously profess a genuine faith in Jesus Christ and be baptized, then I submit to you that he would be excluding all those dying in infancy before they can make such a profession of faith, which is certainly not the case. For we find in Luke 18.15 that Jesus says that those little children who are brought to him, who are described as infants, of such is the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God belongs to these that he took up in his arms and blessed, who could not yet actively and consciously profess their faith in Christ. We also know that the rest of this particular verse says, but he that believeth not shall be damned. It does not say, he that believeth not and is not baptized shall be damned. And we have all the examples that I have already alluded to in the case of Cornelius. He was given the Spirit of God, salvation, before he was baptized. Well, Peter then proclaims, dear ones, back to Acts chapter 2, He then proclaims that these are the ones who are recipients of God's gracious gift of the Spirit in their lives. These very ones who are baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sin, looking toward that as a sign and a seal of the remission of sin. He says, are those who receive the promise of God's Spirit. And I would have you note, before we move on to the second point at this particular time, that it is the very promise of forgiveness of sin and the very promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit that is signified and sealed in baptism. I mentioned the remission of sin as being signified in baptism. In 1 Peter 1.12 it says that we are sprinkled with the blood of Christ, indicating that it is by his blood that we are forgiven. But I also mention to you that it is the gift of the Spirit as well that our baptism signifies and seals. In Acts chapter 1, verses 4 and 5, the Lord Jesus says that John came baptizing with water. But you shall be baptized not many days henceforth. You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. So that water baptism signifies spirit baptism. And thus we can draw at this particular point, at least this conclusion, that all of those who are baptized in water, each of you, or every one of you, Peter says, be baptized. And all of those to whom that refers receive the promise in their baptism, receive or are given the promise of the remission of sin and the gift of the Holy Spirit. That is what their baptism signifies and seals. Well, having noted that, let us consider then the second main point. which is, the promise is made to adults and children. You remember the first point stated, those to whom the promise is made ought to be baptized, now the second point, the promise is made to adults and children. In verse 38, he simply says, that all of them are to be baptized. Who are the all of them who are to be baptized in the name of Christ for the remission of sins? In verse 39, he says, For the promise is unto you and your children. For the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Just as the Jews had cried out some 50 days earlier in Matthew 27.25, His blood be on us and our children. They had cried that out in derision and scorn, not because they wanted to be covered in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust in Him, but they cried out in derision. We will be responsible, and we take that responsibility of crucifying the Lord not only upon us, but upon our children. And so, likewise, as we look at verse 39, because it may have come to their attention. What if we repent? What state and status are our children in? We brought the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ not only upon ourselves, but our children. Peter says the promise of remission of sin and the gift of the Holy Spirit is not only for you who can believe and who do believe at this point in time, but it is for your children as well. There's a difference between a promise made and a promise realized. The promise is made to all who hear the gospel and to all who receive baptism, for baptism is simply the visible gospel. There is the preached gospel going forth from the pulpit, but afterwards, in the sacrament, there is the visible gospel administered. There is a promise made as you hear, all within the sound of my voice. There is a promise given to you today. to come to Christ, to receive His life, that He will be your God and you will be His people. And there is that same promise made in baptism, that the Lord will forgive sin, that the Lord will give His gift of the Spirit. The promise is made, but the promise is realized when we come to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is realized in our life, whereby our sins are forgiven, whereby we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit when we believe. I would point out to you, dear ones, that this is simply the same promise that is made in Acts 2.39, that Peter mentions, that was made to Abraham and his seed 2,000 years before, in Genesis 17.7. There, the Lord promised Abraham And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee and their generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee." And in token of that promise that was made to Abraham, God gave to him the sign of circumcision. The same promise, dear ones, is made to us and to our children. God says, I will be a God to you and to your children. And the token, the sign of that particular promise in the New Covenant is baptism. Some may ask, but perhaps the children referred to in Acts 2.39 for children who are capable of making a profession of faith and trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ. But you search in vain to find a qualification with regard to the children. All of your children are encompassed under God's covenant. God says he will be a God to all of our children. He makes that promise to us. As to the realization of that particular promise in their lives, whereby they know the Lord their God, whereby they trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, they must come to Christ. They must place their faith in Him alone for their eternal salvation. But God becomes their God in a very real manner, even externally, long before that is the case, because he becomes their God in sitting them in the congregation of God's people and speaking to them his word by his preacher. He speaks to his children this Lord's Day by giving to them the sign, the seal of baptism. He becomes their God, even externally. They are brought into that covenant relationship, externally, to enjoy many blessings. But as to the internal realization of that covenant, they must turn to Christ. But Christ and the Holy Spirit will draw them unto Himself. It is His work. and he will accomplish it by way of promise. The covenant which God made with Abraham, dear ones, is the same covenant that God makes with us in the New Covenant according to Galatians chapter 3. In that particular verse, in Galatians 3.14, It says that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. And so the blessing, the promise of Abraham is ours as Gentiles as well. Therefore, that's why Peter could say to the Israelites on the day of Pentecost, the promise is unto you and to your children. because it is a continuation of the Abrahamic promise and covenant which was being preached to them. I dare say that there would have been a major uprising on that particular day had the Jews been informed that no longer are their children a part of God's covenant. For 2,000 years they had been a part of God's covenant, but all of a sudden, at this precise moment, they're no longer a part of God's covenant. There would have been an utter uproar. No, Peter is not denying what was said to Abraham. He is simply affirming what God had previously said to Abraham. Before we look at the last main point very briefly, let me simply note that God does save infants. The promise is actually not simply given, but is actually realized in the lives of infants as well. In Luke 18.15, as I noted earlier, of such is the kingdom of God, taking his taking in his arms these little children, these infants, laying his hand upon them, praying for them, blessing them. Of such is the kingdom of heaven. David in Psalm 22.9 says that he hoped in the Lord while even upon his mother's breast. Jeremiah speaks God speaks concerning Jeremiah that he from the womb was sanctified and set apart unto God. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb. Timothy, in 2 Timothy 3, that from a child, literally a babe, thou hast known the scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation from babyhood or infancy. Thus, dear ones, not only is the promise made, but God in His sovereign mercy and grace causes the promise in His time and according to His purposes to be realized in the lives of even infants. And therefore I ask, if indeed God saves infants, Who are we to deny the sign of that salvation, the sign of that covenant from those whom God does save? Therefore, dear ones, finally, in conclusion, the last point, since the promise is made to adults and to children, the third point, All children of believing parents ought to be baptized. For if the promise belongs to them, then the sign of the promise belongs to them, which is baptism. And it belongs to as many as the Lord our God shall call in this particular text, those whom the Lord calls, is, I believe, a reference to the general call of the gospel that's preached, not to the effectual call. I believe that this is where Jesus says, many are called, but few are chosen. That whomever the Lord calls to himself by way of the gospel, whether adult or child, they have the promise. given, and that promise is signed, signified, and sealed in baptism. Just by way of one or two items as application, we must recognize though salvation is of the Lord, God has ordained not only the ends But God ordains the means, and one of the means by which God has ordained that our children come to Him is by the faithful tutelage, teaching, law, correction, discipline that's administered by parents. Do not consider that because salvation is of the Lord, that because it is by way of God's promise, when He says, I will do so, that we therefore can simply do nothing. No, the Lord has ordained the means as well as the ends. And so apply yourselves, dear parents, to the means of instructing, loving, and teaching your children in the ways of the Lord, praying for them that God would have mercy upon their souls and draw them unto Christ. And by way of application as well, we must all become like little children if we would see the Kingdom of Heaven. If we would enter into God's Kingdom, Jesus says, we must all become like little children. In what way? I submit to you by way of our own helplessness before God, by way of saying to the Lord, I can do nothing. I can do nothing to accomplish my salvation. It is all of Thee. The promises which God has made to us, dear ones, are realized in our, not our arrogance, not in our self-sufficiency, but in trusting in His sufficiency and in His promises, in His grace and mercy, in His free gifts. what He offers to us. So we must become like little children in conversion, and we must remain in that sense like little children throughout our whole life. Certainly in one sense we're ever-growing in maturity and our knowledge of Christ, but in another sense, like children, we must continually be crying out to the Lord in utter dependency for His help. We must like an infant cling to Christ and drink freely of the blessings of salvation. And dear ones, we pray not only this for ourselves, but we pray this as well for our children, for the promises unto you and to your children. Please stand with me in prayer. Our gracious God and Father, we do humbly come before Thee, for we recognize that in ourselves, by nature, we are estranged from Thee. But in Thy grace and mercy, through Thy promise, Thou has brought us nigh unto Thee. Thou has given to us faith. Thou has given to us trust in Christ. Thou has given to us a sufficient Savior who is who is able to forgive all of our sin, and who will do so because he died to do so. We praise Thee, our Father, that Thou hast given such exceedingly glorious promises to us that our children are encompassed in the covenant of grace. And, O Lord, our God, we pray that the promise made to them, even externally in the gospel that's preached And in the baptism that is administered, the gospel that is seen there visibly, we pray that the promise would be realized in the lives of our children. We do pray. We do hope in Thee. We do look to Thee alone, O Lord our God, to be the author and the finisher of our faith and of the faith of our children. We ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen. At this time, it is our great privilege to administer the sign and seal of baptism to this little child. And since we have given an entire sermon and devoted an entire sermon to the warrant and the nature of baptism, let me simply say that Christ has authorized in the Great Commission that we baptize, not simply individuals here and there, but he says to go forth, disciple all nations, baptizing them, all nations, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. So that is our goal. We're looking forward to national baptism, not simply baptisms here and there. For that is what the Lord gave his power and authority to accomplish here upon the earth, which will be realized in the millennial period. But at this particular time, we need warrant, and Christ has given us warrant that we're to do so. We have also explained in the course of the sermon that since the promise applies to our children, therefore the sign of that promise, baptism, should be applied to our children. We have also noted that baptism cannot save little Pierce. It is only the Lord Jesus Christ who can save Pierce. But we bring him to be baptized out of obedience to the Lord, and so that this wondrous sign is a means of grace that God might use this in later years in Pierce's life. And so, with great joy we do invite Murray and Kristen to bring little Pierce forward at this time. And I will give to these questions to both Murray and Kristen, but Murray will be responding on behalf of his family in answer to these questions. Murray, do you willingly profess an earnest desire that Pierce be baptized? Do you acknowledge that your child is conceived and born in sin and therefore in need of a savior and that by virtue of being born into your covenant household, he is entitled to the covenant sign and seal of baptism. Do you acknowledge that by Pierce's baptism, he is formally bound to fight against the devil, the world, and the flesh? Do you promise to bring up Pierce in the knowledge of the true Christian religion and in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, realizing that your obedience in this solemn duty may be the means by which God's blessing is enjoyed in his life, and that your negligence in this solemn duty may bring God's wrath not only upon yourself, but also upon your family. A time of great rejoicing, but certainly a solemn duty. A time that we should all be reflecting upon our children's baptism and how we are seeking, by God's grace, to keep that covenant which we have made with God to raise our children to the knowledge and instruction of the Lord, as well as a time to reflect upon our own baptism and to renew our own covenant with the Lord that we take up again the cause, if we have allowed in any way the cause of Christ to fall to the ground, that we ourselves renew our covenant to fight against the devil, the world, and the flesh. Please stand with me in prayer as we ask God bless this time. Our Father, we do pray that Thou would now bless this time which we offer to thee, that thou would bless this little one, that thou would cause thy blessing to rest upon him, and that as, Lord, he hears thy truth proclaimed in years to come, as he is instructed in a godly home, as he learns of the meaning of his baptism, that all of these would be means of grace to draw him to the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen. Pierce Martin Dubitz, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Please stand again with me in prayer. O Lord our God, it is thee that are faithful. It is Thee that will supply the grace for Mary and Kristen to do, Father, and fulfill their covenant with Thee. And, O Father, when they do sin against that covenant, O Lord, give them the grace to repent before Thee and to even repent before little Pierce and Harrison. We ask, O Lord, that Thy blessing would rest upon this family, that Thou would add to them many more children. to glorify Thee. We do pray for all of our covenant children, O Lord our God, that Thou would hedge them about from the wiles of the enemy, from the temptations in this world, that Thou would cause, Lord, Thy salvation to be magnified and glorified in the lives of our children. We do offer them to Thee, and we do trust in Thee. We do rest our hope in Thee alone. In Jesus name, Amen. This Reformation audio track is a production of Stillwaters Revival Books. You are welcome to make copies and give them to those in need. SWRB makes thousands of classic Reformation resources available, free and for sale, in audio, video, and printed formats. It is likely that the sermon or book that you just listened to is also available on cassette or video, or as a printed book or booklet. Our many free resources, as well as our complete mail-order catalog containing thousands of classic and contemporary Puritan and Reform books, tapes and videos at great discounts, is on the web at www.swrb.com. We can also be reached by email by phone at 780-450-3730 by fax at 780-468-1096 or by mail at 4710-37A Edmonton, that's E-D-M-O-N-T-O-N Alberta, abbreviated capital A, capital B, Canada, T6L3T5. You may also request a free printed catalog. And remember that John Calvin, in defending the Reformation's regulative principle of worship, or what is sometimes called the scriptural law of worship, commenting on the words of God, which I commanded them not, neither came into my heart. From his commentary on Jeremiah 731, writes, God here cuts off from men every occasion for making evasions, since He condemns by this one phrase, I have not commanded them, whatever the Jews devised. There is then no other argument needed to condemn superstitions than that they are not commanded by God. For when men allow themselves to worship God according to their own fancies, and attend not to His commands, they pervert true religion. And if this principle was adopted by the papists, all those fictitious modes of worship in which they absurdly exercise themselves would fall to the ground. It is indeed a horrible thing for the Papists to seek to discharge their duties towards God by performing their own superstitions. There is an immense number of them, as it is well known, and as it manifestly appears. Were they to admit this principle, that we cannot rightly worship God except by obeying His word, they would be delivered from their deep abyss of error. The Prophet's words, then, are very important, when he says that God had commanded no such thing, and that it never came to his mind, as though he had said that men assume too much wisdom when they devise what he never required, nay, what he never knew.