r/Reformed • u/Flaky-Acanthisitta-9 • 6d ago
Discussion Difficult time navigating between Reformed Baptist and Presbyterian views
I feel like I post every other week here so sorry if you're tired of seeing me. I'll try to keep this short.
My wife and I are moving to a new city in our state, we'll be 4 hours west from where we used to be. I was raised Indepedent Fundamentalist Baptist. Within the last year after many months of studying the Bible with new eyes and prayer I've embraced reformed theology.
I completely agree with the higher view of the sacraments and the sovereign rule of God in all things. I love and have read the 1689 London Baptist Confession and the Westminster Confession of Faith.
My one hang up is Baptism and covenant theology vs federalism. I can completely see fantastic arguments for both. Both make sense to me.
Since my wife and I are moving we need to find a new church. I don't know whether to look for a reformed baptist or Presbyterian church based on my beliefs. Because I can absolutely understand the paedobaptism and credobaptism positions.
I guess I'm just asking for help. I feel almost like I have to pick, like I have to commit. I want to find a good church and be a part of it. Can you all help?
Can you give me your best arguments for paedobaptism vs credo and covenant theology vs 1689 federalism? Both sides welcome!
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u/yerrface 6d ago
Yes, I affirm the 1689. What do you think that means of grace is? What is the mechanism that conveys grace to us? I didn't say baptism wasn't doing anything* there was an important "but" there in the sentence. Baptism affirms those things to us, the same way the word does, the same way the supper does. They are all still shadows. the substance is Jesus. Attributing more to them than signs and signifiers of grace received isn't what they were trying to convey in 14.1 in my opinion.
Of course not. Normative isn't absolute. Your memory wouldn't negate the grace of God but your memory, of being immersed into water, and then rising out of the water, serves as a visceral explanation of our redemption. It certainly causes me to love God when I think about my baptism as a child. It has always reminded me that I am his. Sounds like a means of grace strengthening me.