Infant Baptism and the Silence of the New Testament

by Bryan Holstrom

Publisher:

Ambassador

, 2008

Overview

Since the time of the Reformation some Christians have argued that the historic church’s practice of infant baptism is without proper biblical warrant. The most frequently heard refrain from those in this camp is that because the New Testament contains no explicit command to baptize the infant children of believers, the practice is ultimately based upon an “argument from silence.”

In Infant Baptism and the Silence of the New Testament, Bryan Holstrom turns that assertion on its head, arguing that the silence of the New Testament is actually support for the practice. Conversely, he demonstrates that the New Testament actually has much to say in support of the baptism of infants, albeit in indirect (but important) ways. The result is a straightforward and non-technical presentation of the biblical case for infant baptism that is designed to help Christians on both sides of the divide better understand the issues involved, and appreciate the covenantal basis upon which the Reformed church retained the historic practice.

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Key Features

• An analysis of the sacrament of baptism in light of New Testament scripture
• An argument appropriate for the thoughtful Christian without formal theological education
• A frank, well-considered case for infant baptism

Contents

• Introduction
• The Covenantal Basis for Baptism
• Baptism as the Replacement for Circumcision
• Jesus’ Blessing of the Little Children
• The Baptisms in Acts
• The Evidence from Church History
• Infant Baptism as a Sign and Seal
• The Reformation and Infant Baptism
• The Importance of the Matter

Top Highlights

“Any Reformed Christian who knows Scripture and is honest about it, has to admit that there is no explicit instruction concerning the baptism of infants to be found in the New Testament. On the other hand, it is also true that this silence cuts both ways, for the Baptist would also have to admit that there is no explicit injunction against baptizing infants.” (Page 20)

“He does, however, go on to define a covenant as ‘a bond in blood, sovereignly administered.’^{3” (Page 23)}

“The bottom line is this: though the sign changes with the coming of the new covenant, the Abrahamic covenant continues unabated, until the last of those for whom Christ gave His life is welcomed into the Kingdom. It is, after all, an everlasting covenant.” (Page 33)

“This passage demonstrates the essential continuity and progression of the covenant signs, circumcision and baptism. Paul’s message to the Colossians that they did not need to undergo physical circumcision because they had received the spiritual reality of it, which was confirmed and sealed at their baptism, presents baptism as the sign to which circumcision was ultimately pointing.” (Page 38)

“I eventually came to a startling conclusion—the lack of an explicit biblical command regarding the baptism of infants was a problem not for the Reformed Christian, but for the Baptist! I came to see that there was actually a positive scriptural case to be made for the practice, and came to believe it to be the more biblically faithful and convincing of the two positions.” (Page 21)

Praise for the Print Edition

Bryan Holstrom has written an excellent book and I hope that it gets into the hands of many readers. He has served the church and the cause of biblical truth well. Those holding a Baptist view will find themselves challenged in the best sort of way—by a thorough exploration of biblical teaching. Paedobaptists themselves will be pushed to think in richer and more biblically consistent ways about their practice of infant baptism. May this book serve to heal the divisions in Christ’s church and to encourage Christians to embrace more meaningfully.

—David VanDrunen, Robert B. Strimple professor of systematic theology and Christian ethics, Westminster Seminary California

Product Details

• Title: Infant Baptism and the Silence of the New Testament
• Author: Bryan Holstrom
• Publisher: Ambassador
• Publication date: 2008
• Pages: 156

About Bryan Holstrom

Bryan Holstrom is a ruling elder at Covenant of Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Batavia, Illinois. He is the author of Infant Baptism and the Silence of the New Testament and Thinking Rightly of Christ: What Scripture Really Says about Him—And Why It Matters.