It is quite probable that some of you have grappled with the question whether the sacrament of baptism which was administered to you as an infant is of any real value to you. Possibly, some of you are even questioning whether infant baptism is a Biblical practice. These are indeed valid questions which deserve an honest, scriptural answer. This is especially needed today, as even within certain "Reformed" circles, infant bap­tism is branded as an unbiblical practice. How regretful it is that the issue of baptism has been a cause of division in the Christian church since the time of the Reformation, when the Anabaptists first introduced on a widespread basis the practice of adult (or believers') baptism in the church. What is most deplorable, however, is that this issue has, and continues to separate those who adhere to the same precious doctrines of grace.

Since this issue has caused division and separation, is it then not better to ignore it altogether? My answer is an emphatic "no"! The value of infant baptism is too great for the church as well as for you, and we therefore have a duty to vigorously defend this practice, which in Calvin's words, "receives such strong support from Scripture, (and) is by no means a human invention" (Institutes, IV, Ch. 16). Too often we allow ourselves to be intimidated by well-intentioned proponents of adult-baptism, many of whom (contrary to many among us) have made a careful study of this issue. I therefore suggest you to do likewise, as there are many excellent books available, which clearly demonstrate that infant baptism is consistent with the entire tenor of Scripture, was practiced by the apostles as well as the early church fathers, and was the unanimous position of the Reformers. An excellent way to begin this study would be a careful reading of chapters 15 and 16 in Book Four of the Institutes of John Calvin, where this man of God, so mighty in the Scriptures, deals with this issue in his usual thorough and precise manner.

In this article it is not my intention to address this issue, but to briefly discuss with you the great value which your baptism also has for you. To understand its value, we first of all need to establish the crucial relationship between baptism and the covenant of grace. In our form for the administration of baptism, the church of the Reformation confesses: "Baptism is a seal and undoubted testimony, that we have an eternal covenant of grace with God." It did so on the basis of its firm belief that in view of the perfect harmony between Old and New Testaments, baptism is the New Testament sacrament replacing the Old Testament sacrament of circumcision. Paul speaks of this in Colossians 2:11, 12, where he calls baptism "the circumcision without hands," and the "circumcision of Christ."

Since God Himself in Genesis 17 established the inseparable relationship between circumcision and His covenant of grace, the same relationship clearly exists between baptism and the covenant of grace as well. It is this relationship which is of the greatest importance as we consider the value of baptism. Calvin stresses both the importance of this relationship and the importance of the baptism of children in the following statement, "Since the Lord immediately after the covenant was made with Abraham ordered it (the covenant) to be sealed in infants by an outward sacrament, how can it be said that Christians are not to attest it (the covenant) in the present day, and seal it in their children? The covenant is common, and the reason for confirming it is common. The mode of confirming it is so far different, that they had circumcision, instead of which we now have baptism" (Institutes, IV, Ch. 16). This was the view of the entire church of the Reformation, and therefore the Heidelberg Catechism (answ. 74), the Belgic Confession of Faith (Art. 34), as well as the famous Westminster Confession of Faith (Art. XXVIII), speak of this relationship. This explains why our form for the administration of Baptism, also a document of the Reformation, refers to the covenant of grace no less than seven times. Here are two such references: "When we are baptized in the Name of the Father, God the Father witnesseth and sealeth unto us, that He doth make an eternal covenant of grace with us." "Baptism is an ordinance of God, to seal unto us and to our seed His covenant; therefore it must be used to that end." It is therefore self-evident that Rev. Kersten in his discussion about baptism, also expresses this truth in his Reformed Dogmatics, when he states, "God's covenant and promise are the unshakable grounds for the baptism of children" (Vol. 2, p. 517).

The thrust of all this is that the pri­mary focus of baptism is not at all on the person who receives the sacrament, but on the God of the sacrament, the God of the covenant of grace. Baptism is not a confirmation of the grace of the individual, but a confirmation of the grace of God's eternal covenant. This is why your baptism was such an important event for the congregation in general, as well as for you personally. God confirmed visibly that because of His eternal covenant He will continue to build His church from the children of the congregation, that because of His eternal covenant also you can be reconciled to Him and become a living member of His church. This wondrous truth was confirmed in two ways, namely by the mentioning of your name as well as the sprinkling of water upon your forehead.

You obviously know that in our society a legal agreement between two parties is established by means of a contract. In order to make this contract valid, both parties by means of a signature, will place their names on this contract. By joining their names on this document, they make the newly established relationship legal and binding. If for some reason this contract is voided, the union established between the names of the two parties, and therefore the parties themselves, is no longer in force. In the English used in our King James Version such a contract is always called a covenant.

As you know, the word covenant is used very frequently in Scripture, especially in the Old Testament. The use of the word is particularly dom­inant when reference is made to the relationship between Jehovah and His people Israel. Yet it must be understood that this biblical covenant relationship is not a contract or agreement as we would think of it in human terms. A human contract is an agreement between equals. This is clearly not the relationship that existed between God and Israel! The initiative for this covenant proceeded entirely from God and was established on His terms. This covenant relationship was therefore exclusively the result, and a glorious manifestation of Jehovah's sovereign good pleasure, in which the infinitely holy Jehovah joined His magnificent Name to a nation of finite sinners, for reasons entirely to be found within Himself. A greater contrast is not thinkable!

With this in mind, and considering what I have just stated about the relationship between baptism and the covenant of grace, let us briefly consider what occurred in Paradise. There God established the Covenant of Works with Adam; there the Creator of heaven and earth, whom the very heavens cannot contain, entered into a covenant relationship with His creature. What sovereign, incomprehensible condescension! There the eternal Jehovah joined His glorious Name to the name of Adam. Reverently speaking, we may say that both God and Adam signed a covenant with which they were entirely pleased. We know, however, the dreadful sequel to this event! Adam made this covenant null and void by entering into an agreement with God's arch-enemy, Satan. Adam, whose name had been joined to God's name, now joined his name to Satan's name, thereby making an agreement with hell itself. We know the wretched results of this breach of covenant; Adam was expelled from Paradise, as his holy Creator could no longer tolerate His unholy creature to be in His presence.

However, thanks be to God, this is not where Scripture ends! Immediately after Adam's breach of the Covenant of Works, God reveals a new covenant, the Covenant of Grace (Gen. 3:15). This covenant was drawn up already in the stillness of eternity, and to this covenant God the Father joined His glorious Name to the name of the second Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ! This covenant, however, is an unbreakable covenant, for it is written and signed with blood, the precious mediatorial blood of Christ, which guarantees eternal duration. What, however, is the blessed result of this covenant? On the basis of this covenant, God can again join His magnificent Name to the names of an innumerable multitude of sons and daughters of Adam, because He eternally joined His Name to the Name given above every name, the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is this wonderful truth which God has audibly and visibly confirmed at your baptism. That is the reason why your name and the Name of a Triune God were mentioned together! At that moment a Triune God swore a public oath that on the basis of the cleansing and atoning blood of His only begotten Son, symbolized by the sprin­kled water, He is able to join His Name to your name, and that therefore you, an unholy, guilty sinner can be fully reconciled and restored into the favor of a Triune God. That is the rich gospel message of the Covenant of Grace. Here God unveils the wondrous way whereby the broken covenant relationship between you and your Creator can be fully restored, namely as a result of Jesus Christ and Him crucified! On the basis of His precious blood, you, an unholy and unrighteous sinner, can again be restored into the presence and fellowship of a holy and righteous God. That is the blessed truth of the Covenant of Grace of which your baptism is an undoubted seal and testimony.

Think of it for a moment! The eternal Jehovah, who is of purer eyes than to behold evil, before whom the angels continuously exclaim, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty," permitted His glorious Name, which conveys the majesty and perfection of His Being, to be pronounced in conjunction with your name! In contrast, your name represents you, who were presented at baptism as a son or daughter of Adam, defiled with the guilt and pollution of original sin. We would never want our name associated with the name of a notorious criminal, as it would greatly dishonor our name. Yet this is pre­cisely what took place at your baptism, which conveys the wondrous truth that God, because of the thrice-blessed Name of Jesus Christ, can join His name to our name again, without being dishonored! To visibly emphasize this profound truth, God even caused His name to be invisibly engraven upon your forehead, when His servant sprinkled the water of baptism there three times. Nothing unto all eternity can ever erase that Name from your forehead! You have as it were the very gospel it­self written upon your forehead, as a continuous reminder of the fact that a Triune God at the very outset of your life has sworn with an oath that He has no desire in your death, but therein that you would turn unto Him and live.

This explains why one of our former ministers always instructed his catechism students to show God their baptized foreheads when asking Him for conversion. He urged them as it were to reverently remind God of the oath He once swore at their baptism, sealed on their very foreheads. What wonderful advice that was, and I hope you will do the very same. This is precisely the inestimable value of your baptism. It is a divine warrant that also for you it is possible to be reconciled to God through the blood of Jesus Christ, not because there are reasons in you, but only because God has found reasons in Christ! Your baptism is a continual reminder that as a vile, guilty, and corrupt sinner you are welcome by God in Christ Jesus, without money and without price. The devil will try to convince you of the contrary. He will tell you that everyone can be converted except you. Oh, answer him that he is a liar and point to your baptized forehead! Tell him that there it is written that the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses from all sin, and that therefore you also can be saved. Your baptism is God's testimony that in His Son He has opened a fountain against sin and uncleanness, and therefore your baptism urges you to flee to that fountain. By means of the precious blood of Christ which proceeds from this fountain, God is able to also enter into an eternal relationship with you, a sinner. How very valuable is your baptism!

I am well aware that also in our day baptism is overestimated by many, when it is presumed that all baptized children are God's children unless otherwise proven. Such a view is unbiblical. Your baptism does not save you, nor is it an automatic guarantee that you will be saved. However, it does guarantee that you can be saved! That is Jehovah's own undoubted testimony, signified and sealed at your baptism. This I wish to emphasize most strongly! As wrong as it is to overestimate baptism, it is equally wrong to underestimate it. Let us guard against this, as your baptism was not a mere outward ceremony or church tradition. I have sought to demonstrate that something of great significance took place. The Triune Jehovah in His providence separated you individually from the children of the world and caused His precious Name to be proclaimed in conjunction with yours to point you to the only Name of Jesus Christ, whereby you can and must be saved.

Baptism has a personal message for you, as God caused your personal name to be pronounced, and therefore personally called you by name by means of His servant, who in His name administered baptism to you! That message is, that your Creator can enter again into a covenant relationship with you, as He did with Adam, only because He eternally entered into a covenant relationship with the second Adam, Jesus Christ. Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift!

Therefore, my dear young friends, look unto Him, and be ye saved, "for I am God, and there is none else!" (Isa. 45:22).