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This subject is of extreme interest to me right now. It involves a change of perspective concerning our children. Instead of waiting for them to show the fruit of being Christians, covenantal succession assumes that becuase they are children of believers, that they are Christians. It's sort of like a royal family, if you will: children of royals are born royal. They are acknowledged publicly (baptism) in order to be able to receive an inheritance. Then they are trained up in what it means to be royal. Baptism promises regeneration, and they step into their roles of service. Covenantal succession recognises that the promise is to us and to our holy seed.
But, even the children of believers do not become a king until they have been officially inaugurated (actual salvation itself) by grace alone. Children of believers, while having royal privileges (the Word, baptism, being raised in/by a royal family, etc.), if they are to be saved in the fulness of time are saved only by Him that sheweth mercy and not by belonging to a particular family. Case and point: Esau. Circumcision for Esau did not save him or give him “the” inheritance. Salvation is not by works—baptismal regeneration. Please do a search for the Malone/McMahon thread that was locked—it covered the subject (part of it at least) in detail.

Reformed and Always Reforming,