Quote
J_Edwards said:
Quote
Could you suggest some articles on this covenant you speak of? I do understand the difference between covenant and salvation. What I don't understand is how favor is obtained through a covenant when man sins in all his works.
Begin here: Covenant Theology.

Life itself is a gift. They have children--which is a gift, etc. There is a unsurmountable number of favors, common grace, that God exhibits toward the non-elect. It is not that God is looking upon them and saying the non-elect deserve or have earned this favor, it is that God is merciful and gracious and He gives grace and favor even when it is not deserved.

Thanks for the reference but I had to stop reading that stuff as my head was starting to spin. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/dizzy.gif" alt="" /> Speratus's three line covenant of grace restored my equilibrium.

I suppose we could say the ministry of the Word sometimes benefits the non-elect because the terror of the law may restraint them committing gross crimes and thus avoid the hangman's noose. But, how does baptism benefit them? If baptism is but an empty sign of the covenant of grace, what is the mechanism for benefit to the non-elect?

If you base infant baptism on an infallible benefit of covenant relationship, you fall into a similar error as those who baptize infants based on an infallible baptismal regeneration. Both doctrines assume that man's works determine God's favor.