I thought that God "shoved" grace down your throat, too! Now, you're complaining because you didn't get to earn your faith from God?
How many infants do you think enjoy having their breathing interrupted three times in a row? I doubt many. This is why infant Baptism puzzles me so much.
Say what?
Your side and the Catholics will say 'No', grace must be freely accepted by the recipient in all cases EXCEPT for the remission of sins.
Infant baptism is given by God JUST as it is given to an adult being baptised. It is just that in the infant's case, the faith of the parents serves as the response to God in proxy, just as it did for Jewish babies who were circumcised. Baptism is acts as a seed, which later grows as the baby matures. Really, if God grants graces to whom He will and does so WITHOUT seeing their response (as you believe), what difference does it make if God's Spirit comes while a baby or an adult? The person does nothing to earn grace, so the person's age makes no difference.
Regards
Sure, but at least I admit it. :) More importantly, it is consistent with the rest of Reformed theology. I don't think that infant Baptism for salvific purposes is consistent with the rest of any theology so grounded in free will.
FK: "How many infants do you think enjoy having their breathing interrupted three times in a row? I doubt many. This is why infant Baptism puzzles me so much."
Say what?
I was referring to the preferred Orthodox practice of thrice dunking for Baptism, which, in principle, I salute! I was trying to illustrate, though, that this practice is nevertheless "against" the will of the infant.
Really, if God grants graces to whom He will and does so WITHOUT seeing their response (as you believe), what difference does it make if God's Spirit comes while a baby or an adult? The person does nothing to earn grace, so the person's age makes no difference.
It makes a difference to me because I think that the Spirit becoming indwelling happens at regeneration, which is only for believers. If the Spirit indwelled and sins were remitted at Baptism, then I'd have to change all of my beliefs about "belief". That would seem to wipe out an entire body of scripture as well. IOW, I'm invested. :)