Amen

Who is regenerate? That’s the real question?

John the baptist leapt in the womb of his mother when the infant Jesus, in the womb of His mother approached. John didn't believe? Are you suggesting that belief is mere intellectual assent? Did Jesus make a mistake when He said "Suffer the little children to come unto me, for OF SUCH is the kingdom of God"? How much intellectual assent is necessary? Do you have to be able to articulate the Doctrine of the Trinity, or is it enough to say "Jesus loves me; this I KNOW for the Bible TELLS me so"? I would ask as well, the unregenerate adults that are baptized and given the Lord's Supper, who later reject the Lord Jesus -- did they really understand the teaching of the Word of God? How about the folks who spend their lives in Fundie churches couldn't defend a reasonable position on the necessity of the virgin birth of Christ? And yes, I can teach my child to trust and believe. There's a difference between teaching someone to trust and believe, and them actually doing it. But I CAN and I am responsible to do so. The results are God's country.

Surely, someone must be regenerate before they can repent and believe in Christ from the heart. Spirit wrought faith alone will unite us (and/or our children) with Christ, then from that union, flow the benefits of it, adoption, justification, sanctification, glorification, etc. While someone may not be able to believe from the heart with saving faith until they are regenerate, they can be taught the things of the Lord, and they can understand them (even if not yet savingly; they may have ears that hear but don’t yet HEAR). Further, it is the very act of preaching (bringing the Word, teaching, training, instructing in righteousness), that is instrument the Spirit uses to convert (how will they believe unless they hear, how will they hear unless someone is sent?). Parents are sovereignly sent to their children, and children are sovereignly given to their parents (to whom a particular soul is born is not an accident). The gap you propose in Calvinist soteriology doesn’t exist. They must hear (in some way) and the Spirit must regenerate and provide the ears that meet that hearing with faith (in some way). The fact is that we are to raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The first step in this discipleship process is baptism which is a sign of the covenant, whos promises are expressly given to us and to our children (Acts 2). Yes the rest of the verse in Acts 2 says “as many as the Lord shall call to himself.” The Lord has called our children to himself by giving them to us and giving them promises (see also Ephesians 6), and by commanding us to raise them in his nurture. Teaching an unregenerate person (regardless of age) that they must repent of their sins, and believe in Christ, does not negate that they must be regenerate to do so. The Spirit blows where he wishes and will regenerate in his time, eventually bringing all the lost sheep home. This promise does not negate our responsibility to be obedient in evangelism or in raising, discipling, and teaching our children. There is no gap.

Try telling God that He shouldn’t have commanded babies to be circumcised.. let me know what you find out.

“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬ ‭ESV‬‬ According to you, this is not possible.