Dear Gerry,

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Surely, I have misunderstood the meaning of your post?

I'm not sure if you misunderstood or if I was simply not clear. But in either event, please allow me to clarify now. Nobody -- not covenant head, policeman, husband, magistrate, judge, minister, etc. -- has the authority to command us to do anything unlawful. That means that he does not have the authority to turn either himself or his family to paganism or idolatry. But he does, as covenant head of the family, have the authority to turn them from paganism and idolatry to serve the true and living God (cf. 1 Thess. 1:9). Of course, when I refer to "American culture" as I did in the previous thread, one of the things I intended by that is the American idea that the magistrate cannot commit his nation to the religion of the true and living God. I think that is wrong biblically (though I also acknowledge that this is such a minority position in this country as to be miniscule).

Here is a worship service that indicates my basic view of baptism.