Interestingly, many who left the Reformed Church under Dr. K. Schilder were of the Secession of 1834 and, therefore, leaned toward the common grace of the offer, the same idea appeared among the people of the Liberated Church. It took, however, a slightly different form. It was connected with the sacrament of baptism instead of the preaching. The Liberated, therefore, instead of speaking of a general offer in the preaching, spoke of a general promise to all baptized children in the sacrament of baptism. Instead of the common grace that comes through the preaching, the Liberated speak of a common grace that comes through baptism. Instead of emphasizing the grace of the offer that enables a man to choose for or against the gospel, the Liberated speak of a grace that comes through baptism enabling all baptized children to accept or reject the promise. And so, both the gracious offer of the gospel and the gracious promise of the covenant are conditional, so that both depend upon the fulfillment of the condition of faith in order to have salvation realized fully.
via “Common Grace Considered”: Dr. Abraham Kuyper’s common grace (12).
Of course, it is simply wrong to claim that this baptismal grace provides the ability to accept or reject the promise. The moral ability to truly trust in Christ is a gift of special grace given unconditionally to those chosen to inherit everlasting life.
See also:
A basic hypercalvinist fallacy
Heinrich Bullinger on unconditional grace and conditional inheritance
