Infant Baptism Information Page

This page has been created for the information of parents seeking baptism for their child or children.

Firstly, we thank God with you for the safe arrival of your precious baby! Now it is important for you to consider the significance of infant baptism as there seem to be many ‘assumptions’ regarding its meaning. Some people ‘have their kids done’ rather like having the usual injections soon after the child is born! This leaflet attempts to outline in more detail exactly what baptism is and is not. We want you, the parent, to make an informed choice as to whether this is what you wish for your child. It is very important that you don’t just go ‘through the motions’ because you will be making serious promises before God and His people during the baptism service, which have permanent implications - so this must not be taken lightly or as just a matter of course. These promises are mentioned on the later.

These days many people refer to having their children ‘christened’ rather than baptized. To christen a child is simply to name it. Baptism is far more than a naming ceremony.

Baptism is a public admission of being previously out of touch with God prior to having been ‘born-again’ (John 3:3-8). It was an acknowledgement that a person had previously turned away from God, and was washing with water as an outward sign that they wanted to make a fresh start with God, which He offered through Christ’s death on the cross. This began with ‘repentance’, which means turning away from all sin and realizing that without God we cannot receive full life-changing forgiveness.

Most of the information we have about baptism comes from the Bible. John the Baptist is perhaps best known to have offered baptism to those who wanted to change the way they were living (Mark 1:4-5). Although there is no mention of children being baptized in the Bible, we do know that some ‘households’ were baptized (Acts 16:15).

However, the Apostle Paul argued that membership of Christ’s Church does not derive from physical descent or depend on a ritual act, but comes by God’s gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ as per Ephesians 2:8.

There are two ways of looking at baptism. Considering these will help you decide whether or not you go ahead with the baptism of your child at this stage or the more biblical option of thanksgiving & dedicated to God so that in later life, when the child grows up and learns to think for him/herself he/she will make this very important decision for themselves.

As parents you cannot force them to become Christians, but merely point them in the right direction by your own faith and lifestyle. Make no mistake a child will know whether or not your faith in Christ is real by the way you behave and conduct yourselves ‘behind closed doors’.

So at this stage it is crucial to consider you own faith; i.e. Whether you have a true and living one in Jesus Christ or just a vague religious belief. Before you have your child baptized or dedicated have you made a conscious decision to receive Christ and be His disciple yourself? It would be awfully hypocritical if you wanted your child dedicated or baptized before God whilst not believing and confessing Jesus Christ as your Lord & Saviour! I would strongly urge you to speak to me about this if you’re in any doubt. I would be more than happy to explain the Gospel to you as it is wonderfully simple and totally life-changing and often misunderstood!

So what are these two viewpoints regarding baptism & dedication?

1. The more baptism is seen as an expression of the baby’s faith, the less easy it is to hold to infant baptism. How can a baby express his or her faith in Christ? He/ she is too young to consciously respond.

2. Whereas, the more baptism (& dedication) is seen as the expression of divine grace, the easier it is to argue for them. God’s love is not dependent upon our response to Him. We are able to receive and acknowledge that love when we are old enough to understand our need of Him. Until that time the parents promise before God to bring the child up in such a way as to be fully aware of His love and care. The child will hopefully then make a conscious decision later on in their lives. This is why a service of thanksgiving & dedication the best of both worlds.

What is Infant Baptism/Dedication?

• A visible sign that your child is loved by God even before he/she is able to do anything in return.

• An act of thanksgiving to God for a new life.

• Receiving the child into the family of the Church (it is therefore natural to assume that the parents will regularly bring the child along to church with them so that their promises will not just be words, but action as well).

• A commitment by the parents to encourage their child to become a Christian, which is God’s will for their lives.

• A public admission of faith by the parents, sponsors (godparents) and congregation.

• A present visible symbol of an anticipated future response to God’s perfect and everlasting love.

What Infant Baptism/ Dedication is not!

• Something which earns God’s favour. (God already loves you and your child).

• A vital tradition to be maintained at all costs. (Col.2:8)

• An act which immediately makes the child a Christian. (The child must make its own decision later in life).

• An automatic entry ticket into heaven. (It is by faith that we are saved through Christ’s death on the cross - as mentioned earlier).

• A naming ceremony. (You probably gave your child its name from the day of its birth).

• A guarantee that a child will grow any better or faster. (God is not in the insurance business! Matt.6:27).

• A magical protection against evil, illness or accidents. (We all have to live each day as it comes, trusting daily in God’s strength to see us through - whatever happens - Rom.8:28-39).

 

The congregation promises to be a community of faith where Christians gather to glorify God through Jesus Christ by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They promise to be there for you and your child so that together we can encourage one another to grow in our Christian faith through, and by, the Holy Spirit as we share our faith with others.

Three questions are asked of the parents:

1. Will you provide for this your child a Christian home of love and faithfulness?

2. Will you help him/her by your words, prayers and example to renounce all evil and put his/her trust in Jesus Christ, his/her Saviour?

3. Will you help him/her to enter into the full membership of the Church, and serve Christ in the world?

In each case you, as parents, will respond:

“With God’s help we will.”

You are in effect, being asked to make a public confession of your Christian faith. If you make these promises it is crucial to think beforehand how you intend to keep them before Almighty God and the Christian community. Will you regularly join with us for worship, Bible-teaching, fellowship & service? Will you pray for and with your child? Will you openly share with them the joy and strength of your own faith in Jesus? Will you encourage them to read the Bible.

If, after considering the importance of the above, you are able to say ‘Yes’ and you feel that you would like to have your child baptized or dedicated, then I would be more than happy to make the necessary arrangements with you.

Many parents now prefer a service of Thanksgiving and Dedication instead of a ‘baptism’. This offers the same elements of public praise and thanks to God for your child (and the same promises), but without water and leaves the child free to be baptised when they are able to respond to God’s love in Christ for themselves.

Remember - that however much others may expect you to have your child ‘baptized’, it is you, the parents, who have to take the responsibility of fulfilling these promises before God - and no-one else. Don’t be pressurized by anybody to do anything you don’t feel is completely right for you or your child.

May God help you to make the right decision.

I would be happy to discuss further any issues or concerns you might have. May God bless you!

Rev. Mark J. Lawrence

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