teaching about baptism
Parental Confession (Vows 1 & 2)
1. Do you present this child to be baptized, earnestly desiring that he may be grafted into Christ as a member of his body the Church?
This means - DO YOU WANT YOUR CHILD TO BE A CHRISTIAN?
2. Do you believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and do you confess Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord?
This means - ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN YOURSELF?
The link between child and parent in baptism
- Families are important to God - He has one. He works through families. Your children are special to him.
- O.T. - Circumcison
- Promise to Abraham - offspring, land. (Genesis 15:1-17)
- Sign = descendent of Abraham, heirs of the promise (Genesis17:1-14)
- N.T. - Baptism
- circumcision superceded by baptism (Colossians 2:10-11)
- you and family (Acts 2:39)
- sign = Heirs of promise of Christ & inclusion in his body.
The symbolism of baptism = becoming a Christian
- "Washing away" of sin (1 Corinthians 6:11; Titus 3:5)
- New "clothing" - Christ (Galatians 3:27)
- Escaping death c.f. flood (1 Peter 3:20)
- Uniting in body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13)
- New life - dying and rising with Christ (Romans 6:4-7)
The reality of baptism
- Baptism as a ritual, does not in itself have any effect on a child.
- Out with the context of a parent believing in / being committed to Jesus, child baptism is meaningless.
- It is an action by the parents that demonstrates their belief that their child will grow
up to trust in and follow Jesus Christ , as they themselves do. This is not wishful thinking
but is based on "Gods covenant of grace".
- covenant (promise) - that these promises extend to our children as well as ourselves
- grace (undeserved gift) he is at work in our childrens lives before they are able to respond
- It is this statement of the parents faith in God that gives the ritual its reality and effectiveness (Hebrews11:1; Mark 11:24)
Parental duty to children (Vow 3)
Do you promise, depending on the grace of God to teach your child the truths and duties of the Christian faith: and by prayer and example to bring them up in the life and worship of the church?
Promise
- c.f. Gods word - irrefutable (Isaiah 55:11)
- name - word - integrity - all bound up together.
- Our word also meant to be a guarantee.
Grace of God
- undeserved gift (Ephesians 2:8-9)
- Unless the Lord builds ... (Psalm 127:1)
Teach
- You , NOT sunday schools , are responsible
- Truths of the faith - who Jesus is, what he is like, what he did for us, what that means.
- duties - Love God and neighbour as self (Matthew 23:37-40)
Prayer
- For child - all aspects of life
- With child - introduce him to talking with God
Example
- 3 lessons in bringing up a child - Schweitzer
- What kind of person do you want them to be?
- peaceful , contented
- loving forgiving, caring unselfish
- sincere, honest, dependable
- How do you want them to grow spiritually
- bible reading
- relationship to God
- service of others/ church
In Life and Worship of Church
- official meetings (sunday etc.)
- informal fellowship / friendship
>> back to the main birth of a child pages...