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DO NOT
DROWN YOURSELF
Baptize your
Babies
Rom 3:1 What
advantage then
hath the Jew
(Christian)? or
what profit is
there of
circumcision
(baptism)?
Rom 3:2 Much every
way: chiefly,
because that unto
them were
committed the
oracles of God.
Rom 3:3 For what
if some did not
believe? shall
their unbelief
make the faith of
God without
effect?
Why did God
insisted on
circumcision and
baptism also to be
given to the
children?
Since the sign
itself did not
give any benefit
in terms of
salvation, it gave
them the privilege
of receiving the
oracles of God. It
gave them the
privilege of beign
brought up within
a community where
the Word of God
was heard. It is
the Word that
eventually lead
the hearers to
salvation.
Romans 10:14 How
then shall they
call on him in
whom they have not
believed? and how
shall they believe
in him of whom
they have not
heard? and how
shall they hear
without a
preacher?
Children are
expected to be
brought up in the
home. They are to
be treated as part
of the covenant
community within
the church and are
required to live
within the
discipline of the
community. Infant
baptism and
circumcision are
just that. It gave
them plenty of
occasion to hear
the word and be
saved. Today, more
and more children
are growing as
aliens to
"churched homes"
By the age of 18
they are "free"
without ever being
in the church or
being part of any
covenant
fellowship.
Their parents did
not baptize them
as a statement of
faith that they
will be saved.
They never joined
the community of
believers in the
prayer of faith on
behalf of the
child "I renounce
Evil and accept
Christ".
Confirmation
worked well in a
churched society.
You had something
to confirm then,
but now what do we
have to confirm?.
Today, in the
midst of emphasis
on individual
freedom and
individual
salvation,
children are not
baptized, they are
totally free and
are given only a
remote random
chance of hearing
the gospel and so
to receive
salvation. Why
should the
children pray or
read the word when
they are not part
of the covenant
community?. In
that thought
pattern of the
modern society,
the children must
be given every
opportunity to
study all religion
without any bias.
Recent rulings of
the Supreme Court
of United States
of America
declares that. We
should not grumble
when the world
insist on that.
Your children do
not belong to your
church or faith.
They belong to the
nation – of the
worldly Kingdom.
Dare to take that
stand as a
believer?
"Now I say, That
the heir, as long
as he is a child,
differeth nothing
from a servant,
though he be lord
of all, but is
under tutors and
governors, until
the time appointed
of the father.
Even so we, when
we were children,
were in bondage
under the elements
of the world: but
when the fullness
of the time was
come, God sent
forth his Son,
made of a woman,
made under the
law, to redeem
them that were
under the law,
that we might
receive the
adoption of sons"
(Gal. 4:1-6).
The child before
receiving his
power to act as
independent person
is still a heir
but is being
treated as a
servant as under
the Old Covenant
of Law. When the
fullness of time
comes they will
receive the full
adoption.
When a family
bring the child to
the baptism he is
claiming in faith
this covenant for
the child.
You express your
faith in doing it.
It is the visible
action
corresponding to
the faith.
If a faith does
not precede with
corresponding
action it is not
true faith.
Even if it does
not bring any good
to the child, it
is every parent's
duty to baptize
the child in
faith. Faith
is the assurance
of things hoped
for, the
conviction of
things not seen.
If you hope for
the salvation of
your children,
bring them in that
faith that they
will be saved by
grace. It is
a bold statement
of the faith of
the parents.
That is why
Christian parents
baptize their
children at
infancy.
They, we believe
are partakers of
the covenant and
will come to
inheritance.
It is an acted
prayer of faith.
Here the faith is
followed by
corresponding
action. This
is the normal
steps in receiving
the blessings we
ask for.
Have faith in God.
Ask in faith.
Believe and act as
though you have
already received
it on the basis of
the promise of
Jesus. It
will come to pass.
But salvation of
the child comes
only by his/her
faith.
Evidently there
need not be a
specific time for
this. It
could be a
continuous process
of exercise
especially for the
children of
Christian family.
We may dedicate
our children and
they can then take
adult baptism when
they are old
enough or we
can give them
baptism and they
can claim the
baptism as theirs
as they grow up -
a confirmation.
Obviously the
symbol has no
significance or
effect unless the
change has
happened within.
The symbol does
not save. Baptism
never saves. The
question here is
whether the
salvation should
be prior to the
baptism or not. An
insistence of the
chronological
order is what is
in question.
Insistence of
chronological
order of sin
–repent- believe
-forgiveness is
filled with an
inherent problem.
Is the order sin
–repent –sacrifice
–forgiveness is a
necessity? Notice
that belief in
Jesus’ atoning
sacrifice is
counted as the
believer’s
sacrifice. But
sacrifice itself
was done long long
ago. If
chronological
order is insisted,
Jesus’ sacrifice,
which was done
once in history
long ago will be
of no effect
today. So if the
sacrifice can be
made before I
sinned, baptism
can be also given
before I sin. Just
as claiming the
sacrifice of Jesus
as my sacrifice
alone will save
me, claiming the
baptism which my
parents gave me as
my baptism alone
will lead to
salvation. Thus
the efficacy of
infant baptism lie
in my confirming
by faith.
An infant has not
committed any sin.
Infants do not
need repentance.
If they die on
childbirth they,
according to our
Lord will be in
the Kingdom, "for
such is the
Kingdom". Jesus
was not speaking
of infant like
faith or anything
like that. He took
a real living
child and set
before the
disciples and said
"of such is the
Kingdom"
Matthew 18:3 And
Jesus said, Verily
I say unto you,
Except ye be
converted, and
become as little
children, ye shall
not enter into the
kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:2 And Jesus
called a little
child unto him,
and set him in the
midst of them,Mat
18:3 And said,
Verily I say unto
you, Except ye be
converted, and
become as little
children, ye shall
not enter into the
kingdom of
heaven.Mat 18:4
Whosoever
therefore shall
humble himself as
this little child,
the same is
greatest in the
kingdom of
heaven.Mat 18:5
And whoso shall
receive one such
little child in my
name receiveth
me.Mat 18:6 But
whoso shall offend
one of these
little ones which
believe in me, it
were better for
him that a
millstone were
hanged about his
neck, and that he
were drowned in
the depth of the
sea. Mat 18:10
Take heed that ye
despise not one of
these little ones;
for I say unto
you, That in
heaven their
angels do always
behold the face of
my Father which is
in heaven.
This event and
descriptions are
found in all the
synoptic gospels
and stands
confirmed thrice.
Children therefore
are indeed already
converted and need
no further
confession. The
seal is to
validate this.
It is indeed
surprising that
people who hang on
details on baptism
verses miss this
basic direct
statement.
Children are the
pattern or the
example to which
every believer is
to become before
being given the
symbol of baptism.
If the children of
the covenant
community are not
confirmed by such
seal "it were
better for him
that a millstone
were hanged about
his neck, and that
he were drowned in
the depth of sea."
This may sound an
exaggeration. But
may I assure you,
Jesus was not
joking. I have
been closely
associated with
missionaries in
many continents
and have known
them through at
least three
generations in
many cases. Most
of the
missionaries came
to the knowledge
of salvation from
within the
traditional
Christian homes. I
have seen only a
few – countable
within one set of
fingers – who came
from outside
Christian homes.
In almost all
cases they
insisted on adult
believer’s baptism
and had not
baptized their
children in faith
and bring them
into the covenant
community. As a
result in 90% of
the missionary
families that I
know off, over
half the children
are now unbaptized
unbelievers.
Hebrews 11:1 Now
faith is the
substance of
things hoped for,
the evidence of
things not seen.
In baptizing our
infants, the
Christian parents
are expressing
their desire and
their request is
presented in
concrete actions
though the
application of the
covenant symbol in
faith.
1Jo 3:22 And
whatsoever we ask,
we receive of him,
because we keep
his commandments,
and do those
things that are
pleasing in his
sight.
1John 5:4 For
whatsoever is born
of God overcometh
the world: and
this is the
victory that
overcometh the
world, even our
faith.
Unless we exercise
this faith in
action we will not
receive.
James 2:22 Seest
thou how faith
wrought with his
works, and by
works was faith
made perfect?
James 2:24 Ye see
then how that by
works a man is
justified, and not
by faith only.
This was in fact
observed by Billy
Graham so that he
says:
"I have some
difficulty in
accepting the
indiscriminate
baptism of
infants
without a
careful regard
as to whether
the parents
have any
intention of
fulfilling the
promise they
make. But I do
believe that
something
happens at the
baptism of an
infant,
particularly
if the parents
are Christians
and teach
their children
Christian
Truths from
childhood. We
cannot fully
understand the
miracles of
God, but I
believe that a
miracle can
happen in
these children
so that they
are
regenerated,
that is, made
Christian,
through infant
baptism. If
you want to
call that
baptismal
regeneration,
that’s all
right with me"
(Graham,
interview with
Wilfred
Bockelman,
associate
editor of the
Lutheran
Standard,
October 10,
1961).
This has generated
a hue and cry in
the Pentecostal
world. The miracle
of God, which
takes place in the
baptism of
children, is based
on the faith of
the parents. If
you believe in the
power of prayer,
infant baptism is
the most powerful
prayer parents can
ever make. 1 Jn
5:14-15 14 This is
the confidence we
have in
approaching God:
that if we ask
anything according
to his will, he
hears us. 15 And
if we know that he
hears us--whatever
we ask--we know
that we have what
we asked of him.
There is no magic
in baptism itself
(adult or infant),
but there is
mountain-moving
realization in
asking in faith.
This is the
sacramental grace.
Bringing up the
children as full
participant within
the household of
faith is the means
by which God
brings it to pass.
Children are
partakers of the
covenant along
with the parents.
Generations of
Christian
experience support
this reality. It
is most surprising
that we who claim
the power of faith
and prayer, let
this power wasted
on our children.
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