Really great article! My husband and I are actually Anglican but we baptize our believing children when they profess. We also homeschool and take discipleship seriously. But the real reason I wanted to comment is to say i really enjoyed your writing! The way you communicated your point was very enjoyable! So, well reasoned and well written! Thank you!
Thank you. I've been thinking of this, especially about my daughter. Such a thoughtful and prudent consideration in baptizing believing children.
My question is, how should we go about telling the child that she can be a member? Should we wait for the child to ask us if he/she is willing to follow Christ? Can parents initiate and ask the child if he/she want to be baptized?
These are good questions. If we're going to ask the same to adults. Not only that we don't hesitate, but we're eager to ask adults these questions because it's a call to exercise faith. So, in my mind, is there something in children that stops us from asking these questions?
Great write up! I love the Baptist take (as a Baptist professor myself). I baptized my kids when they were less than 10. Each one of them could easily explain the gospel, the general plot of scripture and the ABC's of salvation. Then one day they each (in their own way) confronted me and asked to be baptized. I honestly felt it would be detrimental to their faith not to baptize them. We video recorded the event too since they were young and might get fuzzy on the details later.
Really great article! My husband and I are actually Anglican but we baptize our believing children when they profess. We also homeschool and take discipleship seriously. But the real reason I wanted to comment is to say i really enjoyed your writing! The way you communicated your point was very enjoyable! So, well reasoned and well written! Thank you!
Thank you. I've been thinking of this, especially about my daughter. Such a thoughtful and prudent consideration in baptizing believing children.
My question is, how should we go about telling the child that she can be a member? Should we wait for the child to ask us if he/she is willing to follow Christ? Can parents initiate and ask the child if he/she want to be baptized?
These are good questions. If we're going to ask the same to adults. Not only that we don't hesitate, but we're eager to ask adults these questions because it's a call to exercise faith. So, in my mind, is there something in children that stops us from asking these questions?
Exactly!
Mark Dever has a great sermon on this on the CHBC website: “At What Age Should Believers be Baptized?”
The answer is 18.
https://www.capitolhillbaptist.org/sermon/at-what-age-should-believers-be-baptized/
Normally we shouldn’t baptize children because it is too difficult to discern if they are disciples.
The best way to know is to disciple them…if you are waiting till they ask for it you are waiting too long!
You can’t “disciple” people who don’t want to be disciples, who are unregenerate. Baptism is for disciples.
We are talking about children. If you can make them eat their dinner, you can disciple them.
You don’t know what a “disciple” is.
A person baptized and taught to obey everything He commanded.
Just like my children have been taught since birth. 🫶
No. A disciple is someone who has chosen to follow Jesus.
Great write up! I love the Baptist take (as a Baptist professor myself). I baptized my kids when they were less than 10. Each one of them could easily explain the gospel, the general plot of scripture and the ABC's of salvation. Then one day they each (in their own way) confronted me and asked to be baptized. I honestly felt it would be detrimental to their faith not to baptize them. We video recorded the event too since they were young and might get fuzzy on the details later.