Dear BPCWAians, Having explained the Biblical reasons for infant baptism and answering common arguments against it, we need to now consider what should follow infant baptism. This is the critical part because many parents think that all there is to infant ba ptism are the few minutes of answering a few questions before the pulpit, some water being put on the infant’s head, and all is done. Parents must know that it is just the beginning of an important spiritual journey for them as a covenantal family. It is the commencement of carrying out your vows before God who promises to aid you. We shall look at the duties of the parents:

(1) Teaching them God’s Word. God commands parents, “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: (7) And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (8) And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. (9) And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates” (Deut 6:6-9). Infant baptism does not give the child sudden interest in and the ability to understand God’s Word. The duty to teach God’s Word is put on parents. Parents have the privileged duty to read the Bible with them, teaching them what God is saying through the day, and teaching them to pray daily. And this you should do at home, when you go out with them, before you put them to bed and when they first arise. When they see the birds, flowers, animals, you teach them about God the mighty Creator. Teach them God’s Word constantly is not just about Bible stories and facts – but about the spiritual lessons and principles. You also point out what are sinful behaviours. You must always teach them about sin and our Saviour, explain the way of salvation, ask them to pray to God to be saved. Teach them from young that all other gods are false, God wonderfully made them (Ps 139:14) so they belong to Him, and they must believe in Jesus who is the only way for salvation. All these are your duties to bring up godly seed, not the Sunday School teachers! But you must know God’s Word first yourself by coming to learn and grow yourself. Many parents cannot even explain the Gospel they claim to believe in. But it is more than the Gospel. You need to teach them as many aspects of God and be able to Biblically answer their questions or they will grow with wrong ideas of God and Christianity. These duties demand your time, energy, and perseverance. But God will help you as you commit and strive to do so to bring up godly seed for Him and His Church. Do not leave them to be entertained with your handphone, or watch TV, Youtube videos, and read worldly comics to entertain themselves so that you can relax and be free. At some point, you will need to tell them that they need to acknowledge Christ as their personal God and Saviour and be affirmed before God and man when they grow up.

(2) Bringing them up in God’s ways. Teaching them God’s Word is not the end of your duties. You need to guide them to live by it practically. God said this of Abraham, “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him” Gen 18:19. Will God say the same things about you as a parent who infant baptised your child with the aim to make the child God’s people? You must use and follow God’s ways, not worldly philosophy and psychology, in disciplining and showing love to them. Again, it calls for you knowing God’s Word, else you can use the wrong ways with them too. You cannot give in when they wish to sin, but you need to explain, correct, encourage – but not give in. If you give in and you will not deal with their sinning or worldliness, they will learn that they can sin and there are no consequences. Children very quickly pick up when they know your discipline is not serious. They will ignore you very soon because they know you do not really mean business with them when they are disobedient. Remember, the believer’s children reflect their family’s God too. You cannot run away from that. A child that misbehaves and is uncontrolled affects the testimony because the world also relates that to Christian upbringing. It is sad to hear when the unbelievers comment that they shocked at behaviours of children from Christian families. Your refusal to discipline and failure to lead them to walk in God’s ways does affect God’s Name.

Infant baptism is not automatic spiritual growth for the child. It is the reminder to parents that the child is to be brought up as God’s people, taught and trained in His ways, and to teach the child that he has been set apart to be God’s people, and he must turn to God himself for salvation. It is the blessed commitment to fulfil parental covenantal vows to God to bring up godly seed for Him. Many excitedly bring their child forward for infant baptism but few realise or desire to fulfil their duties. May parents in our midst truly understand and do their part.

Yours in our Lord’s service

Pastor