Dear BPCWA worshipper, We thank God for the children that He has given to our families. A particular practice of the Reformed faith is infant baptism. As part of the Covenant of Grace which the believing parent has received, God commands the parent(s) to infant baptise the baby. Since we had had an Affirmation of Faith 2 months ago, it is a good time for us to be reminded of the responsibilities of both the parent and child in the Covenant of Grace:

Begins with the Sacrament of infant baptism. Covenants have a sign.In the Old Testament, the sign of the Covenant of Grace was circumcision (Gen 17:11). In the New Testament, the Sacrament of water baptism has replaced circumcision (Col 2:11-12) as the covenantal sign in the Covenant of Grace.And just like infant circumcision in the Old Testament, infant baptism does not confer salvation, nor is it a sign of salvation of the child. Likewise, infant baptism is a demonstration of the parents’ obedience to what God expects in His covenant with a believing parent in the Covenant of Grace since Abraham’s time (Gen 17:9-13). The infant baptism vows say nothing about the faith of the baby being baptised. The focus is on the parent vowing to fulfil their responsibility as a Christian parent of the child God has given them to bring up for Him. Abraham was commanded to circumcise his sons when he was given the covenant. On his part in this covenant, Abraham was to rule his family to walk in God’s ways, which he did. God testified of Abraham’s faithfulness, “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).

Continues in forming disciples for Christ. However, a particular point to note is that the parents’ vows are not merely concerning bringing the child to the knowledge of salvation. As I have just covered in last week’s BBK lesson, there is no salvation if Christ is not the Lord of the believer’s life. If a child is not brought up to acknowledge and submit to Christ as Lord, he or she will not want to repent and embrace His salvation. Moreover, I want to remind parents who have baptised their children that the vows they took did not stop at bringing their child to personal salvation. Christ’s lordship continues after salvation. Every parent coming up to take their vows, whether father or mother, is individually (and of course together as parents) committing to instruct the child the “principles of our holy religion as revealed in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, and as summarized in the confession of Faith and Catechisms of this church”. This naturally means that the parent(s) must be committed to have their children attend Sunday School. However, this alone is not sufficient. The instruction to the child must include both public teaching in the church and, importantly, private teaching in the home. It is not merely the instruction of the Gospel of salvation, but the completeness of the faith. The infant baptism vows also require parents “to set an example of piety and godliness”. There is no sinless perfection, but parents taking their vows must set their hearts to obey God’s (not the church’s) command to “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1Pe 1:16). Parents must model in their public and private lives outside and at home what true Christian living looks like, consistent with the teaching the children receive about the Christian faith. It then states the end purpose of all this, which is to “bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph 6:4). There is, in all this, a higher purpose. Parents can merely desire for the child to be saved, and nothing more, with the thought, “So I know they will not go to hell.” Salvation is indeed necessary, but it is not the whole point for God’s child. The desire and commitment of the parents should be, even before salvation, for the child in a Christian household to know and live a righteous life according to God’s commands. This is the testimony every family that has been set apart by the Lord should bear.

Persevering in faith. What do we mean by “claiming the promise of God” when it comes to infant baptism? It is absolutely not claiming salvation for the child. Rather, as believers, we have the great assurance that we do not raise this child alone. In the covenant, God promises blessings for obedience. Parents who sincerely and wholeheartedly set themselves to fulfil their vows have the blessing of God’s enabling grace in helping and working with them. This training also continues even after salvation, as the child with the indwelling of Holy Spirit grows into a fully committed disciple of Christ. This is the only biblical view, because Christ’s command is not merely the outward act of, “baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Mat 28:19). Our LORD expects us to “teach”, i.e. disciple such ones (Mat 28:19). He continues, “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Mat 28:20).

This is a great and worthy work which God entrusts to parents. It requires the parents to first be disciples of Christ before they can be effective in this spiritual work. May every parent be diligent in this task to shape the young lives in their homes to be true disciples of Christ. This is not a “sometimes” work, but an “all the time” work requiring prayerfulness, constancy, and diligence in the parents. It is the high calling of Christian parenting with a young child learning from their every move and hearing their every word.

Deu 6:7-9  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.

Yours in our Lord’s service,
Pastor