Baptism or Dedication?
I was shocked on hearing that a Christian family decided to leave a Bible-teaching church because a baby was baptised. They would have preferred that it was dedicated.
What does the Bible teach?
In the Old Testament it is clear that God wants all young babies born in the families of the children of Israel to be seen as members of the covenant community. They were to be circumcised on the eighth day, circumcision being the sign that a person was a member of God’s chosen people. Abraham was told,
“Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision and it will be the sign of the covenant between you and me.” Genesis 17:10-11
It was a sign for the people but not a guarantee of an individual’s salvation. Moses reminded God’s people that God is concerned about people’s hearts,
“Circumcise your hearts therefore and do not be stiff-necked any longer.” Deuteronomy 10:16
There was a conflict in the early church about whether it was mandatory for Gentiles to be circumcised if they were to be members of God’s kingdom and the apostles declared that what is essential is faith in which a person is publicly committed to Jesus, the Son of God. Baptism became the essential sign for Christians. The rite of baptism, like the rite of circumcision saves nobody, salvation is only given to those who have a real faith, who are committed to living in obedience to Jesus Christ and what he teaches in his word. The Bible is clear that rituals save nobody.
“Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
Circumcision is a sign of faith yet Abraham was told to circumcise baby Isaac. Clearly the faith was meant to be a family faith. Paul wrote,
“He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith . . .” Romans 4:11
Early church practice
Right from the beginning of the apostolic era, Christians were expected to be baptised as an outward sign of their commitment to Christ. In return they were symbolically washed of their sins and they rose from the water to live new lives centred on living for God and his Son. At the end of his first sermon, when people asked what they should do, Peter was clear,
“Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:38-39
Relatively soon circumcision was abandoned by the Christian church and the rite of circumcision was replaced. Paul wrote in 57AD,
“A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the spirit, not by the written code.” Romans 2:28-29
Paul goes on to argue that it was Abraham’s faith that saved him and that circumcision was ordered subsequently as a sign of that faith.
“What does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.’” Romans 4:3
“And he (Abraham) received the sign of of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.” Romans 4:11
The Bible is clear that people are only saved if they have a personal faith in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Just as circumcision was the outward sign of faith so was baptism. Unfortunately many Jews received the sign of circumcision yet did not have faith. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church,
“Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what helps.” 1 Corinthians 7:19
Today there are many who have been baptised either as babies or as adults who subsequently turn their backs on the Saviour of the world. The sign saves nobody, it is only by faith that we are saved as it is only those who love and follow the Lord Jesus who are ‘credited with righteousness’.
There is evidence that many early Christians substituted baptism for circumcision. Thus when the Philippian jailer became a Christian,
“ . . . the jailer took them and washed their wounds and immediately he and all his family were baptised.” Acts 16:33
The jailer was ecstatic as he and his family had now found a saving faith.
Many people feel they are safe because of the group they are in. When I was visiting Bandung in Indonesia I got talking with a Muslim student and his three sisters who were out shopping. We got onto the subject of ISIS, the radical Muslims in the Middle East. My new friend explained to me that they were not true Muslims at all. He continued,
“There are seventy two groups within Islam but only one group is going to be saved!”
“Which group are you in,” I asked.
“Oh, I’m in the group that are going to be saved,” he confidently affirmed.
I then showed them a conjuring trick with rubber bands which has the punchline that there is only one way to be saved and that is not by being in the right group but by God himself freeing us!
There are people today, of all denominations who think that because they have been admitted to the church through baptism, whether as a baby or an adult, that they are right with God. Others think that because they are in the ‘right’ denomination that they will be saved for eternity. The Bible says that such thinking is false. Paul wrote to the Galatian churches who were troubled by such teaching,
“ . . . a man is not justified by observing the law but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no-one will be justified.” Galatians 2:15-16
People are only saved if the Spirit of Jesus is living in them. This means having the principles and priorities of Jesus. Those with the Spirit of God can readily be identified. They love and are deeply grateful to the Lord Jesus. They love God’s word, the Bible. They love God’s people. They increasingly hate sin and love righteousness. They love to pray, sharing their lives, problems and ambitions with God. They love to find ways of sharing the good news about Jesus with others. They are looking forward to being with their Saviour when they die. Having the Spirit of God in us is not just a theological statement – it is the evidence that we have been saved. Paul wrote,
“You however are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” Romans 8:9
What a privilege it is to be raised in an overtly Christian family where the Scriptures are read, discussed and learnt. This was the great privilege of being raised in a Jewish home; paul wrote,
“What advantage then is there is being a jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Much in every way! First of all they have been entrusted with the very words of God.” Romans 3:2
Timothy was raised as a child in such a home with obvious benefit;
“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. All Scripture is God-breathed . . .” 2 Timothy 3:14-16
The Dark Ages
The churches went through very dark times when the Bible’s message was not heard. Babies were baptised and yet were not taught what it meant to follow Christ. Infant baptism became a meaningless ritual. No wonder the Anabaptists reacted against such nominal religion and emphasised that it is only faith that saves a person and therefore only those with faith who should be baptised. It is significant that the great reformer Martin Luther did not go so far, as he recognised that the priority was to teach the Bible’s message and what it meant to live by faith. He and many other reformers longed to keep the main doctrines central and not to divide over peripheral matters. What does matter is what Paul emphasised,
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes . . .” Romans 1:16
Babies and Faith
It is normal in most societies for parents to want to present a new-born baby to the group they belong to, whether Jewish, Muslim or Christian. Their hope will be for the child to grow up and adopt the faith of the family. Christian families of all denominations follow this practice.
The naming and formal admission of the child into the family of faith does not guarantee the baby will grow up as a believer but it does give them every advantage of finding a faith for themselves. With such understanding there is relatively little difference between dedicating or baptising a baby. It is not the rite that matters as much as the environment in which the child is raised. If the parents clearly love the Lord Jesus and are seen to want to obey him, and are teaching the child the Bible and stories about other men and women who have served the Lord Jesus, then they have every hope that their child will grow into having a real faith for themselves. It makes no difference whether water was used at the initiation service, whether the service was called a dedication or a baptism, what does matter is the environment in which the child is raised.
When a baby is raised in a Christian home there is little difference whether he or she was dedicated or baptised. They will be taught that they are part of God’s family. They will be taught the Lord’s prayer and taught to pray to their heavenly Father. It is absurd for the parents to say that they are going to wait until the child has made a profession of faith before they will teach them the privileges of being in God’s family. Unfortunately children of Christian parents may later rebel; just as they did in Old and New Testament times and have done so ever since. It is not the type of ritual that matters, it is being taught the faith, encouraging them to continue to live in close harmony with Jesus and then their decision that matters.
This is why in Christchurch Baldock we are willing to either baptize or dedicate the children of parents who want their child to be brought up in the Christian family. We long for families to become part of the church and will not put unnecessary hurdles in the way of their joining us. The child will eventually want to publicly state that this faith is their faith and this should be available. Does it really mater that much whether this is an adult baptism or confirmation? Godly men and women have come from both backgrounds. What does matter is that that person goes on to live with and for the Lord Jesus for there is no salvation away from Jesus.
What a great opportunity it is when a child is brought for admission to the church. Visitors and extended family often come in their numbers and a great opportunity is given to share the gospel with everyone. For this reason it is a shame for such services to be undertaken when the whole body of the church are absent. This is a time for integration, not separation. It is a time for the mature Christians in the church to meet up with the visitors, befriend them and hopefully communicate something of the privilege of what it means to be in Christ.
BVP
December 2021
