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PatricksPeaches -> My daughters choice (8/7/2008 3:07:54 PM)

I just found out last night that my daughter made her confession of faith at church during VBS. I am so excited to hear.[:D] Now she is asking when she can be baptized. Some say that she is too young. (8yo) But I think that as long as she understands what she did and why she did it, that it is okay. I know others don't agree and think they should be older. I am just wondering how old you or your children were when they made their confession and got baptized?

I didn't grow up in a christian home so I didn't make my confession and get baptized until I was and adult. My daughter has been in a christian home and had many christian influences. I think that makes a big impact on the age of ones conversion. Is that safe to assume?



isaacsmom -> RE: My daughters choice (8/7/2008 3:19:26 PM)

That's wonderful news! [:D]

I accepted Christ at the age of 6 and was baptized shortly thereafter. I remember the whole experience very well. It was genuine for me.

My younger brothers also accepted Christ at young ages -- I believe one was 6, one was around 5 and the youngest was closer to 8. They were all baptized shortly after their conversions.

That's my personal experience.



Szaftoo -> RE: My daughters choice (8/7/2008 9:03:46 PM)

You must be absolutely thrilled and I'm happy for you.

My kids were 3 and 5 when they accepted the Lord and were baptized two years later. We spoke with them as did our church leadership and we felt confident that they understood its full meaning and were ready.

I think it's important they know the reasons why and it's their idea, not a Sunday School teacher or camp sounselor.



manda59 -> RE: My daughters choice (8/7/2008 9:12:03 PM)

My ds made a commitment at 9 and wanted to be baptised a few months later. We asked him if he felt he could wait a year, and he said yes. He ended up waiting 7 years and getting baptised at 16. He said he was so glad he waited as it meant more to him then than it would have when he was 9.
It's customary at our church for the candidate to share some words of testimony, and my ds felt more capable of doing that at 16 than he would have at 9 too.

I think it's a good thing to ask the child WHY they want to be baptised - ie whether it's something God has spoken to them about, or whether it's because all their friends are getting baptised ....



mommyplus3 -> RE: My daughters choice (8/8/2008 6:06:07 AM)

How wonderful!

I was 7. Daugter #1 was 8, and Daughter #2 was 10, and son was 7 when he made his profession. He is still waiting to be baptized (at 9) because we were in the midst of a move -and working out the details for his great grandfather (retired minister) t baptize him.



stampinlady -> RE: My daughters choice (8/8/2008 10:45:00 AM)

quote:

I didn't grow up in a christian home so I didn't make my confession and get baptized until I was and adult. My daughter has been in a christian home and had many christian influences. I think that makes a big impact on the age of ones conversion. Is that safe to assume?


I think it's wonderful, BUT.......... . That's all I'm posting.[&:]



revbob4God -> RE: My daughters choice (8/8/2008 11:20:17 AM)

Well praise the Lord. By all means, let her be baptised. But if I may, I would suggest that you make arrangements with the Pastor for her to see the baptismal area, That can be a little frightening when the "dunk" occurs. You may want to have a sweater for her and warmer things afterwards, depending on the church's air conditioning.
Congratulations, sounds like you are doing a great job.



bluestone -> RE: My daughters choice (8/8/2008 11:25:49 AM)

I would make sure that the child understands exactly what baptism is...and is not.

I remember going to school with several kids who thought getting baptized meant they got to go to heaven. I have also known several adults who wanted to get "rebaptized" since their original baptism was as a child.



MrsTracy72 -> RE: My daughters choice (8/8/2008 3:59:57 PM)

That is really super cool. I know alot of kids who are baptised at that age and as long as they know what they are doing and you keep them focused on why they did it, there is no problem with it.

I was baptised as an infant and so were my kids because that is what our church did. I do belive that there is a baptism by water, but then one by the spirit so I don't discriminate on when people are baptised.



cynthia -> RE: My daughters choice (8/8/2008 4:15:09 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: bluestone

I would make sure that the child understands exactly what baptism is...and is not.

I remember going to school with several kids who thought getting baptized meant they got to go to heaven. I have also known several adults who wanted to get "rebaptized" since their original baptism was as a child.

I think this is unnecessary. One ought to teach a child what the word says about baptism, so the child has as much understanding as he is capable of, but one should not withhold baptism from a child that doesn't fully understand, if that child has given his life to the Lord. If someone wants to be rebaptised, I don't see a problem with that either. I have a close friend who was recently baptised because she did not remember her childhood baptism.

Furthermore, there are some adults that believe baptising their children will ensure their children will go to heaven. The misunderstanding of your friends may have been due to being taught incorrectly.

My eight year old son will be baptised on his nineth birthday. This is the next baptism at our church and it happened to fall on his birthday. He knows what it means to surrender his life to the Lord and has done that. We are educating him on what baptism means, but as he grows in his faith he will understand it more.



DougHorton -> RE: My daughters choice (8/8/2008 4:19:37 PM)

I know I believed since I was 5, maybe earlier. I do remember my little sister saying she believed when she was 3, and when challenged, she proceeded to explain the way of salvation.

Nowhere in scripture are we required to be theologically correct before we are baptized.



cynthia -> RE: My daughters choice (8/8/2008 5:18:33 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: DougHorton
Nowhere in scripture are we required to be theologically correct before we are baptized.

True. One just must believe and be willing to declare Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

My children were baptised when they had made a sincere profession of faith and when we had opportunity for baptism, at ages 4, 6 and now 9. I believe if a child has sincerely decided to follow Jesus that it is wrong to withhold baptism from him.



DougHorton -> RE: My daughters choice (8/8/2008 5:29:18 PM)

quote:

I would make sure that the child understands exactly what baptism is...and is not.


Where is there any scriptural reference at all to support this? There isn't one shred. If there was one explicit verse, the whole support of infant baptism would not stand. Since the great theologians of the ages have not come up with one, then why do we think understanding is a prerequisite for baptism?

No. It is not a ticket into heaven. It also does not need to be repeated because the first one "didn't take". Baptism is a God-ordained ritual of entry into His covenant, not a test of theology or warm fuzzy feelings.



dianetavegia -> RE: My daughters choice (8/8/2008 9:36:42 PM)

Doug, your post is confusing! You said
quote:

why do we think understanding is a prerequisite for baptism?
and then remarked
quote:

It is not a ticket into heaven. It also does not need to be repeated because the first one "didn't take". Baptism is a God-ordained ritual of entry into His covenant, not a test of theology or warm fuzzy feelings.


That's pretty much what these parents would want their kids to understand.

A previous pastor used to ask the kids what the ring was on his hand and what did it mean. Wedding ring. 'If I take off my ring, does that mean I'm not married to Miss Cindy?' He'd explain that the wedding ring was a sign to show the whole world that he loved Miss Cindy and was married to Miss Cindy but even if he lost the ring or couldn't wear the ring, he'd still be married. Baptism is a sign for the whole world to see and does not save us or promise us a free ticket to heaven. An outward sign of an inward change.

Jesus didn't say 'Hey when you get a chance, if you don't mind' He said Go, Tell, Baptize.......

I was saved at the age of 8 and my mother didn't think I was old enough to understand. She refused to allow me to be baptized. I asked every week if I could go forward in church until she finally gave in. It bothered me quite a bit as a child, that she didn't believe I'd come to Christ.



MC4JC -> RE: My daughters choice (8/8/2008 9:53:50 PM)

That's wonderful. But I think your child's pastor should be the one to ask her what she really knows and doesn't know and why she wants to be baptised.

Our pastor informed us a few weeks ago that his younger son (7/8 yrs old) wants to be baptised and will be soon. Each person has to be ready to profess faith and what it means. Some are younger, some are older.



zoebob -> RE: My daughters choice (8/8/2008 10:33:54 PM)

there are no warnings in scripture against premature baptisms or doing it with the right attitude or doing it right. I think we need to be much more cautious and certain of our children's understanding with the Lord's Supper than with baptism.



sen10tious -> RE: My daughters choice (8/8/2008 11:54:05 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: MC4JC

That's wonderful. But I think your child's pastor should be the one to ask her what she really knows and doesn't know and why she wants to be baptised.

Our pastor informed us a few weeks ago that his younger son (7/8 yrs old) wants to be baptised and will be soon. Each person has to be ready to profess faith and what it means. Some are younger, some are older.

Why do you think that the child's pastor should be the one to ask her what she really knows and doesn't know and why she wants to be baptized? Because the parents are too dense?

Like dianetavegia, my mother didn't think I was old enough to understand and refused to allow me to take communion or be baptized. Unlike Diane, I did not bug her every week. I meekly accepted my mom's rule; in fact, I accepted it to the point where I thought maybe she was right and maybe there was more that I did not know. It resulted in a horrible, horrible five years of doubt. It is amazing and only by God's grace that I clung on that long without walking away from the faith for lack of outside reinforcement. When a child is saved but neither their mom nor their Sunday school teacher believes it, the kid is in a bad place. And I would have been absolutely terrified if the "adult" pastor had started questioning me too.

I am going to be blunt—again. My mom listened to too many advisors! Years later (as an adult), I hashed it out with her. She admitted she ought to have followed her spiritual intuition at the time, but she had been brought up and entrenched in the teachings of men and couldn't get past that.



cynthia -> RE: My daughters choice (8/9/2008 1:14:36 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: zoebob

there are no warnings in scripture against premature baptisms or doing it with the right attitude or doing it right. I think we need to be much more cautious and certain of our children's understanding with the Lord's Supper than with baptism.

I totally agree with this.

My brother is not walking with the Lord. He came over the other day and my son told him he is getting baptised. My brother's response was, "That's great! My mother didn't let me get baptised when I asked her." He paused, then continued, "She's regretted it to this day."

We need to encourage our children to follow Jesus. Being baptised is a big part of their confession of faith and it must be encouraged. I just spoke to another friend of mine who said she was rebaptised, because she didn't remember being baptised or something to that effect. There is nothing wrong with being rebaptised to profess our faith in Jesus Christ, but there is something wrong from not allowed a child's faith to be expressed by being baptised when he asks.



MrsDC -> RE: My daughters choice (8/9/2008 1:40:21 AM)

I agree wholeheartedly with Cynthia. If your child professes Christ as Savior and desires to be obedient in baptism...I don't think it would be a good idea to get in the way of that.

I grew up in a Christian home, as did my older sibs, and we were all baptized at young ages (before age 10). Two out of three of us are walking with the Lord. The third is searching, but that has nothing to do with being baptized young.[;)]

IMO, the sooner a child sets his or her heart on God's will for their lives, the better. Eight is not too young.

-- Rebecca



March7 -> RE: My daughters choice (8/9/2008 2:33:51 PM)

I'm a "first-generation" Christian (i.e., my parents weren't Christians), and I became a Christian at 20. (My husband has a similar background.) We've prayerfully raised our kiddoes to follow after the Lord and then rested in Him for His work in their hearts.

Our son, now 16, informed me (I was in the kitchen cooking or something) when he was three that he'd just asked Jesus into his heart all by himself. At eight, he wanted to be baptized and was. At ten, he wasn't so sure about his faith, so he asked lots of questions and we had lots of good discussions over a couple of years (and still do, of course). By twelve, his hand was in Jesus' again. The change in his heart for Christ has been obvious in his attitudes and actions. For the last couple-three years, he's been growing in his faith through the thick and thin of life and has gathered himself a group of godly friends his age.

Our daughter, now 13, deliberately asked me to help her pray to Jesus for salvation when she was four. She'd overheard a conversation about Jesus and the two men on crosses next to Him, and something about what she heard concerned her. She asked, "Do you mean that even if I'm good I might not be in heaven?" So, that question led to her wanting salvation. She's grown in her quiet way, and near her 13th birthday greatly desired to be baptized and was. The fruits of the Spirit are evident in her life, and she also has gathered about herself a group of godly friends her age.

I'm just so thankful to the Lord...'cause as a first-generation Christian I have no idea what it's like to grow up in a Christian home. It's all new to me! So, we still keep praying for their faith to mature and still keep coming alongside them in loving guidance and training, of course. Following the Lord can be a bumpy ride for anyone, particularly a teen. It's all in God's hands.



PrincessDonna -> RE: My daughters choice (8/10/2008 1:49:45 PM)

My oldest was saved at 4.5 and was baptized at 5.5. I'm sure he understands much more now, at 8.5 than he did then, but his understanding was enough for us and for our pastors to go ahead with it. I will not be the least bit offended or surprised if he desires to be rebaptized at some older age. It has nothing to do with the first one not being real...more with an increased understanding and if God convicts him to be publically baptized again, I would certainly support that.

I agree with all that Cynthia and zoebob have posted about this.



DougHorton -> RE: My daughters choice (8/11/2008 11:34:12 AM)

quote:

Doug, your post is confusing! You said

quote:



why do we think understanding is a prerequisite for baptism?


and then remarked

quote:



It is not a ticket into heaven. It also does not need to be repeated because the first one "didn't take". Baptism is a God-ordained ritual of entry into His covenant, not a test of theology or warm fuzzy feelings.


That's pretty much what these parents would want their kids to understand.


There are many understandings of baptism. If you believe is baptismal regeneration, you will disagree with me. If you believe that baptism is only a testimony of a person's faith, you will disagree with me. But if you believe the protestant teaching that baptism is the entry of a person into the covenant family, and not into salvation, you would agree with me.

Many people are baptized, not all believe. Yet God ordained baptism as the entry point into his covenant, whether or not you believe.

Since you did not understand this, I assume you have a different idea of baptism. I am not trying to convince you one way or another, only to explain the teaching of Reformed churches.



ladybuglvr -> RE: My daughters choice (8/12/2008 6:02:11 PM)

I've thought about this alot lately. I was baptized as an infant. Now I would love to be immerged but my church doesn't do that. I've "church shopped" but haven't found one I want to call home yet. Our church did do a "remember your baptism Sunday" where your could come forward and touch the water in the baptismal font. That was a very meaningful service but I would like be baptized by immersion.



PatricksPeaches -> RE: My daughters choice (8/12/2008 11:07:42 PM)

On Sunday during the invitation at the end of service, my daughter went forward and told our pastor that she wanted to be baptized. He said they were going to be doing baptisms soon and would talk with her about it. So I hope she will be baptized soon. People I don't even know heard about her coming forward at VBS. I am very excited for her.



MC4JC -> RE: My daughters choice (8/16/2008 4:27:13 PM)

Not saying the parents would not know, but what's wrong with the pastor asking the child what they really believe?



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