Discussion with my daughter about baptism

Originalist · #1 01-06-2014, 07:08 PM

Our 8 year old daughter has talked on and off for more than a year now about getting baptized. Tonight she said,

Quote:

"I want to do it, but do I have to do it in front of people? Are you going to spread the news around?"

I replied,

Quote:

"When you are truly ready to be baptized, YOU will WANT to spread the news around. You will want to tell everybody what Jesus did for you! Your reaction and questions let me know you are not ready and I really don't recommend you get baptized right now."

She was shocked. She thought we were going to pressure her to do it. I explained to her,

Quote:

"Baptism isn't about us. It's about Jesus. It's all about making HIM happy. It's your declaration that you are renouncing the flesh, sin and the world to be a disciple of Christ just like Peter , James and John. Baptism is a surrendering of your rights to the authority of Christ. Baptism is a transference of ownership of the temple of your body to the One who purchased it with his blood so that he could live in it by his Spirit. Jesus wants YOU to be his house. When he moves in he makes everything new. But until you surrender to him, he can't. So until you are ready to do all that, don't get baptized, honey."

I love my kid enough to tell her the truth. The demands of discipleship are real. Jesus said, "If any man come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". In another place he said, "He who seeks to save his life will lose it. But he who loses his life for my sake and the gospel will find it." Those are not idle words. It would be "cute" to see my daughter go through some church ritual, and without repentance, baptism is only that, a ritual. Paul said in Romans "by the Law is the knowledge of sin" and that by that moral Law "every mouth is stopped and the whole world becomes guilty before God" (Romans 3 19-21). I must give the moral Law of God time to give my daughter the knowledge of sin (or what God says is sin), stop her mouth (excuse making), and reveal to her guilt before God. Only then will she understand her need for a Savior and why Jesus had to die for her. Only then will she see why she needs a new nature imparted to her by way of the indwelling Spirit of Christ. Only then will grace truly seem "amazing" to her.

Please pray for our daughter. Amen.

navygoat1998 · #2 01-06-2014, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Originalist

Our 8 year old daughter has talked on and off for more than a year now about getting baptized. Tonight she said,

I replied,

She was shocked. She thought we were going to pressure her to do it. I explained to her,

I love my kid enough to tell her the truth. The demands of discipleship are real. Jesus said, "If any man come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". In another place he said, "He who seeks to save his life will lose it. But he who loses his life for my sake and the gospel will find it." Those are not idle words. It would be "cute" to see my daughter go through some church ritual, and without repentance, baptism is only that, a ritual. Paul said in Romans "by the Law is the knowledge of sin" and that by that moral Law "every mouth is stopped and the whole world becomes guilty before God" (Romans 3 19-21). I must give the moral Law of God time to give my daughter the knowledge of sin (or what God says is sin), stop her mouth (excuse making), and reveal to her guilt before God. Only then will she understand her need for a Savior and why Jesus had to die for her. Only then will she see why she needs a new nature imparted to her by way of the indwelling Spirit of Christ. Only then will grace truly seem "amazing" to her.

Please pray for our daughter. Amen.

Brother your a very wise father and steward of the Gospel. I will be honored to pray for your daughter.

MawMaw · #3 01-07-2014, 04:26 AM

that is so precious to hear..... I will be in prayer for your little daughter.

renee819 · #4 01-07-2014, 07:03 AM

Yes, Originalist, that was a wise and mature thing to do.
I would add to the talks, you also get baptized to wash your former sins away. But at 8, I doubt if she realizes what is sin and what is not. I really didn't at 11 yrs old.

You probably do teach her, but I wish I had, had more teaching on the sins of the spirit, like pride, jealousy, and those things.
I remember praying and asking God to forgive me of my sins, but then I probably thought, “what sins? Since I dressed and followed the rules of the church, I probably thought, I really didn't have any sins. And this would come in with the teaching of being born with a sinful nature. And do we want the responsibility to take care of a 'new nature” that God would give us, when we are filled with the Holy Ghost?

Blubayou · #5 01-07-2014, 07:43 AM

I was raised in a home with a Pentecostal mother and a Baptist dad, both of which were active in their churches. At the age of 9 years old I began to feel conviction and went to the altar in a Pentecostal church children revival. ( I felt conviction in both churches). My parents discussed me being baptized as a young child, but decided that I should put it off until I was older. I continued to attend both churches. At the age of 19 I chose to be baptized in the Pentecostal church. It was my decision, made when I weighed to cost and ramifications to my life. In my case, I am thankful my parents left it up to me to make that decision later in my life. It was a much more meaningful experience at the age of 19 than at the age of 9.

Lafon · #6 01-07-2014, 08:45 AM

While applauding your actions, I would add the following:

The recorded example of Philip's answer to the Ethiopian eunuch's inquiry concerning water baptism ("See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?"), and his response thereto, should be (IMHO) also taken into consideration in each case of a "believer" desiring to be immersed in the waters of baptism (see Acts 8:36-37, KJV).

"And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

It appears that Philip believed it needful that the eunuch understand the "oneness" of God prior to him being water baptized.

My thoughts anyway ...

ILG · #7 01-07-2014, 09:29 AM

Some people are very shy. Maybe she was shocked to think that God would force her to make a commitment to him in public rather than how she is comfortable. Just a thought.

KeptByTheWord · #8 01-07-2014, 09:43 AM

You are a wise father to counsel her in such a way, to wait until she is completely ready and willing, and understanding of all that baptism involves. I will be praying for your little girl.

Esaias · #9 01-10-2015, 01:19 AM

Is there an update to this thread? Been a year...

Originalist · #10 01-10-2015, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esaias

Is there an update to this thread? Been a year...

I think it is getting closer. She asked me last night if she could watch Ray Comfort street witnessing on YouTube. Ironically one of the people he interviewed was a pastor's daughter who claimed she was not backslid but readily admitted she was on her way out to party and get drunk. She said all her friends are "Christians" and they all do what she does. She explained that though she has a relationship with God she can't seem to help but be caught up in the world. This blew my daughter away and saddened her greatly. She knew this girl just did not get it. I'm encouraged that lessons such as these are helping her to see that she cannot make a light hearted move toward God.

To see the segment with the pastor's daughter, start at 5:27.......