Thanks to my dear wife's prep and hard work, everything is set and ready for the imminent arrival of our first child. All that's left now is to meet the little munchkin and introduce them properly to our world. As we await his/her arrival, the darling wife and I have been considering creative ways that we can teach this littl'un of the covenant what it means to have the Risen Lord as our God. Today I came across a brilliant resource which I commend to any of you who are discipling little children. Here are the first few questions:
Question 1. Who are you?
I am a child of God
Question 2. What does it mean to be a child of God?
It means that I belong to him and he loves me.
Question 3. What makes you a child of God?
Grace -- God's free gift of love that I do not deserve and cannot earn.
Question 4. How do you know you are a child of God?
Because I am baptized in the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God made me his child in baptism, just as his Word promises.
Question 5. Don't you have to be good for God to love you?
No. God loves me in spite of all I do wrong because of what Jesus has done for me.
Read the rest here and don't skip the challenging and thought-provoking introduction.
Dear Kip'ster,
ReplyDeleteBIG Issues with **Question 4.** What nuts is that Kip? Nothing less than the error of baptismal generation. What mindless folly? You surely don't believe that? It really doesn't seem remotely biblical. Not 1 John's take on assurance, how can you know you are a Christian. Very unfortunate phrasing it seems to me. "God made me his child in baptism." Where would one get that from scripture?
By believing in his name we received the right to be called children of God. We were brought forth by his word, born of God, of the Spirit. Baptism is a picture of the change, it is NOT what made me his child. Maybe this has been badly translated from another language (i try to paint the author in the best light possible here, though no doubt he's far more godly than this weak brother!).
Peace Mr Kip, sorry it took so long to comment on these, but had to get my google account warmed up...
As always, much love, ur well blessed with a lovely youth and wife now... may u continue to know his grace and peace, and u know i'm seeking ur prayers too! ;)
T
Hey Mr Tom,
ReplyDeleteTwo comments in one evening - this is good and I'm loving the interaction - keep it coming bro...
Question 4 logically follows if one is happy and convinced with the baptism of infants. It's a comment that illustrates what the paedobaptist ultimately believes (wittingly or unwittingly) about what goes on in Baptism. If not, then we would be guilty of the awful evil of knowingly baptising pagans but that is not our view - we are to baptise those we deem to be Christians.
As for Biblical evidence, consider the following
Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
What we often forget here is that Peter says Repent and be baptized **for** the forgiveness of your sins. He doesn't say Repent for the forgiveness of your sins and then be baptised to show what has happened inside of you.
Interesting, this same pattern is what happens for the Apostle Paul. This is how he recounts his moment of conversion:
12 “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.
13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.
14 “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth.
15 You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard.
16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’
Notice those 7 words in the last verse? Be baptized and wash your sins away - that is Paul's testimony... not how we often describe our salvation is it?
I think a similar point could be argued from Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:3-7; 1 Corinthians 12:13.
Tom, thanks for comments. Looking forward to more interaction and trust all's well down South?
the Kipster