Why Do We Wait?
I’m trying to figure out why Christian parents who believe baptism is a means of grace would wait more than a few minutes or possibly hours to baptize their newborn.
I suppose reasons could range from disbelief to mere tradition. Some parents wait for family to arrive from out of town. If your child came to you and said, “Mom, Dad, please tell me about the law and the gospel. I’d like to know who this Jesus is and what He did for me.” would you put him off and tell him to wait until the relatives could find a convenient weekend to travel so they can show up and witness it? Why wait to baptize?
God has given us a gift in baptism. Unless he doesn’t actually believe baptism is efficacious, I can’t figure out why a Christian parent would want to keep this gift from his child for the sake of tradition of any kind. When God says, “I want to give you and your children life and salvation,” we don’t say, “Oh, cool. Let me check my schedule and I’ll get back to you on that!”
I know I couldn’t stand to look my newborn in the eyes and know I was the one responsible for keeping him from being part of God’s family.
June 26th, 2005 at 9:04 pm
I believe it is because most parents understand that the doctrine of baptism expounded upon in the BoC is addressing “normative” circumstances. IOW, if everything is going along normally, then a normal baptism rite at church would be reasonable. Were a bomb to fall on the hospital that night, then because the nature of the event would be NOT normative, the principles concerning baptism would no longer apply. So, while God does not normally save apart from baptism (situation normal), that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t save apart from baptism when the situation is unusual (situation NOT normal). The thief on the cross might be a good example.
Just a thought, Kobra
June 26th, 2005 at 11:38 pm
I think there is one very practical reason why babies are not baptized as quickly as they generally were until, say, a century ago: rates of infant mortality are now so very low. We no longer feel the urgency because, in 99.9% of cases (but oh! that 0.1% is still there, isn’t it?) there is no urgency.
Our elder son was just under three months at his baptism. Our younger son was nearly six months old, but there were complications there because we were still members of a Baptist church when he was born.
I think if we had another child, we would now have him/her baptized much more quickly than either of our first two, simply because our views on baptism have changed.
June 27th, 2005 at 6:51 am
You ask good questions. I would just remind you that the Word that the child heard in the womb and hears until she or he is baptized is efficacious. Do not let yourself be paralyzed by fear.
June 27th, 2005 at 7:01 am
How is it that when it comes to your child’s eternal security, there is no urgency simply because he is healthy?
Chaz, if salvation comes by hearing the efficacious word, what if the child is deaf or hearing impaired?
June 27th, 2005 at 7:39 am
Just to follow-up on Elle’s second question, what’s the relevance of hearing if the words are not understood? (just as an analogical question: Would it be sufficient for an adult, who had never heard the Word in his language, if he repeatedly and unknowingly walked by people speaking the Word in languages unknown to him?).
June 27th, 2005 at 7:47 am
My twins were born 11 weeks early and stayed in the newborn intensive care unit for 5 weeks. One child went home with us on oxygen and a heart monitor. We had a pastor at the ready should anything terrible happen.
I will admit I breathed a nice sigh of relief once the girls were finally baptized. I knew the advice that Chaz gave, but baptism is wonderful assurance is it not?
We waited because my relatives (I live in Ohio) were strewn far and wide; we had people from Missouri and Iowa coming. People in our family who don’t normally go to church used the opportunity to come to church and hear the Word. In our service we read almost every single Biblical reference concerning the saving power of Baptism and its appropriateness for infants. It is my hope that somebody heard the Word and had their faith reawakened.
It is also nice to hear the congregation recite the Creed for children and promise to do their part in helping children hear the Word and believe.
June 27th, 2005 at 9:07 am
Elle,
I have no answer to your question. I’ve been wondering about that for years.
June 27th, 2005 at 9:11 am
I do not buy the excuse (yes! it’s an excuse!) of waiting for relatives to show up. All of what you mentioned, Dan, can be done at a baptism reaffirmation service. In fact, I believe it would actually be more of a witness to them because they would see how serious you were as a parent about the salvation of your child that you didn’t want to wait. What is more important here–that your child is given the gift of Salvation God has ready to give them or that family members are there? If someone you were witnessing to asked “What must I do to be saved?” would you tell him to wait a few weeks or that you have a pastor standing by in case his health suddenly diminishes? I don’t understand how people can be so calloused when it comes to their children being baptised when as Christians we would immediately welcome an unbeliever who asks us how to be saved!!!
June 27th, 2005 at 3:45 pm
Rachel,
At our church we had several instances of celebration/affirmation of baptism services. Sometimes the baby had a health problem, but sometimes the parents just wanted the baby to have the blessing of holy baptism as soon as possible. Can parents baptize the baby? Just wondering…
June 27th, 2005 at 4:55 pm
Theresa K.:
Parents can baptize the baby in absence of a pastor. LCMS documentation for baptism in emergencies.
June 27th, 2005 at 6:12 pm
God says, “I want to give you and your children life and salvation.” Is this a bibical verse? If so, where is it quoted from. Thanks.
June 27th, 2005 at 10:12 pm
Baptism IS the gift of life and salvation!
June 28th, 2005 at 8:45 am
Rachel and Elle:
When our kids were born, we were just getting started in our new church, and we didn’t have the Lutheran pastoral support we perhaps needed.
Our family, primarily hers, were there to help us out. They are Methodist, and Methodists teach a doctrine of prevenient grace. This is why the urgency was not there among our family to get the kids’ baptism done.
I carry a little bit of guilt in not being home enough to enforce our Lutheran traditions in the home. I take refuge in that our children are baptized, and when I am out they still do receive the Word in a Christian Chruch. Were I home more and we had a third child coming, there will be incentive to handle things differently.
I caution against assuming that people wait because they are callous. I know this is an intolerant blog
, but there is a way to teach and correct without insult. Thank you for your participation in this topic.
July 4th, 2005 at 2:32 am
Baptism Into God’s Family
IntolerantElle has a question for those who see baptism as a means of grace. Why do parents not baptize their children as soon as possible after birth? Now I believe she has in mind the Lutheran view, but Presbyterians have…
July 6th, 2005 at 12:56 pm
My wife and I found out a few weeks ago that we are expecting our first child so I’ve been thinking about infant baptism quite a bit lately. We’re fairly new Lutherans (1.5 yrs) so we’re still adjusting to all the different aspects of life in a Lutheran church. What is the age that most people baptize their children in a Lutheran church? Also, what is the significance of the church answering for the child? I understand (and glady affirm) the doctrine of infant baptism - it’s just some of the logistics I’m confused about. And I am talking to a pastor about these things. I just thought I’d throw the questions out for consideration.
July 6th, 2005 at 3:45 pm
Jeremy, I’m not sure what the average wait is for new Lutheran parents. I’m not intending to imply that you are doing this (I’m intending to imply that many parents do it because they don’t think too deeply about the sacrament), but I would have trouble turning to an average set by dirty rotten sinners for advice about when to make my child part of God’s family.
I don’t get the church answering for the child, either. It doesn’t make sense to me considering the church’s confession of faith regarding sinful nature.
July 7th, 2005 at 4:18 am
Elle:
Since we’re not having the baby for another 6 months I didn’t think you were implicating me. As to this: “I would have trouble turning to an average set by dirty rotten sinners for advice about when to make my child part of God’s family” - I am seeking neither advice nor an average. It was a simple question.
July 9th, 2005 at 10:21 am
Elle:
Amen to you sentiments here!
Mark
July 31st, 2005 at 3:47 am
[…] ng–salvation as given through baptism. Elle and I again discussed this yesterday, but she blogged about it first, so I’m just going to add my two cents here: Why wait to baptize […]