Why do we baptize our babies?
We return now to the same passage that we read on Tuesday. Paul is addressing what he calls being circumcised by Christ. The actions of baptism represent how the believer shares in Christ’s death and resurrection. Since Christians have been circumcised by Christ they do not need to take part in a physical circumcision. While male circumcision still occurs today, this is a matter of hygienic choice, not a spiritual mandate. What was commanded by Jesus is to make disciples and to baptize them.
Colossians 2:11-14
11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Listen to passage & devotional:
Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 34: The Sacrament of Baptism
We believe and confess that Jesus Christ,
in whom the law is fulfilled,
has by his shed blood
put an end to every other shedding of blood,
which anyone might do or wish to do
in order to atone or satisfy for sins.
Having abolished circumcision,
which was done with blood,
he established in its place
the sacrament of baptism.
By it we are received into God’s church
and set apart from all other people and alien religions,
that we may be dedicated entirely to him,
bearing his mark and sign.
It also witnesses to us
that he will be our God forever,
since he is our gracious Father.
Therefore he has commanded
that all those who belong to him
be baptized with pure water
“in the name of the Father,
and the Son,
and the Holy Spirit.”
In this way he signifies to us
that just as water washes away the dirt of the body
when it is poured on us
and also is seen on the body of the baptized
when it is sprinkled on him,
so too the blood of Christ does the same thing internally,
in the soul,
by the Holy Spirit.
It washes and cleanses it from its sins
and transforms us from being the children of wrath
into the children of God.
So ministers,
as far as their work is concerned,
give us the sacrament and what is visible,
but our Lord gives what the sacrament signifies—
namely the invisible gifts and graces;
washing, purifying, and cleansing our souls
of all filth and unrighteousness;
renewing our hearts and filling them
with all comfort;
giving us true assurance
of his fatherly goodness;
clothing us with the “new man” and stripping off the “old,”
with all its works.
We believe our children ought to be baptized
and sealed with the sign of the covenant,
as little children were circumcised in Israel
on the basis of the same promises
made to our children.
And truly,
Christ has shed his blood no less
for washing the little children of believers
than he did for adults.
Therefore they ought to receive the sign and sacrament
of what Christ has done for them,
just as the Lord commanded in the law that
by offering a lamb for them
the sacrament of the suffering and death of Christ
would be granted them
shortly after their birth.
This was the sacrament of Jesus Christ.
Furthermore,
baptism does for our children
what circumcision did for the Jewish people.
That is why Paul calls baptism
the “circumcision of Christ.”
Dig Deeper
While the command to baptize is clearly laid out in scripture, there continues to be theological discussion around who to baptize. More specifically, should we as Christians baptize the children of believing parents? Our Confession advocates for the baptism of children, stating outright that children ought to be baptized.
The strong scriptural argument for paedobaptism (the baptism of infants) comes from Paul’s description of baptism as the “circumcision of Christ”. Under the Old Covenant the sign of the covenant was male circumcision, which was administered to the people of God and their children. The question which Christians continue to debate is whether the sign of the new covenant, baptism, should likewise be administered to the children of believing parents.
While this is not a salvation issue, it is important to consider the scriptural and theological processes behind our administering of our sacraments. Those who oppose infant baptism often cite the lack of a direct command in scripture to baptize the children of believers. As paedobaptists, we would counter that the Bible never once commanded believers to stop applying the sign of the covenant to their children.
Under the Old Covenant, it was the command of God that children were to be given the sign of the covenant. The burden of proof lies with those who would seek to remove children from being included from amongst those who receive the sign of the New Covenant.
It is important that our administration of sacraments is guided by scripture. Consider not only the baptism and communion practices of your church, but also the reasons they adhere to those traditions. The sacraments carry much more meaning when you understand the significance of what we are declaring through them.
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who is working out your salvation in Christ;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the strength to fulfill the promises you've made each time you've witnessed the baptism of a covenant child;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 20
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