One of life’s greatest joys is to be part of teaching your children about our Father and His Son. As you do this, keep in mind that God did not give the primary responsibility to learn about God to the church but to you as a parent. I am so thankful for Sunday and Wednesday Bible classes, but every son and daughter needs far more than these classes. God gave your children to you, not to the church, and He holds you responsible to “…train up a child in the way he should go” (Prov. 22:6). What is so often overlooked is the New Testament’s instructions to “…bring them up in the training and admonitions of the Lord” is given to fathers and not to mothers (Eph. 6:4). If your son or daughter is not learning about God, it is not your wife’s fault!
However, the greatest joy in being a parent is when your child first asks about baptism. Hopefully he or she has seen your joy every time someone is baptized in the assembly. Hopefully you have talked about it in the car after you leave worship and what a special moment they have just witnessed. Sometimes children as early as kindergarten age will bring up the subject. Parents sometimes are surprised and may be ill equipped as how to respond. I remember one of my children before he was seven expressing his concern about dying in a flight from New Zealand back to America because he said, “Oh, no! I haven’t been baptized.” He had been thinking far deeper than I thought he was at such a young age. What do you say when similar events happen in your life?
I remember one mother whose son in his early teens asked about baptism and she responded, “No, you are not ready to be baptized because you don’t even keep your room clean.” That was a wrong response for that mother did not keep her house clean! He was not baptized then or later. Wisdom dictates that regardless of the age when the topic arises parents should express thankfulness that their son or daughter is thinking about these matters. This thankfulness does not mean you always give approval of the topic, but it is such a great joy to know they are thinking about spiritual matters.
Years ago, I heard an older preacher say, “Baptism is a birth and if a person does not know where babies come from, he does not know enough to be baptized.” I do not agree with him for knowing biological reproduction is far different from knowing about creating a spiritual relationship with God.
How should a parent respond when these special moments happen? Next week, we will give suggestions about how a parent should respond. It is an important moment, and you should think about how you will respond before it ever comes. More next week!