John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Mark 1:4
The following was read at our youngest son’s baptism (almost twenty-three years ago now).
As we bring our children forward for baptism, we are truly expressing our faith in God, our Father. We believe it is His divine intention to be to our children what He is to us—a glorious Savior.
We rejoice with trembling. For we acknowledge that our salvation does not depend on our choosing at all, but on God’s choosing. And while we don’t say that baptism itself effects salvation, we do presume to say that it signifies the promise of it—the future effectual calling and election of God Almighty. “The promise is for you and your children…” Praise the Lord!
And as we are commanded to be diligent to make our calling and election sure, so we will strive to that same end on behalf of our children; training them up in the way they should go, nurturing them in the fear and admonition of the Lord, until the time comes when they can fully appreciate for themselves their own relationship with the God Who called them from their mother’s womb…
