We had Nathan dedicated at our church this past weekend. Here are the words of one of our pastors in explaining the purpose of Baby Dedication:1) To thank God for the gift of life He has granted to these children.
2) We want to praise and honor God for his work of granting precious children to the care of these families in our church, and we want to encourage the parents with the promised grace of God to accomplish their task.
3) It is a public opportunity for parents to say to the congregation, "This child is God's, I pray that this child will belong wholly to God, and I need your help as a church to raise this child in the ways of God."
4) Finally, it is a way to remind our people what we are saying and what we are not saying, theologically. This time of dedication does not get rid of original sin as many Catholics believe about infant baptism. That can only come by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus.
Nor does it guarantee that these children will be believers. It is not a baptism. Baptism is an outward demonstration of an inward change and is for those who profess faith in Jesus as their Savior and Lord and their only hope for reconciliation with God.
Baby dedications are great ways to declare that as parents and as a church we are going to fight to nurture, model godliness for, spiritually fight with, pray with, admonish, and feed these children with the Word of God in a healthy Christian atmosphere.
2) We want to praise and honor God for his work of granting precious children to the care of these families in our church, and we want to encourage the parents with the promised grace of God to accomplish their task.
3) It is a public opportunity for parents to say to the congregation, "This child is God's, I pray that this child will belong wholly to God, and I need your help as a church to raise this child in the ways of God."
4) Finally, it is a way to remind our people what we are saying and what we are not saying, theologically. This time of dedication does not get rid of original sin as many Catholics believe about infant baptism. That can only come by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus.
Nor does it guarantee that these children will be believers. It is not a baptism. Baptism is an outward demonstration of an inward change and is for those who profess faith in Jesus as their Savior and Lord and their only hope for reconciliation with God.
Baby dedications are great ways to declare that as parents and as a church we are going to fight to nurture, model godliness for, spiritually fight with, pray with, admonish, and feed these children with the Word of God in a healthy Christian atmosphere.
Here are the words we say over the children:
"(Child's name), together with your parents, who love you dearly, and this people who care about the outcome of your faith, I dedicate you to God, surrendering together with them all worldly claims upon your life, in the hope that you will belong wholly to God forever." (Adapted from Bethlehem Baptist Church)
"(Child's name), together with your parents, who love you dearly, and this people who care about the outcome of your faith, I dedicate you to God, surrendering together with them all worldly claims upon your life, in the hope that you will belong wholly to God forever." (Adapted from Bethlehem Baptist Church)
So...
Nathan...We dedicate you to God, surrendering all worldly claims upon your life, in the hope that you will belong wholly to God forever.
1 comment:
More adorabale shots of Nathan! and my favorite is the one of him on the steps!! He is such a darling little boy!!
Love,
Nancy
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