Baby Dedication Ceremonial in Christians: Reason and significance of Christian rituals
Baby Dedication Ceremonial in Christians: Reason and significance of Christian rituals
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The “infant dedication” service is a new practice that has evolved within some churches of Christ in recent years. Apparently it is becoming increasingly popular, as a search-engine check of “Baby Dedication—Church of Christ” on the world wide web will reveal. Is this practice merely an innocent expediency? Many respectable brethren believe that this exercise reflects a very unhealthy trend in the Lord’s church.  Dedicating a child acknowledges God's sovereignty not only over the child, but also Mom and Dad. Parents present their child before God and His people asking for grace and wisdom in carrying out their responsibilities. Parents also come praying that their child might one day trust Jesus Christ as Savior for the forgiveness of sin.

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Before the actual ceremony, it is crucial that pastors counsel parents about the meaning of dedication. The best passage for discussion is Deuteronomy 6:4-7. First, it commands parents to love God; if they truly wish for their child to one day love and follow God, their lives must be an example. This is a good time to query parents about their own personal relationship with Christ. Second, Deuteronomy makes clear that the duty of teaching children belongs to parents; Sunday schools can provide weekly instruction, but parents must seize the teachable moments that arise throughout life. Explain the value of prayer (for example, repetitious prayers like "Now I lay me down to sleep . . .") at meal times and before bed. Urge them to read aloud Bible stories for devotions. Give them practical ideas they can implement into their daily family routines.

The Origin of Infant Dedication Covenants

The practice of “infant dedication” is clearly perceived in the larger religious community as a kindred spirit to the human tradition of “infant baptism.” Those who promote infant baptism have long contended for what is called the “covenant” position in defense of their doctrine. The argument has been developed something like this. God made a covenant with Abraham relative to the patriarch’s “seed.” That covenant was formalized by means of the rite of circumcision. Circumcision was an outward ceremony that provided visualization and meaning for the original agreement.

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Extrapolating from that foundation, the old theologians appealed to Paul’s statement in Colossians 2:11, where a limited analogy is drawn between circumcision and baptism (though they missed the point of Paul’s argument). From that faulty premise, the pedobaptists reasoned that the baptism of babies functioned as a New Testament seal of dedication. Even though there was no command or precedent for such a practice in the New Testament, they felt that the rite nonetheless served a practical purpose, and, at the very least, was a legitimate expediency.

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