On Sunday, November 15, 2009 Gabriella Elise Bristow was dedicated at our church, Agape Faith Church. It was a very exciting and emotional time for us. Most of our family was in attendance for the occassion. For those who are familiar with Baby Dedication, it's a ceremony in which family members but most importantly parents are publicly charged with what the word says in how we are to raise our children. Here's a more detailed explaination from about.com
"A Baby Dedication is a ceremony in which believing parents, and sometimes entire families, make a commitment before the Lord to submit a child to God's will and to raise that child according to God's Word and God's ways.
Responsibilities Involved in Baby Dedication
Christian parents who dedicate a child are making a promise to the Lord to do everything within their power to raise the child in a godly way, prayerfully until he or she can make a decision on his or her own to follow God. Parents who make this vow of commitment are instructed to raise the child in the ways of God, and not according to their own ways. Some of the responsibilities include teaching and training the child in God's Word, demonstrating an example of godliness, disciplining according to God's ways, and praying earnestly for the child. " -courtersey of about.com
As we were being charged by our Pastor, I found out that baby baptisims are not bibical. This made me curious to find out the difference in baby baptism and baby dedication. For most of us, we had a "baby baptism," as a infant or child. I learned from the Bible that babies were not sprinkle but presented to the Lord. Luke 2:21-22 Jesus our Savior was presented to the God at age 8, he was not baptized (baptism means to overwhelm, dip, submerge, immense, not sprinkle) until he was 30 years old. From my understanding "Biblilcal Baptism" is for Believers not babies. As a Believer you make the decision to follow Jesus and believe he is our Savior which can happen at a young age (2,3,15, etc.) but not as a baby. As a baby, it's the parents decision to raise their child as a Christian until the child is old enough to make that decision for themselves. We are to lead Gabby and show her the way she should go. "Fathers and mothers - face your responsibility! Ephesians 6:4, "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."
