Just making a distinction between a sacrament and a baby dedication. One is commanded in scripture, and one isn’t. Where we disagree is on the method and precondition for the sacrament, as well as the underlying significance of the sacrament (a continuation of circumcision versus an expression of faith of the one being baptized)

I’m by no means an expert (had to google “sacramentalism” to make sure I understood it, and I think I do…) I just am very compelled, moved even, by the image of a helpless enemy of God being called, drawn, and saved, apart from any work they’ve done. Even before they are able to work.

I can agree to disagree, as long as you’re not implying sacramentalism here.

We do this exact same thing with our kids, only at the summit, we call it a “parent commissioning”, because, as you said, it’s about the faith of the parents, not the child.

As parents, we publicly ask God to be gracious to our children as an overflow of His grace to us, and we commit ourselves, in covenant with our body of believers, that we will raise our children in the Gospel.

And, of course, we do not sprinkle or dunk them.

The imagery of baptism seems to indicate a passing from death to life – a willful laying down of one’s life through repentance that enables unity with Christ in His resurrection.

I just personally don’t see the connection between the two.

Dedicate that baby to the Lord. And ask God to be merciful to your family. Publicly.

And promise to raise that child in the Gospel and have a big party to celebrate God’s grace to your family.

And, one day, when God answers that prayer and grants that child the grace to repent and be saved, have a big party when he’s baptized!

I can offer my own experience as an example of why this is important to me: I was baptized as an infant into the catholic church. Then, when I was 5 or so, my parents became ‘protestant’ believers, and asked me if I wanted to be baptized at our church. I understood somewhat and didn’t see why not, so I was baptized then.

But in my early college years, when I began to really take my faith seriously, and began to understand the Gospel better, and began to really dig into the Bible, I felt very conflicted, because I felt like I hadn’t really taken the step of obedience of baptism, since I hadn’t really entered into that picture with my eyes wide open.

I struggled for almost 10 years with whether or not to be baptized AGAIN with new understanding and appreciation of what it means — I didn’t want to cheapen my parents memories, and I didn’t want to confuse people who already looked up to me as a spiritual leader.

Finally, just a few months ago, after some good conversations with guys at our church, and after listening to several lectures about the first-century church and what baptism was in their view, I was baptized a third time — this time as a baptist.

So, in retrospect, I feel good about it all, but I wish I hadn’t been baptized as an infant or as a child so that it would have been a more straightforward step of obedience for me.

I think this is definitely something that is deeply influenced by each person’s denominational up-bringing and also by which side of the ‘reformed’ fence you land (or sit) on.

It’s fun to dialog about!

I agree that it has much in common with a baby dedication, but the key difference is that we don’t see it as necessary to baptize a new believer who was baptized as an infant. Dedication is a neat sentiment. Baptism is a scriptural means of grace.

The significance of sprinkling is that God has “poured out” his love on us. Also, Ezekiel 36:25 is often used in support of sprinkling in baptism. Plus, dunking an infant is abuse. So, there’s that.