Reflecting

by David Shannon

Could I Reminisce for a Moment?
Tracie, my wife, awoke me in the early morning hours to tell me it was time. We lived in another state away from all our family each time our babies were born, so our birthing experiences never had the busyness of 20 folks gathering at the hospital as some do. I kind of liked it that way. As the sun began to dawn, our baby was born. She was beautiful. No, I don't mean beautiful that describes all new borns; she was truly beautiful. She had the biggest blue eyes with the longest eyelashes and a light olive skin. Her cry had a unique raspy sound in it. She was pleasant, but very strong willed. As she grew her heart seemed to display more and more compassion for others. She usually played what the other children wanted to play. She would adapt and be content. The strong willed characteristic of being "headstrong" seemed to be overcome by a sweet consideration of others.

My "baby," now a young lady, grew to the point she believed she was lost in sin and was baptized Sunday evening. Paul writes in Romans 7:9, "I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.
10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.
11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me."

When does a child need to be baptized? This is asked so often from parents who simply want to do what is right in the sight of God. The time is right:

(1) When the child is mature enough to understand (not just memorize) how to apply the teachings of God in their life. Paul said the "commandments came" and "I died." Before this point, Paul was not old enough to understand the commandments of God, and was safe in the sight of God. But when he grew to understand God's will and mature enough to carry out his responsibilities, he was "accountable to God."
(2) Paul then realized he wasn't perfect. The very ways of God he strove to live, he had violated. He found himself a sinner! Sin separates, Jesus restores (Rm 6:23)! That is when we need to be baptized into Jesus! Thank God for His gracious gift of His dear Son! I can't imagine seeing my child die the death of crucifixion!

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