Baby Talk

by Andrew Phillips

It seems like everywhere I turn, I see babies being born. Several have recently been born in our church family, and there are more on the way. Kathryn�s sister, Laura Beth, is pregnant and due within a matter of weeks. I�ve noticed how much planning goes on during pregnancy, from the routine doctor�s visits and ultrasounds to the baby showers and nursery decorations. None of us would dream of expecting a child, yet not concerning ourselves with the health of the baby during the pregnancy.
As I�ve visited some of our recent arrivals, it never gets old. There�s nothing quite like seeing a newborn baby - beautiful, adorable, yet so frail and helpless. Everyone who holds a newborn takes special care to hold the child just right - firm but gentle. None of us would dream of giving birth to a child and then walking away to allow the child to fend for itself.
Have you ever wondered why baptism is described as a rebirth? Obviously, that metaphor is rich with meaning. While this rebirth is the monumental event that allows us to become Christians, what happens before and after this re-birth is crucial. When Jesus gave His disciples the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20, he set out three specific commands - 1. Make Disciples (19), 2. Baptize (19), 3. Teach (20).
Before we can be reborn, we must be disciples. When we want to share the gospel with our friends, our first step must be instilling in them a desire to learn. We can�t skip directly to the rebirth unless they understand what the rebirth means. The way we help others during step #1 is similar to the way an expectant mother prepares for birth. Just like a mother ensures that her unborn child is receiving all the necessary nutrients in her physical diet, we must make sure that developing disciples receive the proper Biblical information in their spiritual diets. We would never dream of forgetting about an unborn child, but potential Christians are sometimes forgotten during the �un-reborn� phase.
After we are reborn, we must continue to be taught. When our friends have responded to the gospel and become Christians, our next step is helping them continue to learn. When we are reborn, we can�t skip directly to spiritual maturity. Just like a child, a young Christian must receive the proper nutrition, exercise, and loving care to grow. We would never dream of leaving a newborn un-attended, but young Christians are sometimes forgotten right after getting out of the water.
Birth is essential for human life; baptism is essential for spiritual life. Ensuring a healthy life, however, requires loving care before and after birth.

• New Commandment -Jan 16, 2005
• Probably The Hardest Part of Salvation - Repentance -Oct 24, 2004
• Babies -Sep 15, 2004
• Surgery Without Hands -Aug 31, 2003
• Can a Church be the Lord's Church with No Conversions? -Jan 27, 2002