# For Paedobaptist attending Baptist church (sorry, Baptists!)



## aleksanderpolo (May 6, 2008)

I have a question. Suppose a paedobaptist is attending an independent Baptist church. Obviously his baby cannot be baptized. Now, if the church is offering a "baby dedication", should he dedicate his baby? There is no suitable Presbyterian church nearby for his family to attend, so going to another church is out of the question... What do you think?


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## BobVigneault (May 6, 2008)

Yes, do the baby dedication (dry baptism). Sneak a small squirt gun up to the front with you concealed in a baby blanket. At the appropriate time, squirt your baby in the head. Everyone's happy!


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## smhbbag (May 6, 2008)

> I have a question. Suppose a paedobaptist is attending an independent Baptist church. Obviously his baby cannot be baptized. Now, if the church is offering a "baby dedication", should he dedicate his baby? There is no suitable Presbyterian church nearby for his family to attend, so going to another church is out of the question... What do you think?



My Father-in-Law had this situation.

He waited until a trip out of town to the grandparents' house, and had my wife baptized at their reformed church. And for most paedos, a similar take would probably be best.

The "baby-dedication" thing would be pointless, if I was a paedo - the child would still be in need of actual baptism. Well, it's pointless as a baptist  , but as a paedo it would be even moreso.


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## aleksanderpolo (May 6, 2008)

Thank you Bob for your most insightful advice. I will post a youtube video of the "surprise!" infant dedication/baptism when that happen!


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## Poimen (May 6, 2008)

No, baby dedication is not a sacrament.


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## CalvinandHodges (May 6, 2008)

Hi:

If there is a Presbyterian Church nearby that would be willing to baptize your baby, then you should see if they would do it:

_The grace which is exhibited in or by the sacraments rightly used, is not conferred by any power in them, neither doth the efficacy of a sacrament depend upon the piety or intention of him that doth administer it: but upon the work of the Spirit, and the word of institution, which contains, together with a precept authorizing the use thereof, a promise of benefit to worthy receivers, WCF 27:3._

There are only two things which make the Sacrament valid: The work of the Spirit, and the word of institution. In Baptism the word of institution is found in the Scripture, "I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." As long as a church uses the words of institution the baptism is valid - despite its doctrine, piety, or intention. Because the efficacy of it is found in the Spirit of God working with the Word of God.

Baptism can be performed at any time, and not only during worship service. Philip baptized the Ethiopian at a time that was not formally a worship service. As long as there is a Church officer who has the power to baptize (like Philip) baptizm can be done with/without witnesses, in church, out of church, or anywhere, or anywhen, a person wishes.

Blessings,

-CH


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## N. Eshelman (May 6, 2008)

I say join a congregation that is too far to frequent, but close enough to visit. Explain your situation and work with that session to see that some spiritual needs are met. 

Go to the Baptist church for the preaching, worship, Lord's Supper, fellowship, etc. 

We have a few people in our church that are members elsewhere bc of convictions other than ours. All will be happy.


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## Herald (May 6, 2008)

BobVigneault said:


> Yes, do the baby dedication (dry baptism). Sneak a small squirt gun up to the front with you concealed in a baby blanket. At the appropriate time, squirt your baby in the head. Everyone's happy!



I'm only perusing the thread but I can't help but marvel at Bob's insightful solution. You're a master brother Bob. I am but a student at your feet.


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## BobVigneault (May 6, 2008)

I just find that a lot of the enigmas that are presented on the board aren't so difficult to solve if one is willing to take a step back, empty your mind of annoying scruples, don't be afraid of a bit of technology, and just pull back the pinball plunger of life and let it go.

I try to work myself into a state of Bawbness in this way.

1. Imagine you are sitting in a chair and you lean back.

2. At the point where you know you are going to fall backwards, you catch yourself.

3. There is a moment right there of lucid nausea. That's the Bawbforce.

So, you want to baptize your baby at a Baptist baby dedication? The Bawbforce said "SQUIRT GUN".

Now the Bawbforce is saying, "Eat a cookie!" Gotta go. Later.


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## Herald (May 6, 2008)

speechless. awe does that to me.


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## JonathanHunt (May 6, 2008)

Such profundity.

When is the first annual 'Bawb' conference?


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## Herald (May 6, 2008)

JonathanHunt said:


> Such profundity.
> 
> When is the first annual 'Bawb' conference?



Jonathan, NO! There is no Bawb conference. To organize Bawb is to loose Bawbness. Bawbness is transparent, spontaneous and mushy; kinda like over cooked cauliflower.


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## Zenas (May 6, 2008)

Baby dedications are pointless.

For a paedo, it falls short of the actual sign and seal. For a Baptist... why? Either you're paedo or credo. A credo has no Biblical reason to do this and it's altogether pointless. If a credo feels compelled to do this, maybe he should do a bit more examination and study of his position on Baptism.


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## DMcFadden (May 6, 2008)

I have done bunches of baby dedications. However, since my classmates in seminary were mostly presbyterians, the logic of it never really took for me. Besides there is exactly 0 biblical support for it -- regardless of your position on infant baptism.


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## Herald (May 6, 2008)

I'm not defending baby dedications. The ones I have been to are more charges to the parents than to the baby.


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## Zenas (May 6, 2008)

DMcFadden said:


> Besides there is exactly 0 biblical support for it -- regardless of your position on infant baptism.


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## BobVigneault (May 6, 2008)

In the Baptist church I attended, the baby dedication was a charge to the parents and then to the church as a whole. I liked it because it was the closest they came to covenantal thinking that I could see. It forced them away from individualism and toward something bigger and better. It reminded us of the continuity of the church and that the family is the smallest unity in God's Kingdom by which the gospel was transferred from one generation to the next.

So disagree with what the sign and seal stand for but don't say it is a pointless exercise, it isn't.


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## DMcFadden (May 6, 2008)

Bob,

I agree with you that we do it because we sense that it is an appropriate thing to do, affirming both the commitment of the parents and of the congregation. However, I always felt as if it were an attempt to justify why we didn't do infant baptisms.


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## nicnap (May 6, 2008)

Zenas said:


> Baby dedications are pointless.
> 
> For a paedo, it falls short of the actual sign and seal. For a Baptist... why? *Either you're paedo or credo*. A credo has no Biblical reason to do this and it's altogether pointless. If a credo feels compelled to do this, maybe he should do a bit more examination and study of his position on Baptism.



Not to be overly technical, but we Covenant baptists are both paedo and credo. Our Baptist brethren are anti-paedo. You see, *WE* are the complete Baptist position.  (Sorry, this was off topic, and just a little kindling...)


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## Grymir (May 6, 2008)

This is a trick question, if a person was truly paedo, they would not attend a Baptist church. 


If he was attending, he would convert to credo and wait for his young one to come to faith in Christ, then Baptize him. (By immersion of course).


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## Vonnie Dee (May 6, 2008)

I have been to both baby dedications and baptisms. Most of the ones I have seen both use most of the same words. They both charge the parents with bringing up the child in the knowledge of the Lord. They both charge the congregation that the child is a part of this body and should be expected to bring certain outcomes. Yes the baptisms go a step further in applying the sign of baptism and that is a big difference. Most of the rest was very similar. I think that even as credo parents wait for that confession they try to carry out the charge set before them at the dedication.


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