# Childs profession of faith



## Croghanite (Aug 18, 2006)

My 8 year old professes Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. When you ask him questions about God and salvation, He has the "correct" answers. I have shown him in scripture that if you love God you will do his commandments. I ask him: "do you trust that Christ paid the price for your sins and believe that you are saved because of your faith and not by your works?" Yes... Then if you love Him: "He commands you to be Baptized, then begin and continue taking the Lords Supper until His return". So he says "then I want to be Baptized and begin taking the Lords Supper. I want to do this because I want to obey Gods commandments". 

My family and I are to become members of a PCA church here shortly. My children will be baptized when we become members. I told my Pastor about my son and his profession of faith. He told me that my son is very young to be professing a "true" profession of faith but his age does not necessarily disqualify his profession. He went on to say that after becoming members the Elders would like to get to know my son better and doing that they will see if his heart is in the right place. They will then interview him and so on. In the meantime he is not to take Communion. This leads me to my question.

*When a child confesses Christ as his Lord and Saviour, wishes to be Baptized and partake of the Lords Supper shouldn't the Elders immediately recognize that and interview him?*

I told my Pastor that my boy will say to me: Why will you not allow me to do Gods commandments, I am a Christian? I was told to encourage him weekly and see if he continues to want these things. 

AM I going nuts! It seems to me that when someone makes a profession of faith, they should receive the Sacraments and if they do not continue in their faith, that is when you withhold the sacrament of Communion.

My wife and I went to our last "new members class" tonight and my kids did not know we were going until the last moment. I told my 8 year old we were going to the Pastors house. He said "really" in a surprised tone. I said "is there anything you want me to tell him?" he replied:" tell him I want to be baptized and take communion as soon as possible". Of course I asked him why do you want to do that ASAP and he stated I want to do Gods commandments because I love Him.
Im going to have a great conversation with my son tomorrow


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## WrittenFromUtopia (Aug 18, 2006)

Your child should be baptized asap, no question. Whether or not he takes communion is up to the elders, but from what you said, there shouldn't be any problem, in my opinion.


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## jaybird0827 (Aug 18, 2006)

Joe,

When my son was that age, I was exactly where you are and he was where your son is. Until recently I would have had the same concerns; but I have changed my mind with the teaching that we have been getting recently.

If your son is asked not to approach the table until the Session is comfortable with his profession, no harm will be done. This is an opportunity to trust Christ to work through the means he has appointed for shepherding believers in his church. I would encourage you to shepherd your son through this period and be patient to wait on the Lord's timing on this.

Cheers ~~ Jay


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## Scott Bushey (Aug 18, 2006)

Joe,
I can relate to your concerns; as I have told my pastor, who would know my child better than I in this regard. Realistically, the Lord has called the elders to make the final determination about the supper; I assume they will baptize all of your family upon reception into the church as official members (as long as no one is specifically _rejecting_ the faith). As you know, the sacraments do not save, so in this regard, it is just a matter of time. Tell your son to pray, God will assuredly answer his cry to be fed! 

For the record, in First Pres of Margate, Cal Beisner's son, whom I believe is even younger than 8 yrs old partakes of the supper. Rick Phillips is the pastor there. Apparently, his confession was valid enough to facilitate the supper being passed to him, even at that age.

Finally, what a blessing to hear your child expound on the things we all pray to hear.

[Edited on 8-18-2006 by Scott Bushey]


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## ChristopherPaul (Aug 18, 2006)

> _Originally posted by LAYMAN JOE_
> he stated I want to do Gods commandments because I love Him.



Thank God for His faithfulness Joe. This is a good "problem".

I would use this opportunity to teach your son to love the church and submit joyfully to the elders leadership (Hebrews 13:17). Emphasize that we do this because we "want to do Gods commandments and because we love Him."


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## LadyFlynt (Aug 18, 2006)

Prayers with you...I'm glad to hear though that they at least take concern with who is participating....rather than the churches I grew up in where every John and Jane Doe could do as they please.

BTW, Congrats...it's so nice when they come early. Two of mine did.


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## bradofshaw (Aug 18, 2006)

I made a profession and was admitted to the table at age 11. At that time, and for several years afterward, I had no specific interest in taking communion. I only did it because that's what people in church do. I don't know if that means I took it in an unworthy manner, or if I was just ignorant in my understanding. Bottom line is, inspite of the membership class I took and the profession I made before the elders (one of whom was my father) I never had a desire like your son. 

Praise God for that desire, and also praise God for prudent elders who wish to carefully consider a profession before admitting a little one to the table. (None of this to impugn my elders, just to say that even someone a little bit older than your son may have a credible profession but not a right understanding of the obligations therein)


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## Ivan (Aug 18, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Scott Bushey_
> Finally, what a blessing to hear your child expound on the things we all pray to hear.



 Praise God!


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## Ivan (Aug 18, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Scott Bushey_
> For the record, in First Pres of Margate, Cal Beisner's son, whom I believe is even younger than 8 yrs old partakes of the supper. Rick Phillips is the pastor there.



Rick Phillips...name sounds familiar. Has he authored any books? I think I may have heard him interviewed on the radio yesterday.


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## Croghanite (Aug 18, 2006)

Thanks for the encouraging remarks. Much appreciated.


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## BJClark (Aug 18, 2006)

Joe,

My son is a little older than yours he accepted Christ as His Savior when he was younger. He has taken communion, even now he doesn't fully grasp every aspect of it, He does understand this is something God says to do in obedience.

Every time my son hears we are going to be taking communion the following Sunday, he asks more questions. So we sit down during the week and go over the various aspects of communion and each time he understands a little more.

Granted he is a child, not only in his earthly walk but also in his spiritual walk, but if we are to look at what they are saying concerning his understanding of what taking the sacraments mean, do they consider the same things with adults who come to Christ and partaking in the sacraments? 

As they don't necessarily grasp the entire meaning behind the sacraments either, so I guess my question is, do they apply the same standard to all the Babes in Christ's family who attend your church or just to those who are young in physical age?

It certainly doesn't make sense to me, as a babe in Christ is just that a babe in Christ, no matter if they are 8 years old or 50 years old when they come into God's family.


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## ChristopherPaul (Aug 18, 2006)

> _Originally posted by BJClark_
> He has taken communion, even now he doesn't fully grasp every aspect of it



I don't think I have yet to grasp every aspect of it and I am 27 and been a Christian since age 14.


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## Croghanite (Aug 18, 2006)

> _Originally posted by BJClark_
> Joe,
> 
> My son is a little older than yours he accepted Christ as His Savior when he was younger. He has taken communion, even now he doesn't fully grasp every aspect of it, He does understand this is something God says to do in obedience.
> ...



Exactly. One who professes faith should recieve the Sacrament. Withholding the sacrament untill you get to know someone is not prudent. It is prudent to interview that person upon his profession.

On the other hand, I agree with Jay in the sense that I will do as the Elders say untill I believe the time that passes becomes rediculous.


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## Scott Bushey (Aug 18, 2006)

Just for the recorsd, I don't believe the issue is whether or not they fully _comprehend_ the sacraments but they have a valid confession. If you were to interview adults, most would not be able to expound upon the theological minutia of the Lords supper and baptism.


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