But what about the poor child? Do they want to follow the Dockers? Should they have a say in it?
They can still choose when they are older. But the choice is different. The parents choose to opt them in. Their choice later is to opt out or to swap. Is this good?
With football teams it is not of great consequence (unless you are a fanatic follower). With schools it may be important. With baptism it may be not very important (a kind of optional preference that won’t do any harm) or it could be very, very important (a crucial decision because we are fanatical followers – or at least highly committed).
But is it of any use? Not much use if it is merely a ceremony. But lots of use if it expresses the parents own love for Jesus. Anyone who has given up their life to love and serve Jesus would want their children to do the same. Even if they do not baptise them, they will still show them how to follow Jesus, and teach them what he said and did.
The baptism is a way of making public the heartfelt prayers of parents who believe in Jesus. They want God to bring about the same new birth that they have experienced. They want their child to know the same forgiveness and friendship form God that they know. And for their part they are willing to promise publicly that they will bring their child up to be part of Jesus group and to learn to follow him.
Dale