Not everyone chooses to baptize a child, but if you are a part of a religious family then baptism may be something your whole line just does. Have you ever considered it for your children? Well, you wouldn’t be alone. Some people baptize their children because it’s just the expected thing to do, but others choose to do so for a number of reasons.
There are plenty of people out there that feel they have to staunchly defend their reasons for baptizing their children, but really it’s a very personal decision. If you want to bring your children up in the church according to teachings by Father Adam Park, you might consider a conversation with him first. Being in the right church is a must, but you also need more of a reason than being with the right leadership, too. Here are some of them:
- Your family expects it. It isn’t always a nice thing to consider, but your family is going to expect it from you if you yourself were baptized. If you want to make sure that you keep everyone sweet, then baptizing your baby is a must. You would think that it’s the best thing to do but you have to go with your own personal beliefs, too.
- You will feel secure in the love God has for your baby. It’s one of the most intense reasons people choose to baptize: they want their baby to belong in the family of the church. The Bible says that God will welcome all of the baptized children into the Kingdom, and knowing that your faith will carry you and your children through is why people choose to go by the grace of God.
- It’s a sign of protection. Many people baptize their babies because they want the protection of the church. Baptism is the outside sign of what happens within the heart and it doesn’t matter whether the event itself is done early or late; it’s important that you do go through with the baptism for protection. The congregation of the church and the love of the priest will help to bond your baby into protection, and children end up being loved and accepted into a new extended family.
- To give them a hopeful future. Children being a part of the church gives them hope for the future that no matter what, they are loved and wanted. They are part of a community of people who want nothing more than to look out for them, look after them and be a part of their lives. That level of faith in them is exciting as a family and knowing you are wanted can make your whole family feel secure. You want this for your children and that’s why baptism can be the best decision you make for your child.
The key is in knowing that if they change their mind about religion later in life, you support them and their views unconditionally.
This is a contributed post and do not necessarily reflect the religious beliefs of Throw Up & Theology.