What is Baby Dedication?
It’s exciting whenever a new child enters a family. There’s no greater moment when parents sense that children are a gift from God. Dedicating a child acknowledges God’s sovereignty not only over the child, but also Mom and Dad.
When a new baby is born to Christian parents, Parents present their child before God and His people asking for grace and wisdom in carrying out their responsibilities. Parents also come praying that their child might one day trust Jesus Christ as Savior for the forgiveness of sin.
Baby Dedication is not an ordinance of the church. The parents bring the child to the pastor in front of the congregation. There, through a responsive reading, the parents agree to raise the child up to know God, and to raise that child(ren) according to God’s Word and God’s ways. The church members of First Baptist promise to pray for, love, and encourage the family. The pastor prays over the child and his or her parents. Some of the responsibilities of the parents include teaching and training the child in God’s Word, demonstrating an example of godliness, disciplining according to God’s ways, and praying earnestly for the child.
Deuteronomy 6:4-7 New King James Version (NKJV) 4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
According to Deuteronomy 6:4-7, first, it commands parents to love God; if they truly wish for their child to one day love and follow God, their lives must be an example. Secondly, Deuteronomy makes clear that the duty of teaching children belongs to parents; Sunday schools can provide weekly instruction, but parents must seize the teachable moments that arise throughout life. Then, when the child is old enough to commit to follow Christ as Lord and Savior, they can personally make that decision and publicly profess their faith through baptism.
1 Samuel 1:11 New King James Version (NKJV) 11 Then she made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.” When God answered Hannah’s prayer by giving her a son, she remembered her vow:
1 Samuel 1:26-28 New King James Version (NKJV) 26 And she said, “O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD. 27 For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. 28 Therefore I also have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the LORD.” So they worshiped the LORD there.