An open letter

Dear family and friends,

We are excited to finally have a date set for Abigail’s baptism, October 14th. Since many in our family have differing views of baptism we wanted to take this time to explain what we believe and why we are choosing to have Abbie baptized as an infant.
Grace is a mysterious gift that changes us into the image of God. It is grace that forms our understanding of baptism. We consider baptism to be a sacrament, which means it is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. This means that baptism is something God does in a person. When a person is baptized God is imparting his grace on that person. God’s grace always comes first. He is the Prime Mover in our lives. Baptism is God’s act on the person.
Through baptism Abbie will be initiated into Christ’s body, his holy and universal church; for when one is baptized he or she is baptized into Jesus (Gal 3:26-27). Abbie will be brought up in the church. She will be a part of the church, the body of Christ. This is one of the most important meanings of baptism (1 Cor 12:12-13). Although she is a baby, and cannot intellectually understand grace, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me” (Matt 19:14). Paul said that children do things “in the Lord” (Eph 6:1). Being a part of Christ is not only an intellectual assent; therefore children can enter into a relationship with Christ even before they fully understand that relationship. In fact, in the book of Acts entire families, including children, were baptized together when the head of the household came to faith (Acts 16:15, 33). In the Old Testament babies were circumcised, and so entered into a covenant with God, on the eighth day of life. Baptism has replaced circumcision as the mode of entering into a covenant with God, and we believe children can participate fully in this covenant (Col 2:10-13). Baptism is also linked to the death and resurrection of Jesus (Rom 6:1-4) and signifies forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). Other facets of baptism include dying to sin, being incorporated into God’s mighty acts of salvation (1 Pet 3:18-22), and new birth.
In response to God’s grace on our own lives we desire to have that grace in Abbie’s life. Through baptism we accept that gift of grace given to her. During the service we will, along with the church body, renounce our sins so that we allow the grace of God to flow freely in the church and in our home. As a church we will reaffirm our faith in order to remind ourselves what Abbie is being brought into. We will promise to nurture Abbie in an environment of Christian love so that she will be equipped to grow in God’s grace, just as any adult being baptized would need to do. In the service we will ask the Holy Spirit to bless the water and Abbie so that the water will wash away her sin and clothe her in righteousness so that she will die and rise with Christ and share in his final victory. She will be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matt 28:19-20) recognizing that God is One and that Christ did not do any work apart from the Father or the Holy Spirit.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and support us as we take this important step of faith together as a family. We look forward to seeing those of you who can come and appreciate all the prayers that have been offered on Abbie’s behalf.

Love,Matt & Katherine