St. Boniface House

We have the privilege this morning of participating in the Covenant Baptism of Hadassah Margaret. Because this precious and holy sacrament has been so misunderstood over the centuries it is important that we be reminded that we do not believe that Dassie is saved (the way we usually mean “saved”) by the act of baptism nor that the water of baptism has any sort of magical, salvific power.

Quite the opposite, in fact! The old Westminster Directory of Publick Worship enjoins pastors ministering in Christ’s name to instruct the congregation that by virtue of God’s promise, the children of believers are “Christians, and are federally holy before baptism, and therefore are they baptized.” In other words, we don’t only baptize babies to make them members of God’s covenant community, the church. We also baptize them because they are already members, and as such are entitled to all the benefits and privileges of the children of God.

As always, with privileges come responsibilities. Dassie is about to receive the sign and seal of the covenant of grace. We are all of us who bear this sign responsible, as the Puritans used to say, “to improve our baptism” which only means that we must strive, by God’s grace, to live and believe consistently with who and what this sign says we are. Dassie is obliged by this sign and the promises it signifies, to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, to continually repent of all her sin, and to serve in his church all the days of her life. And so are we all.

This sacrament also obligates us as a church. We’re going to promise as a congregation to assist Jason and Heidi in the Christian nurture of their children. This is ultimately just a promise that we’ll be the church. Participate in the nursery and other children’s ministries if you can. Minister to one another to help and encourage one another to be godly Christian parents, and above all things, live before these covenant children in a manner that adorns the gospel and shows it for the glory that it is in all our lives.

But of course God’s promises and the corresponding blessings also place a substantial burden upon the parents, “for to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him. And [he] will establish his covenant between him and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto you and to your seed after you. Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your house.”