Baptism

Form of Infant Baptism at Grace Presbyterian Church

Introduction
According to The Directory for the Public Worship of God, God’s promise is made to believers and to their seed; and that the children of believing parents (Westminster Larger Catechism 166), born within the Church, have, by their birth, interest in the covenant and a right to its seal. They also have a right to the outward privileges of the Church.

The scriptures teach that our Lord admitted little children into his presence, embracing and blessing them saying, “For such is the Kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14; Luke 18:16).

We believe that children are solemnly received into the bosom of the visible church by baptism and distinguished from the children of the world and from all those outside the covenant of grace and are united with the company of believers.  Infants of believing parents are federally holy prior to baptism and are, therefore, to be baptized. The inward grace and virtue of baptism is not tied, however, to the very moment of time when baptism is administered. The fruit and power of this sacrament, administered only once, reaches to the whole course of our life.

By the right use and administration of this sacrament, the grace promised is not only offered, but really exhibited and conferred by the Holy Spirit, to such (whether of age or infants) as that grace belongs, according to the counsel of God’s own will, and in his appointed time.

Baptism contains both a promise and an obligation. Therefore, those who are baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit are obliged to fight against the devil, the world, and the flesh all the days of their lives.

To the Parents
(NAME), consider the great mercy of God both to you and to your child. Bring your child up in the knowledge of the doctrines of the Christian faith and in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Make (him) aware of the danger of God’s wrath on (him) if (he) is negligent. Encourage, teach, and exhort (him) as loving Christian parents.

Questions from BCO 56-5:
Do you acknowledge your child’s need of the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, and the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit?

Do you claim God’s covenant promises in (his) behalf, and do you look in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ for (his) salvation, as you do your own?

Do you now unreservedly commit in covenant relationship your child to God, and promise, in humble reliance upon divine grace, that you will endeavor to set before (him) a godly example, that you will pray with and for (him), that you will teach (him) the doctrines of our holy religion, and that you will strive, by all the means of God’s appointment, to bring (him) up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?

(NAME), I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Congregational Charge
As a congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, I admonish you to look back to your baptism, to repent of your sins against your covenant God, to stir yourselves to faith, to improve and make right use of your baptism, and of the covenant sealed thereby between God and your soul.

I charge you the following, as those faithful servants of God, beloved in Christ, and regenerated by the Holy Spirit:

Do you as a congregation undertake the responsibility of assisting the parents in the Christian nurture of this child?

God is our witness to what we have promised before him.

Prayer
Holy God, Father, Son, & Holy Spirit, you have not left us as strangers outside of Your covenant of promise, but have called us to the privileges of Your ordinances. We call upon You graciously to sanctify and bless this sacrament of baptism.

We beseech You to join the inward baptism of the Holy Spirit with this outward baptism with water; make this baptism to this infant a seal of adoption, remission of sin, regeneration, eternal life, and all other promises of the covenant of grace. May this child be planted into the likeness of the death and resurrection of Christ; and that the body of sin being destroyed in (him) and may (he) serve God in newness of life all (his) days. Amen.