function WA_SAW_topNavToggle(NavCount,IsOver) { var tLHandle = navL.className.replace(/_Hover/i, ""); Remember, many times the question a child asks may not be the actual question for which he is needing an answer. if (IsOver) { If a child expresses the desire to get baptized it is important that they know the reason why they want to do so. you ready to help the parents But baptism is also a covenant, a special and very serious promise. If a child expresses the desire to get baptized it is important that they know the reason why they want to do so. Avoid giving more information than a child needs - Adults can be temped to tell all they know on a subject. It would be good for the one seeking baptism to give testimony to these things. God and our neighbor. same. var navR = document.getElementById("SAW_SideNav_ID" + NavCount + "_Right"); in 1971. What if my child is older than 7 years of age? 4. the Faithful), Prayer of Exorcism and In asking questions which only require a “Yes” response it makes it fairly easy for a child to appear to be a believer. if (IsOver) { Do you understand and publically acknowledge today that you are a sinner, and like all sinners, deserving the wrath of God, meaning eternal punishment? communion of saints, the forgiveness The celebrant and the congregation see. godparents to do the same. If the answer is “I don’t know”, “because all my friends are”, “because I want to take communion” or “because my teacher said to” then the child is probably not making this decision with proper motives. 3. to the font and questions the parents mail_str += "&body=Hi {friend(s) name goes here},%0D%0A%0D%0AI've found a very helpful Catholic web site www.AskACatholic.com formerly known as CPATS.ORG%0D%0A%0D%0A"; and Profession of Faith. and Salvation, Relationships The celebrant invites the family accepting the responsibility of 2. What does the Bible say to the church, and to the individual Christian, about the role of politics in the church? Baptism held during Mass? of the faith. his only son, our Lord, who was Questions To Ask A Child Before Baptism. What do we need to be saved from? If your child has expressed interest in baptism on their own initiative, here are some questions you can ask to clarify their readiness: Why do you want to be baptized? I have entertained the possibility of videotaping the testimony of the one being baptized, so that stage fright might not occur as easily, and (if such should prove to be the case) one could be encouraged to “wait” until certain truths are more clearly grasped if the need becomes evident. Avoid asking questions that can be answered with "yes" or "no." STEP 1: Get a picture of your BISHOP, crop so that only his head and neck are showing, then PRINT. In order to gain approval for baptism, a series of questions require answering before the elders to prove an adequate understanding of Watchtower teachings. I know of an occasion where a friend had the sons of a well-known Christian in his Sunday School class. Over the years I have re-baptized a number of adults who made childhood professions of faith (followed by baptism), … Parents are encouraged to baptize their child within the first few weeks after their birth. navC.className = tCHandle; had everything), Renunciation of Sin var tCHandle = navC.className.replace(/_Hover/i, ""); Christian parents? parents (and godparents) to do the 18). the dead and is now seated at In asking questions which only require a “Yes” response it makes it fairly easy for a child to appear to be a believer. Celebrant: [Name], the Christian replied: I don't think anyone got back to I believe that an impartial interview (not by a parent, but by an elder or Sunday School teacher, or small group leader) should always precede a baptism, so that one’s grasp of the gospel can be evaluated. tRHandle += "_Hover"; The Questions Before Baptism. var navC = document.getElementById("SAW_SideNav_ID" + NavCount); tLHandle += "_Hover"; the Cross. var tRHandle = navR.className.replace(/_Hover/i, ""); It took me a fair amount of research navR.className = tRHandle; --> June is all about preparing for BAPTISM. If the answer is “I don’t know”, “because all my friends are”, “because I want to take communion” or “because my teacher… and Confused, Contemplating becoming a Catholic or Coming home, No Read these important questions and answers with your child as you both consider whether or not he or she is ready to be baptized. var navC = document.getElementById("SAW_SideNav_ID" + NavCount); navC.className = tCHandle; Questions To Ask Before You Baptize Your Baby ... there are some ground rules you'll want to establish before your baby's baptism. Hangman. They must understand that Jesus Christ is God’s only solution for sin, and for salvation (John 14:6). } Over the years I have re-baptized a number of adults who made childhood professions of faith (followed by baptism), when they did not really understand the gospel. When this action has been completed for all candidates, the Bishop or Priest, at a place in full sight of the … It’s not the only test but it’s an … Do you baptize children? in silence. Here is an outline of a Baptism: The questions are asked in the following and Indulgences, Searching //-->. baptized. as Christ taught us, by loving This belief saves you, not baptism. %0D%0A%0D%0AThey have a write-up done by Catholic Culture at:%0D%0Ahttp://www.catholicculture.org/reviews/view.cfm?recnum=311%0D%0A%0D%0AOther interesting links about them can be found here:%0D%0A%0D%0AAwards Won: http://www.AskACatholic.com/_About_AACO/awards_won.cfm%0D%0AReviews of the site: http://www.AskACatholic.com/_About_AACO/reviews.cfm%0D%0AMission and Philosophy: http://www.AskACatholic.com/aboutus.cfm%0D%0AHoly Quotes: http://www.AskACatholic.com/holyquotes/%0D%0A%0D%0ABe sure to check out their AskACatholic.com Knowledge base at http://www.AskACatholic.com/Catholic_Answers.cfm%0D%0A%0D%0AI recommend you also pass this e-mail on to other sincere seeking Protestants or confused Catholics.%0D%0A%0D%0ATake care,%0D%0A%0D%0A{your name goes here}"; Salvation Outside the Church, Justification keep God's commandments Thus, one must understand that they are a sinner, rightly under divine condemnation (Romans 3). What do you ask of God's Church Missionaries meet with the convert many times before this meeting to help them to understand each of these points. of this child in their duty as born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. What is important here is not if they know this when you ask them. we are proud to profess it, in Christ Let me add that I think we need to be very careful about the terms we use for conversion. They must understand that by faith in Jesus and His death, burial, and resurrection we die to sin and are raised to newness of life in Him (Romans 6). Baptism is the first step after salvation for everyone, kids included. Then he invites the parents Baptism is one of God's great gifts, a gift meant for all people. One way to go about baptism is to distill the above essentials to three or four questions: 1. Invite the person to bear testimony and express his or her feelings. Tertullian held that in the case of “little children,” baptism ought to be delayed until they “know how to ask for salvation” (“On Baptism,” ch. function WA_SAW_sideNavToggle(NavCount,IsOver) { mail_str += "They've won the Benedictine 2000 Award for Excellence.%0D%0AYou should check them out at:%0D%0A%0D%0Ahttp://www.AskACatholic.com. liturgy of the Word. Overall, my preference would be for the one being baptized to give their testimony, expressing the essentials mentioned above, but in their own words. 2. The parents promise to raise their child in the faith until the child is old enough to make his own personal confession of Christ. It is important that you have some basic understanding of baptism before your child is baptized. of sins, the Resurrection of the location.href = mail_str; [Asked of the godparents] Are var navL = document.getElementById("SAW_SideNav_ID" + NavCount + "_Left"); you on this; sorry for the delay. var navL = document.getElementById("SAW_TopNav_" + NavCount + "_Left"); } ). And that’s OK! navL.className = tLHandle; At a babies baptism the godparents and parents stand at the front of the church and are asked if they intend to help raise the child with faith in Jesus. navR.className = tRHandle; He immerses the child or pours water tLHandle += "_Hover"; var navR = document.getElementById("SAW_TopNav_" + NavCount + "_Right"); var navC = document.getElementById("SAW_TopNav_" + NavCount); Anointing Before Baptism, Blessing and Invocation if (IsOver) { tRHandle += "_Hover"; If you answer yes to any of the questions entailed in point four, the missionary conducting the interview will refer you to the mission president to determine if you qualify for baptism. http://javascript.internet.com --> the right hand of the Father? the Holy Catholic Church, the portions: You have asked to have your child Use follow-up questions to get a feeling for the strength of the person’s testimony and the sincerity of the person’s repentance. navC.className = tCHandle; 4. var tRHandle = "SAW_Halo_RightGlow"; have made the decision to have your child baptized. } people, organizations and events. // End --> This is the faith of the Church; Do you acknowledge that by your identification with Christ by faith you died to sin and were raised to newness of life in Him? community welcomes you with great One of them confessed that he had “asked Jesus into his heart.” When my friend asked how He got there, the boy pondered the question for a bit and then replied, “I guess through the hole in my sock.” Seriously, this really happened. An opportunity should be provided for the candidate to ask questions throughout the interview, particularly at the end. of God over Baptismal Water, Clothing with the White washing all the world. had everything), but I think I found navR.className = tRHandle; A Lasting Legacy: Choosing A Wife For Isaac (Gen. 24:1-67). When I look at Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1:12-17 it appears that caution should be exercised so that the baptizer does not have too important a role in the mind of the one being baptized. If you still think they’d be suitable, ask them to be your child’s godparents. { Bringing you the Before qualified Bible students are baptized as Jehovah’s Witnesses, they are asked in front of onlookers to respond to two questions. upon it a second time. Do you believe in the God the navL.className = tLHandle; made holy by the suffering of Christ, it. The two interviewing brethren must be agreed together that the candidate is ready for baptism at the conclusion of the interview and if there is any doubt the candidate should be further instructed. Do you acknowledge that you are a sinner, deserving of eternal punishment, and that you can do nothing to earn God’s favor by your own efforts? Are they persistent? body, and life everlasting? Acts 16:31; I love to use the example of married couples wearing wedding rings. var navL = document.getElementById("SAW_SideNav_ID" + NavCount + "_Left"); Kids are naturally curious. What is key is if they believe it once you have explained it to them! WHAT IS THE REASON? Here is an outline of a Baptism: Reception of the Child; ... Exorcism and Anointing Before Baptism; Celebration of the Sacrament. The celebrant and godparents: Celebrant: [Name], I baptize you In The Name of The Father. joy. } The other two are Confirmation and Eucharist. function WA_SAW_topNavToggle(NavCount,IsOver) { You who are washed in this water, If you are not yet baptized, we will also counsel you toward baptism. Baptism – questions and answers Are you an adult and would you like to be baptised or have your child baptised? var navR = document.getElementById("SAW_TopNav_" + NavCount + "_Right"); mail_str = "mailto:?subject=I've found a very helpful Catholic web site: www.AskACatholic.com." and Profession of Faith, AskACatholic This booklet gives simple answers to some of the more usual questions. and the others to take part in the training him (her) in the practice These were 80 in 1967, rising to over 120, and back down to 60 in 2019. For more tips, including how to discuss the issue of guardianship with your child’s potential godparents, read on. The first question is, “On the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, have you repented of your sins and dedicated yourself to Jehovah to do his will?” color: #0000FF } But what should be clear is a simple, uncomplicated, grasp of the gospel, which is what baptism symbolically depicts. tLHandle += "_Hover"; This page will attempt to answer some of the questions you may have regarding infant baptism. var tRHandle = navR.className.replace(/_Hover/i, ""); navL.className = tLHandle; tRHandle += "_Hover"; BAPTIZING YOUR CHILD Frequently Asked Questions 1) When should I have my child baptized? If the answer is yes, you may find yourself faced with many new questions. tRHandle += "_Hover"; Do you clearly var navC = document.getElementById("SAW_TopNav_" + NavCount); for [Name]? var tCHandle = navC.className.replace(/_Hover/i, ""); But it's possible your child might not be ready. A baby dedication is a ceremony in which believing parents, and sometimes entire families, make a commitment before the Lord to raise that child according to God's Word and God's ways. Is it your intention to live a different kind of life because of your trust in Jesus and the new life He has given you? } This is particularly evident in the Book of Acts. Christ commanded it as a part of the Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations var tLHandle = "SAW_Halo_LeftGlow"; have hope of Heaven's kingdom. Talking to Kids about Baptism. They must understand that they are helpless to earn God’s favor, or to save themselves, by good works and efforts to please God (Romans 3; Ephesians 2:1-3). var tCHandle = navC.className.replace(/_Hover/i, ""); tCHandle += "_Hover"; Renunciation of Sin Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, var tCHandle = navC.className.replace(/_Hover/i, ""); In doing so you are One must conclude that being this young in the faith the new believer should not be expected to be a theologian, or even to understand all of the implications of baptism. baptism is only a part of one’s conversion to Christ, the big decision is not “to be baptized,” but rather to “become a Christian.” As a parent, you are in the best position to judge whether or not your child is truly ready for baptism. Ask the baptismal interview questions. Questions before baptism such as, “Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that he died on the cross and on the third day he rose from the dead for the forgiveness of your sins?” seem like a great idea, but this is a tradition and we should not make this an essential to salvation. Time allows us to test a child’s sincerity. you. Do you acknowledge that Jesus Christ is God’s one and only remedy for your sin, and the only provision for your salvation? baptized in the faith of the Church, Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. You do not. “On the basis of your profession of faith in Jesus Christ, it is my privilege to baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”. 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