Sunday, July 29, 2007

Son of the Covenant: Ezekiel Joel Bailey


What a great delight it was today to have our pastor baptize Zeke in the Triune name of God. As the water was applied to his head, Zeke's eyes opened wide and he gave the pastor a huge smile!

For those unfamiliar with covenant baptism, here is how it is done:

The minister reads the covenant promises:

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 I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house. (Acts 2:39; Gen. 17:7; Acts 16:31)

The minister then proposes the following questions to the parents:
1. Do you acknowledge your child’s need of the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, and the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit?
2. 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 for your own?
3. Do you now unreservedly dedicate 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?


And then the minister addresses the congregation:
Do you as a congregation undertake the responsibility of assisting the parents in the Christian nurture of this child?

3 comments:

Dan Layman said...

We rejoice with you and the rest of your family on this day! Praise God for his grace and his covenant faithfulness!

Kelly said...

i'm so glad that randy was able to do his baptism! what a special day.

boqpod said...

Abigail was so fascinated watching the kids get baptized we moved to the front row for a better view.