INTRO: Catholics, Methodists, Episcopalians, Lutherans and Presbyterians, to name a few, baptize babies. Baptists, Church of Christ, Assembly of God and many others will not baptize babies. Those who baptize infants do it for a variety of reasons, not all good. Why do we baptize babies in the PCA?

I. Infant Baptism reminds us that God loves children.
A. Our world is often cruel to children: abortion, child abuse, neglect, etc.
B. But God loves children (Matthew 19:13-15).
C. When we baptize a baby, we are reminded that God loves children.

II. Infant Baptism reminds us that God is faithful to His covenants.
A. Note the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 17:1-7).
B. Abraham and his children were all circumcised, on the basis of Abraham's
faith, and received this sign of the covenant.
C. Christians today are Abraham's children, and we and our children also
receive the sign of the Abrahamic Covenant, baptism having replaced
circumcision.
D. We remember that God is still keeping a promised He made 4000 years ago.

III. Infant Baptism reminds us that we need to encourage one another in the Faith.
A. We make promises when we baptize a baby:
1. To dedicate the child to God.
2. To set a godly example for the child.
3. To pray with and for the child.
4. To teach him/her the Christian Faith.
5. To use all God's means to bring up the child in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord.
6. The congregation promises to assist the parents
B. Are we encouraging our parents? Our children? Let's get to it!

IV. Infant Baptism reminds us that we all need a Savior.
A. Question One in the ceremony: Do you acknowledge that your child needs
a Savior? We all do.
B. Note: Baptism is not a "Christening." To "Christen" means "to change
into a Christian." Baptism does not make you a Christian, any more than
walking through a car wash would make you a car.
C. That child must come to a place of personal repentance and faith before it
will be born again into the family of God.
D. You may have been baptized....Have you personally trusted in Jesus?

CONCLUSION: The PCA is Reformed, Protestant, Presbyterian, Evangelistic, Calvinistic, Covenant....and also, we believe in infant baptism. This is the end of our series. May the Lord help us not just to believe these things intellectually, but to truly love Him in our hearts, and serve Him in the world!