Children are special and amazing gifts from God. There is no greater moment than when parents sense that children are a gift from God. Parents can express their full appreciation to God for their wonderful gift through baby dedication.
A Christian should recognize that children belong first and foremost to God, which means parents have the awesome responsibility of caring for His children. Many churches, including ours, encourage parents to dedicate their children back to God and commit themselves to raising their children in His ways.
Dedicating a child acknowledges God’s sovereignty not only over the child, but also mom and dad. Parents present their child before God and His people asking for grace and wisdom in carrying out their responsibilities. Parents also come praying that their child might one day trust Jesus Christ as Savior for the forgiveness of sin.
A Parent’s Responsibility – Deuteronomy 6:4-7
1- Parents are to love God.
If parents truly wish for their child to one day love and follow God, they must live as good examples by loving and following God.
2 – Parents are commanded to teach children.
The duty of teaching children belongs to parents. Sunday schools can provide weekly instruction and Christian school are a wonderful contribution, but parents have the primary responsibility of Bible teaching. Parents must seize the teachable moments that arise throughout life. Prayer, Bible reading, and family devotions are vital for spiritual nurturing in the life of every home.
Questions for Parents to Consider
- Do you recognize Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?
- Do you recognize your child as a gift from God and give heartfelt thanks for His blessing?
- Do you desire to dedicate your child to the Lord who gave him/her to you?
- Do you pledge as parents that you will bring up your child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?
- Do you promise to give your child every possible benefit of home, of school and of church?
What is a baby dedication?
- A time when parents recognize that their child belongs to God.
- A time when parents submit themselves to God’s rights as Creator.
- A time when parents acknowledge their stewardship responsibility. It is important for parents to pray daily for God’s direction in their lives, to faithfully attend their local church and to teach their children the truths of God’s Word in their home.
- A time when parents acknowledge these truths publicly in the presence of a group of believers. The church joins with parents in witnessing the commitment to the truths outlined above.
What Baby Dedication is Not
- It is not a baptism. Baptism follows personal salvation. Personal salvation is a personal decision and that often comes later in a child’s life.
- It is not a substitute for the child’s ultimate personal responsibility before God. In no way does baby dedication guarantee salvation or serve as a substitute for the personal need for children to accept Christ when they are old enough to understand the Gospel.
- It is not a substitute for the personal responsibility of parents. It will, if anything, increase a parent’s responsibility to seriously raise their child in the ‘nurture and admonition of the Lord.’
- It is not salvation. A baby dedication does not ensure that the baby will make it to heaven. The Bible teaches that infants are safe in Jesus until they reach an age where they understand their responsibility for right and wrong (See my article: Do children go to heaven when they die?).
Why should I dedicate my child?
The Bible provides an example for baby dedication when Mary and Joseph took baby Jesus to the temple to be dedicated to God (Luke 2:21-40) and Hannah dedicated Samuel (1 Samuel 1:21-2:11). Baby dedication is a public declaration that a child belongs to God. It is invaluable to be able to tell a child as they are growing up that they belong to Jesus and that their parents have asked God to use them in a formal declaration.
In our church we have baby dedication on Mother’s Day. We have also had baby dedication on Father’s Day and sometimes in the Fall or around Christmas. We do it during our Sunday morning worship service.
For some of my other similar articles, see Better to Build Boys and Girls Than Repair Adults, Do children go to heaven? Children are Precious.