Baptism Meditation, December 26

Peter J. Leithart, December 26, 2004

Matthew 18:1-6
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, �Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?�EAnd He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. �Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. �And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.�E

Infant baptism is a ritual confession of Jesus�Eradical statements in this passage. In infant baptism a little child enters the kingdom of heaven, for the visible church, as the Westminster Catechism teaches (WCF 25.2), is the kingdom and family of God. Infant baptism sets before us the truth that we all must be like children in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. Infant baptism ritualizes our reception of a little child, which is a reception of Jesus.

Baptizing babies is a radical practice, so radical that even many paedobaptists can�t bring themselves to embrace its radicalism. In Jesus�Eday as in ours, children, after all, have no status or position. They can�t own property, they can�t drink, they can�t vote, they can�t drive. They don�t have adult responsibilities. Our goal as parents is to help our children outgrow childishness and become adults. Of course, that is one perspective on childhood and parenting. Paul does say that he puts aside childish things and urges us to grow toward maturity. But the opposite is equally true. Instead of trying to convert children into adults, Jesus says that we must all humble ourselves and be converted into children.

As you legitimately train your child to assume the responsibilities and fulfill the calling he will have as an adult, do not lose sight of this other side of parenting. God has given you a great gift; he has set in your home a living exemplar of genuine faith, of the kind of faith and humility required to enter the kingdom of heaven. Teach him, but also learn all you can from him. Train him, but let him train you.

Jesus also issues a stern warning here, one of the sternest in the gospels. If you do not receive a little one; if instead you put a stumbling block in his way; if by your teaching, through your example, by ignoring or neglecting him, you turn him away from Jesus, then you face the most terrible of punishments. Jesus is talking first of all about Jews, about Pharisees especially, who have put stumbling blocks in the way of the �little ones�Eof Israel. They are one day going to see a flood coming, the sea of the Roman army, which will engulf and drown them. But the principle applies everywhere: Whoever causes a little one to stumble will face the terrifying judgment of God.

Of course, the model for this humbling, for this �conversion,�Eis Jesus Himself. He is not only supremely humble, but also has done exactly what He requires of us. Ultimately, what infant baptism points to is not merely a truth about our faith or our salvation. It points to a truth about our God: That we worship a God who Himself �converted�Eand became a little child. God the Son is �eternally begotten�E�Eand that is a continuing present tense. �Today I have begotten thee�Eapplies to every �today.�EThe Eternal Son is the Eternal Infant, who calls us to become as little children and follow Him. Our problem, as Chesterton pointed out, is not that we are too childish, but that we are not nearly childish enough. �It may be,�Ehe wrote, �that [God] has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.�EIf we wish to be like Him, we must �be converted�Eand become as little children.