What is Baptism? A Five-Year-Old Knows

Our blog is usually reserved for articles of encouragement, but every so often we tackle a doctrinal issue.

Since this is a family blog, I’m going to let my son tackle this one today.

Recently, he and I were talking, and he asked about someone who had been baptized. We talked for a minute and then he–at the age of five–said something. He said it to be funny, but in my mind I couldn’t help but think that he knew more than many adults.

He said, “I can be baptized, because I know how to hold my breath.”

Now, is he old enough? No, and he knows that. He was just being funny.

But, why would he need to hold his breath?

Because of what baptism is. You don’t need to hold your breath if someone is just going to sprinkle a little water on your head. You do, though, if you are going to be baptized; that is, immersed, buried, plunged, dipped, or overwhelmed.

…out of the mouths of babes…

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Photo credit: DVIDSUB on creative commons

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