BCL Devotional: “For You and For Your Children” — Acts 2:38-39
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Editor’s Note: We are pleased to reintroduce our former BCL Grow devotional series under the new name BCL Devotional. Each devotional includes a Bible passage, an encouraging quotation, and three practical steps to help believers reflect on, remember, and rejoice in God’s love in Christ.
Bible Passage
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” (Acts 2:38-39)
Quote
It is precisely because there is such evidence of the perpetual operation of this gracious principle in the administration of God’s covenant that we baptize infants. It is for that reason alone that we continue to baptize them. It is the divine institution, not, indeed, commended by human wisdom and not palatable to those who are influenced by the dictates of human wisdom, yet commended by the wisdom of God. It is the seal to us of His marvelous goodness that He is not only a God to His people but also to their seed after them. (John Murray, Christian Baptism, p. 68)
Steps to Take
Reflect: What does the Bible mean when God’s word through Peter’s sermon declares that the promise of God, the gospel of forgiveness, “is for you and your children”? Are children, even infants, included in the gospel promises of God?
Remember: When God declared his covenant of grace—his everlasting covenant to Abraham (Gen. 17:7)—he commanded Abraham to apply the sign of the covenant promise, circumcision, not only to all the adult men in Abraham’s household but to all the children and infants as well. In fact, infants were to receive the sign of God’s promise eight days after they were born (Gen. 17:12). This everlasting covenant of grace—the grace of forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus on the cross—is the promise Peter declared. This promise is for all believers and their children. As the sign of the covenant was applied to infants in the Old Testament, so the sign of the covenant, baptism, is applied to the children of believers in the New Testament (Acts 16:33).
Rejoice: By God’s grace he has always included children and infants in his promises. Children are a gift from God. They are to be loved and taught God’s truth. God never excludes the children of his people. Jesus even corrected his disciples when they tried to exclude children, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14; see also Mark 10:14 and Luke 18:16). Rejoice that God has included the children of believers in his covenant of grace—that he has set them apart for himself. Teach them, bring them to the worship of God, pray with them, and above all love them as God loves you, for God’s promise is for you and for your children.
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- One Tip for Getting Your Children to Pay Attention in Church
- 4 Practices for Being Faithful Stewards of Little Eternal Beings
- 7 Ways to Raise Godly and Strong Women
- Biblical Fathering: On Being Fair
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Daniel Rowlands returned to an academic setting to complete Master of Arts degrees in Biblical Studies and Theological Studies from Westminster Seminary California after serving more than two decades in the United States Army as a helicopter and airplane pilot, and completing a career in various investment advisory roles and financial planning. He has lived and traveled around the world and currently resides in Idaho where he serves in his church as a teacher. For leisure, besides studying the Scriptures, he enjoys fly fishing, hiking, and road biking. Daniel is the content editor for Beautiful Christian Life.
