But we're going to be talking about, from our standpoint, baby dedications. But others would be christening and baby baptism. But paedo-baptism simply means infant baptism. So if you haven't figured that out by now, that's what it's talking about. So what's the origin? Where'd that come from? I think it stems from the Catholic faith. It comes from Catholicism. Well, they're big at continuing it, but there's evidence of it happening early on before the Catholic Church was established. It's an idea that got started fairly early on, second century, and then the third century becomes more prominent. And it was wanting to have some sort of sign of a covenant or something equivalent to Jewish traditional circumcision. And that's how it got started. And then it becomes something they're doing. So theologies develop to justify it. And in Catholicism, baptism is the means by which your original sin, the sin you inherit from Adam, is removed so that now you are good enough to be able to make a decision through the church. for following Christ. But in Catholicism, it removes that. So all you're doing from that point on is negotiating time in purgatory as long as you avoid a moral sin. So I've expressed that to Catholics many times over the years. Like, would this be a fair way to summarize Catholicism? Get baptized in the baby and negotiate time in purgatory. Like, well, yeah, that's basically it. You know, the better you are, the less time in purgatory, but everybody gets to spend time in purgatory. So that becomes her tradition. And you can understand from a parent standpoint, we don't have the infant deaths that were so common even a couple of generations ago. And it's still common in many places around the world. It wasn't uncommon, you'd lose half your kids, sometimes more. You would want something that would reassure you your kids are going to heaven. So infant baptism fits the bill. So in Catholicism and getting rid of Catholicism, the reformers though kept a lot of traditions. They reformed a lot of stuff. They reform everything. It takes time. And one of the things that did not get changed was infant baptism. And so I am answering the next question. purpose, the purpose of paedo-baptism and Catholicism is to make you part of the church and to save you. Yes. Uh, and reformed churches, did anybody do any research on that? Um, yeah, we, we talked about that. It transfers the covenant with the parents, with God. So it'll inherit that. It'll vary a little bit between which form groups, but all of them still come basically down to is the child is now entered into a covenant that the parents have with God, and so is covered under that until the point of age of accountability, whatever that is. And therefore, it would have to be confirmed. So in Catholicism, you have confirmation, and in Reformed Judaism, you have a confirmation, slightly different from each other. But yet, at the root, it's the same thing, is that the baptism In Reformed tradition, the baptism is now confirmed in that the child is old enough to believe themselves. And they repeated the doctrine. They were able to memorize what they need to memorize. And they repeated it. Therefore, it's confirmed. Doesn't the Gatling Church do confirmation? Yeah, but for their first communion, they know enough about the doctrine to repeat it, so they can partake of the communion, which will be the next sacrament. So for them, that adds grace, and that moves you along. I think that's what started that. That was a show. They brought the family together. All right, still don't get this word. Well, it's a big deal in Catholicism. It's a huge deal. And little girls get nice little dresses for it. And I don't know what they can do with the boys anymore. But it's a big deal within it, because you're adding another sacrament. So that's part of it. Now, a christening service, what's that? It's like a type of baptism, mostly in Catholic and Anglican churches for infants. You get a Christian name and you can also get part like godparents. Yep. So that's a dedication. It's an important ceremony for them. The godparents are friends of the family and they've committed themselves to take care of the kids and help the kids and the faith. So that's part of what they're doing. The christening then is they do get their Christian name and it dips in a little font and a little sprinkling and we have a great time and it's a good family deal. See I didn't know that because when I made my confirmation that's when and maybe this is different but we had to pick out a saint and then we took on their names. This is as an infant. You're christened as an infant. Yeah, we did that. They had godparents and stuff like that. But I'm confused. That's the Christian name. Well, that's you. Most Catholics have long names. Oh, I remember. Joseph, Mary, Michael, Patrick, Tech Meyer. Pat, even by Pat, I couldn't shoot, they couldn't decide what they want. I guess they would all of them. But when I got Joseph, Mary, what what mary yeah like well i was joseph mary michael you know the big long names well they get christian names so the patrick was not the christian name the others were christian names yeah i didn't know that in all the baptisms we've never done the christian name until confirmation so well that's usually at a christening so that is usually the baptizing of the infant so but if there's any concerned about the healthy child, they'll baptize the child sooner. So you can see this becomes an important family event. Well, that is, you know, the next generation is like, well, that's not what we're with. We see it in the scriptures. So, well, we got to do this. Well, it gets pretty intense. When Jonathan was little, since Diane grew up in the Lutheran church, and before that, they were in a Presbyterian church. Before that, it was a Methodist church. Parents bounced around a little bit before they settled in a German Lutheran church. So when Jonathan's born, that was a big deal for them. Are you going to have to baptize the baby? Well, no, we're not. Well, Diane's almost positive that. at some point when she left Jonathan with a grandma that she probably baptized him. And Diane, when she was in nursing school that she actually was probably instruction was if you're working, you know, neonatal or birthing and a baby's in trouble is take the baby in the back room and baptize the baby. Just be safe. Okay. So you see, it's, it really gets become something tied strongly into a culture. So the idea of going against that, well, that's going to be bad. So, um, the Anabaptists, those, and I mean, re-baptizing when that comes up and even in Geneva there, it's strongly resisted, even to the point of executing those who are doing it. There are other reasons that are part of it, but it's just part of it. So is there evidence for infant baptism in the Bible? The closest anybody can come up with is in Acts 16, the Philippian jailer is saved. And then it says he and his household, and that's where they want to stick it in. Yeah, but how do you know that he had an infant? It doesn't say that. I have no idea. So they're inferring it based on what they're reading. Yeah. And the household included slaves. I know the, I'm sorry, I know the Catholic, they tried to do this before I read from Mark 10, 13 to 16, Acts 10, 48, and Acts 16, 15. I was doing research there, but nothing say about, yeah, it's just assuming. It's assuming that Jesus loves kids, therefore, we're gonna baptize the babies. But the closest one mentioning baptism is the Acts 16. So you can see it's really stretching trying to do something. But it would also contradict what it means to be saved. Like if you're saying, well, you have to baptize infants, well, what for? Well, then they will go to baptism saves you. Peter said repent and get baptized. How's the kid get repent? I have no idea. Parents did it for them. And if the parents will make them do it later on when they start disobeying. The kids, the only thing you can do, repent or you go be ground. So they just get the order, you know, baptize and repent. So that's it. But what is the relationship between salvation from sin and baptism? They're not related. Baptism doesn't save you. Well, there is a relationship, but it's not baptism brings about salvation. Who's baptized? Okay, right. So the relationship is baptism follows salvation. The baptism is supposed to be just a public, you know, saying I am a Christian and I'm dying with Christ and my race is a new creature. Right. Right. So that's what we find in scripture. So the biblical purpose of baptism is to identify with Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, that's Romans 6. That's the point of it. So, the biblical requirements then for baptism? You said, is there a requirement? Yes, you have to be a believer. You have to have a profession of faith. It has to be your belief, not your parents' belief on your behalf or somebody else's. You have to believe that's the requirement. So salvation precedes baptism. Next question is a little more intriguing. Should there be an age restriction on baptism? If so, how would that be determined? If they would understand and be able to articulate the need for baptism after salvation, like the understanding of it, that doesn't really say age six or age nine. No, it doesn't. So that's why I had the first question. What's required is be able to make a profession of faith, to repent, to turn from sin, to turn to Christ. I understand who he is. I believe in him. So this is more than, you know, the four-year-old will ask Jesus in your heart and you repeat the words and, okay, I must be saved. This is not, you have to be able to explain what you believe. So that means you have to know who Jesus is. So at whatever age, the person can actually understand that and believe it, then they'd be eligible. But what age is that? Well, it's going to vary from child to child. There are those that do understand very, very young, and others are in their 90s, and they still don't get it. So there isn't an age restriction in scripture. You will find it's fairly common Even like Baptist churches, they want you to wait until after a certain age. Eight and twelve are common. They're not going to baptize until they're at least that old. Twelve is probably more common than eight. Eight is usually used because they're in grammar school and they're pretending we can get them baptized now. And 12 usually is tied into a Jewish bar mitzvah. So they should be able to understand and articulate things, but there is no age requirement. I simply require that the child be able to clearly express exactly who Jesus is and their own belief in it, and they recognize their own sin. And that varies, and they have to do that with their parents present. usually they don't quite get it, and mom and dad can keep working on it, and that doesn't make me the bad guy. Otherwise, what do you mean you won't baptize my kid? Well, you can't do it, so they can work on it. Actually, it was Lance baptized David, what about six months ago or so? I'm trying to check into it. Well, he had David came in and talked to me several times before he finally was really able to articulate it properly. And then Lance and Kelly worked with him until he really does understand he believes. So that's the proper way to do it. All right, so some scenario questions. You receive a phone call from someone who is not part of your church that wants to know if you would baptize your baby. How will you answer? You skipped a baby dedication. Oh, did I? Oh, I'm sorry. Let's see. What is a baby dedication service? What would be its purpose? And how would it be different from a christening service? What would you require participation in such a service? That's why I gave you the whole sheets that we have on baby dedication. All right. Had all the answers in it. So they have... For the service, it's having like both parents in front, God in the church to make a vow to raise the kids, nurture and admonition of the Lord. And then also like with the church bodies, like also witnesses, make sure like to hold them accountable and be able to help with that. With it being different, Yeah, so for baby dedications for the parents to bow in front of the body of Christ while christening is for the infant to enter into covenant with the Lord and receive, you know, God parents. And what would you require for participation in such service? I think like an agreement and a document sharing, like laying out exactly the intentions of what we're trying to do in raising this child and dedicating to the Lord. So you're, it's, there's nothing in scripture that talks about it other than you do see some parents who have dedicated their child to the Lord. usually the property of an angel, whether it be Manoah for Samson. He's prompted by an angel to dedicate him as a Nazarite, Hannah. Samuel. And Samuel. So you see a few things. Jeremiah was commissioned while still in the womb. God did that. Jesus. Well, that's part of where some of this comes from, is they would do circumcision at the age of eight days. So that was part of it. They'd come in, they fulfilled the law. So some people look at that. So there's nothing that says you must do it, but it certainly is a good substitute for the christening and baptism and all that. it's a good thing to prompt parents to say is, yes, I'm going to make a public commitment that I'm going to raise my child this way. And for a congregation, those who are friends, family, is to commit themselves as, yeah, we'll help you do that. So that can be very positive. I haven't done that in a while. So I have to leave it, I leave it with the parents. So if the parents want to do it, we're good. Information's all there, but I'm not going to force parents to do something they don't want to do. It's not, I don't know. Is it really public knowledge though? Um, it gets around. You figure we've had like 15 babies the last three years and nobody's done it. So it's, it's probably something that's something that's changed in society. It used to be, it was like, okay, when are we going to have this? You know, I'm going to have a baby in a month or so. And they would get into the schedule way in advance. Um, we've had some where there was a lot of babies up there all at the same time. So it's something I always mention in parenting classes. So it's around, but we don't push it. It's something the parents have to want. So I did hear some rumors that somebody was thinking about it. I think it might be Diane's pushing our own kids. Interesting. Well, I think the last one that actually did have a dedication was, might have been Jackie Lee, but it wasn't how we normally do it. There's a good book by J.C. Ryle, just on basics of parenting. And we have them read through that and answer a question sheet. Because if you're going to dedicate yourself to something, you shouldn't kind of hold up dedicating myself to. I'm going to promise to do this stuff. Well, what does that mean? So it's a good opportunity to do some basic parenting. But we use it for that purpose. And that obviously doesn't save the baby either. That doesn't save the baby, no. What it tells the parents is that you're responsible for at least teaching the baby all the things they need to know as they grow up. This is who Jesus is. And yes, you're a little sinner. And you need his forgiveness. And mine too, because you just offended me. So it is a good thing to do. I think it's very positive. It doesn't save the baby. It doesn't mean the child's going to grow up and be a Christian. And that's our prayer and hope that you should be laying down the foundation for that. That's the point. And also, if you're really doing it right, you're actually inviting the whole congregation to be involved. If you see something we need to do in helping our child walk with Christ, then interfere. ahead and intervene, you know, if you see something we're not doing right, let's get it together. So it's a good service, and I have the resources there and the material on how we do it, and it's done a lot of different ways, different churches, but it's a good little ceremony. And certainly if they're coming out of mainline denomination, Reformed traditions, even Catholicism, it usually tends to satisfy the grandparents. Okay, you did do something, so it helps with family tension. Although grandma may still go get the child wet. All right, you receive a phone call from someone who is not part of your church, wants to know if you would baptize their baby. How will you answer? No. Sorry. All right. I don't practice out here. Try the church down the road. I mean, I would say no, and I would share why and where we stand with it. And if you don't like it, then yes, please move on, because we wouldn't be able to help you. OK. So it is a good opportunity. yeah to witness to somebody because you know why they're calling you they're actually concerned and that's how you express it take the positive side is obviously very concerned for the life of your child you know are you attending church anywhere because they just called you they're not going anywhere are you attending anywhere are you walking with Christ yourself, you can talk about the gospel and say, here's what we do. We don't baptize the baby, but we do ask parents to dedicate themselves. I can shift this over to help to hopefully getting there. So instead of just answering a yes, no question, do you baptize them? Nope, nine. No, take advantage of the opportunity because again, the very fact they called you means they don't have a home church. and yet they're very concerned for their child. That's a good opportunity. All right, you were asked by a new family attending the church if you would conduct a christening service for their baby. How will you answer? Same way. Romney legend. It's basically the same way. It's a new family. They're not familiar. So obviously, though, because they want this, there is desire. They want to do what's right with the child, so you can help them understand what salvation is. So take advantage of those opportunities. New parents who are members of your church are being pressured by their families to have their baby baptized. That's a little more common. Make them happy. I got a pool in the backyard. Well, if you want to prevent it, you had to keep them with you because otherwise a faucet is always available. Well, this is actually part of the reason for baby dedication. And it's a good way to say as well. well, let's plan for baby dedication. Let's talk about your parenting and what God wants you to be as parents, because it's actually part of it. How do you withstand pressures that are ungodly upon the kids, grandkids? So it's a good opportunity to work with them and help them understand their responsibilities. And as we can do a baby dedication and invite your parents and your family and have a celebration afterwards. I feel like they're just, I mean, I was raised as a Catholic and my family does not practice or hasn't practiced in a long time, but every time there's a kid in the family, it's, you got to get it. And I'm, to me, it's just, it's, it's more of a cultural thing than like a spiritual, because it's just like, it's something like you have to do to check it off. And I literally have to, you know, had a sister that did that. Like they don't even go to church. They don't teach them. They don't read, they don't pray, they don't do anything, but you got to get your communion now. And then after that, you have, you know, it's just, It's going to be part of it. It's a party time. Yeah, it's a party time as well, especially depending on which branch of the palace you're in. I just want to go back to that question. I think a lot of times we're going to go back and not just as an example, but you know, life is who you want, who you would follow. And the Bible, he warned us about sometimes, you know, And because of faith and we believe the truth, you know, mothers who hate their daughters, fathers who hate their son and vice versa. But we need to preach the truth. And of course, you know, we feel all different kinds, but I think sometimes we're going to get the heat and stay still. Yeah, they still may pressure you one way or the other, but you can stand firm on what we believe in your practices, your church, but take advantage of the opportunity. Because again, if they are looking for this, or even if the grandparents are the ones pressuring them is, all right, there's interest here. Now you can explain to them and bring them along to what truth is. So that's kind of most of what I'm pushing here is take advantage of the opportunities. You know, this is not a problem to try and get rid of. It's a problem that actually opens a good door if you take advantage of it. Okay. A mother who is part of the church congregation, professing Christians, married to a man who was raised a Roman Catholic and not a professing Christian. Conflict over having their baby baptized. How will you advise her? Let's just look it up in the Bible. and see like the differences between that and like traditions of men share why we well why we don't allow it or do it and why she shouldn't um and then share like both the difference between baby dedication and baptism typically okay so you have a woman who's trying to be humble her husband's not a christian ex-relig or Roman Catholic background, so he's going to start pushing this. Where does her submission end and begin? Begins with God. So does God have anything that says, thou shalt not get thy child wet? No. I put it that way on purpose. So I'm trying to bring in that it can get kind of complex here. All right, this actually is one that some of our ladies have had to face. They're unequally yoked, they're married to a man who was Roman Catholics, not practicing, but the family pressure is all, we gotta have these kids baptized. I mean, I don't see an issue with it, because you know it doesn't save the child, so you still have to do what you gotta do in order to make sure they understand they're sinners. So in order to remove a conflict, I mean, who cares? So this is one where the woman, in submission to her husband, is not going to talk to him about it, and explain what she believes, and says, but it's not my decision, it's your decision. That's going to be part of it. But I will be influencing the children to understand that that did not save them. So that's going to be a conflict. This is the hard thing about being unequally yoked, and it pops up here. Especially if, you know, since he's raised it, that means grandparents and all the aunts and uncles, everything else, there's lots of pressure there. So it does give you opportunity. One of the things that I usually advise those who are tied into Roman Catholic families is ask them why. Why do you want this done? What's the purpose of this? What's the meaning of this tradition? With all sincerity, ask why. And most probably, they do not know. They can't answer it. They cannot answer it. They start asking why, and like, I don't know, what's, what is the purpose? So it actually, it can give you an opportunity with the whole family to explain the truth. And also give a option, like for the baby dedication, instead of just doing that, I guess. Well, uh, this family, uh, they did both. They came here and then we had a baby dedication and, um, her mom came, but his parents wouldn't come into because it's not a Catholic church. So, a little interesting. Some of the aunts and uncles were Catholic, they came. So, you never know what opportunities may or may not exist, so. Well, if you're not practicing, you're not really going to have any strong convictions. You just say, I'll just yeah okay i'll just come support the family so here are opportunities come you know take advantage of every opportunity to try and create them yeah i guess i mean every opportunity is good if you can get people's feet in the door right That's part of it. You can't engage them. You don't know where it's going to go. And sometimes it goes farther than you ever thought it would. Family, your church has moved to a new area due to a job change. The most biblical church they have been able to find after many months of looking is Presbyterian Church. Solid on salvation, practice into baptism. What advice would you give them? I don't understand why they would be practicing, well, because of what we're talking about. They're Presbyterian. Right. Reformed. Presbyterians to anti-baptism. Right. Well, you still, you still not have to abide about the, you can still refuse. Right. You don't have to participate. The infant. The infant. Okay, but you are going to have to get some warnings of the pressure that's going to be put on them for it, depending on the nature of the church. They're looking for the most biblical church, and sometimes you just can't find much. So you may have to advise them this then. It depends on the church. They may not be able to become members of the church if they won't participate. So to say is that you may end up being the second class Christian there, but you still need to maintain your own biblical stand, regardless of what you're getting in the church that you're in. And look for opportunities. Maybe invite a church planter to come in and plant a church, plant a good Bible church. So what I'm trying to bring out here is we can be gracious with those that hold a different standard on it, and yet we still hold our biblical beliefs with all graciousness with them. It's like, I don't believe in patal baptism. I don't find it in scripture. And they're going to take you to all the classic passages, and try and convince you. And he says, here's what it says. Repent. Baptism follows. So when my child's old enough, we can do that. Okay. And if we're still here, and you want to baptize my son, who's her daughter, who's made a professional face, how about we use a lot more water than what you're having that little bitty pond? Sprinkles. A little sprinkling. Yeah, we didn't talk about the mode of baptism, because that was another place in this. A man who is part of your congregation, been listening to many Reformed preachers on Sermon Audio, now starting to advocate infant baptism. How do you deal with him? So I'll sit him down, talk to him on the side, go over the Bible with him about the differences between baptism and baby dedication, and why we do the latter and not the first. So if he continues to go that direction, you may have to direct him to another church. Because you don't want someone who's advocating this now to start causing a problem in your own church. So if you really believe that, then this is not the church for you. And this would be grounds for church discipline too, right? If they start making it an issue in the church, yeah, it would be because they're trying to disrupt things. But this is what they really believe. There's plenty of churches that practice end-time baptism. You don't have to be here. So you're not trying, you're trying to make sure you're teaching them and teach them strongly and warning them of here's the consequence of this. But one consequence is if you keep going this direction, you're going to have to come to the church and give you some suggestions. Because we can work with biblical Presbyterians and even some Anglicans and stuff. There are some that are still biblical. Their doctrine of salvation is correct, but they still have this, but yet you push them. They're going, well, no, you're saved by faith. For them, they're going to keep going. It's a covenant we have with God in protecting the child until the age of accountability. When is the age of accountability? And you find me something that says that. I mean, of course they won't because there isn't. But they have a tradition. And that's a hard one for them to break, which is why I started the questioning as I did. Understand for a lot of these families, this is really hard to move away from because they do look at it as the security of my child. And anybody who's lost an infant, that's an issue they have. I want to know that my child is in heaven. So this is a way for them to be able to say, yes, absolutely. Your child was baptized. And so in the covenant relationship we have with them, your child's covered. That's called a lie. Yeah. I feel like that. You can see the emotional impact of that. Okay. That's what they're after. So can we say the baby's not in heaven? No. Can we say the baby's in heaven? No, God hasn't said so. But that means I gotta trust God enough that whatever has happened with my baby, I trust him for it. I take a lot of trust. Yes. I think on the misconception too, it's in those people, the church who use the baptism, they believe they born pure. Yeah. And that's a big problem because that's a baby, era, theological era, too. Yeah, that's Pelagianism, that you're born without sin, or semi-Pelagianism is that you can get baptized and now you're good enough. That's semi-Pelagian. So Pelagius was a heretic in the early church, and his idea was that you were born without sin. You're born innocent. No, you're not. You're born in sin. Period. I don't know where he even had the grounds to say something like that. He doesn't. Not biblical grounds. But did he even have a decent argument? Not really. He had no biblical argument. He had a philosophical argument. It's just that the hope, the human hope about, oh, if my baby die, it's pure. And like I say, it's not biblical. to support there. But unfortunately, we deal with humans, all natures, and they want to believe why they want to believe just to make a conscience, you know? Yeah. Which is why I'm bringing it back up, is just understand as you're talking to people, there's a huge emotional commitment to trying to do something. And it's understandable. Can we get them to understand that I can actually trust God with things I don't have an absolute, I can certainly trust God for. That's hard. But can I do that? Yes, I can. But it means I have to trust God. I have to know him well enough to know that he is good. And if he doesn't give me an answer, he's still going to do what is good. Okay? Can we go back to the one about the mother that's unequally yoked? The father obviously wants to go forward with the infant baptism to be submissive to her husband. She goes forward with it. But then what about when it comes, if he was to further that with the first communion and confirmation and stuff like that, which aren't biblical either, like at what point She's in a bad position when you're unequally owed. It's a bad position to begin with. And so she has to do what 1 Peter 3 is, win him without a word by her chaste and respectful behavior, demonstrating what true Christianity is by her own beliefs. That she would respectfully, you know, she would properly argue with him saying, I don't believe this, this is why. I'm just saying it's by the structure God has given to us for family is that this is your decision. This is my advice on it, but this isn't good. And you will know that I will be teaching our child opposite of that, but this doesn't save them. That first communion does not give them any extra grace. Grace comes from God as a gift, not from doing something. And that's where she's going to be all the way through. It's a very difficult position. So you want to advise her to be the godliest woman she can be. Yeah, I just, I have a friend in this exact position. She's going to be giving birth in July and husband, you know, she became, you know, saved after they got married, you know, he was raised Roman Catholic. That doesn't mean anything, but he brought up baptism and things like that. Um, so I, yeah, I, I didn't realize the submission with, you know, doing that, if that's what he agrees to. It's, it's a tough one. Um, I was, So Jess, since you're going to be having someone you need to advise on this, talk to Kristen Duffy. Because she's had to deal with this. And early on, she was saved after they were married. And Darren's a very nice guy. And they have a good marriage. But there's very strong Catholicism, especially on his parents' part. She was a good Catholic girl when, well, there was non-practicing Catholics, you know, the Holy Easter crowd type, but his mom is very staunch, so there's a lot of pressure. So, and you have to negotiate that, and Kristen's done very well with that. So, and now we had long talks. How do you deal with this stuff? Okay, if it's not going to harm the baby, it's not inducting the child into a satanic cult. Okay, because that's really not what's happening. You know, would you allow your husband to put your baby into the fire of Moloch and kill it? No, I think we're having a more severe disagreement and good luck finding me because we're leaving. I'm going to protect my baby. You have something you can work with. Because still behind all this stuff is still this desire. You can see they want the baby to be right with God. So use that. Use it to push them toward understanding what salvation really is. And you can use that with the family, too. My thoughts right now is just when you Like Peter, you know, when you start read, obey man to obey God, because we know Catholic, they preach almost the true, and that's very, very dangerous. Yeah, almost true. Almost, and that's my point. And as I had the family and a Christian, but I'm thinking, so what's the point to stop? Because one point you're gonna say, oh, we should pray for St. Mary or St. Anthony. And then you gotta say, that's not gonna happen. I'm a wife, my dad's deaf, and now you worship demons. So, and as you put it, so it's close, but it's still so far away, it'll damn you. But take that which is close and use it to push them to over the close into the real thing. That's the de-avocation. And you use some of these things to be able to push them towards truth. and you advocate them. And for a woman who's unequally yoked, it is a heartache. Now for the guy who's unequally yoked, it can be a heartache for him too, because usually she's not going to be submissive. You're going to have a lot of fights on your hands, but you're going to have to work with it. Okay. All right. So there's a explanation sheet on baby dedication and all that. There's also the paper on baptism, which we give people out, requirements for baptism. Dr. Holland did an excellent job on this. I've been using it for a long time. I added the last sheet dealing with acts to repent and be baptized. And is it baptism saves you? No, baptism doesn't save you. I dealt with that part because we had people coming in who were of that mindset. You had to be baptized to be saved. So they're coming from a disciples of Christ or Christian church, which teaches that. Meaning it's a caveat because they're saying repent and be baptized. And that's well, they take second, um, acts where Peter says that and says, see, you must be baptized also to be saved. And then until you're baptized, you're not saved. You go through the rest of Acts and go through all the epistles, you're not going to find that. You're going to find it's repentance. Baptism is a result of the repentance as a sign of the repentance, but it's not something that actually saves you. So it takes some working. If you actually go through Acts and what Peter says there, consistently, you're going to keep finding preaching repentance often without any mention of baptism. And if baptism was that important, you'd think somewhere in Romans, it would talk about the necessity of being baptized, not an explanation of it, but you must be baptized. You don't have to be. Otherwise, you're basically doing the same argument as the Jews have for circumstatement. You have a workspace. It's a workspace salvation and save the wind. So that can be a fine line. If you have someone professing, faith in Christ and refuses to be baptized, you have to wonder, what's your problem? Yeah, what's the problem here, right? There is a problem. So, but Dr. Holloman's stuff goes through everything. And it's a very good explanation where it came from. Why was baptism outside into the cleansing rituals and Judaism? The Baptism and Repentance of John as opposed to Baptism into Christ. They're similar, but they are different. So the idea of Baptism into Christ is immersing yourself, identifying with Christ. Repentance, the Baptism and Repentance of John was a sign of, I am turning from to turn to God. uh deals with methods of baptism or modes of baptism and um well because that that would have been before christ was dead right so you're not really identifying with his death by the burial and resurrection at that point yeah because it's not dead that's not what it is it was baptism of a cleansing ritual and that was the whole point of that so so i read through those things but use it as a good opportunity That's the main thing I can say from baby dedication. Use it as an opportunity. You may be able to reach families and show graciousness if you're just harsh and you're going to cut people off. Kids are important to parents and grandparents and the aunts and uncles. So you want to show that you actually care about them and you care about them caring about their children. So you just have to direct them the right way. All right, I'm going to stop recording.