Children and Communion

I hope that more importantly than you becoming a Baptist from a Catholic that you have come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The BIBLE teaches communion is somthing believers do to shew the Lords death untill he comes back again. Therefore any one partaking in it must be a born again believer in Jesus Christ. There is no age limit to it, if a 5 year old child understands salvation and has accepted Christ as Savior, he is a perfect cannidate for Communion.

 

Hi Jill2778,

You are asking a very good question. I started life as an Episcopalian (christened as a baby), converted to Catholicism as a young adult, and I began attending a Baptist church 4 years ago. I was baptized two 1/2 years ago as an adult.

In the Baptist church, one is able to participate in the Lord's supper after one is baptized. There is no traditional age for baptism. When one professes the belief in Christ as his/her personal savior, that is when he/she is ready for baptism. This can happen at a very young age or at a very old age (like me, LOL). It is God's Grace through faith that saves the new believer (whether that believer is 5, 10 or 35!)

Baptism itself is NOT salvific. Baptism is a powerful witnessing tool, and it does mean that the baptized person has joined that church community and can be a voting member of that church. It also means that the person can participate in the Lord's supper.

Some churches put pressure on older children to get baptized as though baptism were salvific. It is not.

Sometimes adults choose to get baptized again as a show of real faith (as opposed to the baptism received under pressure as children). Again, baptism itself is NOT salvific, but sometimes adults realize that they really HAVE become believers and they want to get re-baptized as a SHOW of their newfound faith.

Check out this link, FYI:
Wash Your Hands Before You Eat

Some parents have older children participate in communion just because they are at church. This is considered improper if the children aren't actually believers.

[ January 10, 2004, 11:13 AM: Message edited by: Margie Kritzer ]

 

Miss Margie I beg to differ. Not all Baptist churches believe this. Yes you should get baptized after salvation, this is true, but my church does not practice what you're talking about. Anyone in my church who is saved can take communion. They themselves are responsible if they take communion without being saved. I'm not sure which is more widely practiced.
We actualy had a man this morning get baptized who got saved in 1966! He's taken communion with us before.
Anyway, Miss Jill,like I said, not sure what other churches practice but in my church if you have been saved you can take communion. Some of the younger children don't understand this practice however, as I found out recently! I was sitting with four youngins all around the age of five the other week when we took communion, and when they passed out the juice and waffers, they asked (rather loudly) where was their "cookies and juice!" I tried explaining to them that they couldn't take communion untill they were saved, but they said "That's not fair!"
BTW, Jill, I'm very glad to hear of your salvation! Praise the Lord!
Till the trupmpet,
Miss Abby
Proverbs 31:30 KJB

 

I know that My church at least practices Communion after baptisim only because thats how they did it in the Bible. They would get saved, baptized and take part in Communion. I don't suppose it would really matter if you were baptized or not if you took Communion. Much like really doesn't matter if you took Communion or got baptized in your life as long as your a true born again believer.

 

Actually, I know that's true. It is up to each church to decide what its policy is on whether communion is open or closed. Sorry about the confusion!