The child may be different following baptism, not in appearance or in behaviour, but spiritually and due to the promises accepted on behalf of the child at the Baptism. Following the Baptism, the child may be encouraged to embrace the church or left alone for the infant to decide for him/herself the right path towards God. This may be determined by the duties that the infant’s godparents have undertaken by agreeing to actually be the godparents. Which as explained, includes accepting promises on behalf of the child, in this sense the godparents now have a duty to see that the child stays true to these promises. A good godparent would do this.
Parents of the infant can help the child follow up the earlier talked about ‘good start’ by encouraging their child to go to church and follow God in as many ways as possible. ie. Going to a Christian school. Going to church every week will make the child different in a sense of gaining a better understanding and higher level of respect for God.
Baptism can also have an affect on decisions the infant makes later on in life, as a child, teenager or adult. An example of what this could influence is a predicament the child could possibly find him/herself into, like a situation where drugs are involved, an individual from a family that made sure he or she got that ‘good start’ in life may be more likely to turn down and say ‘no’ to drugs than one that wasn’t given that opportunity.
A believer’s baptism consists of an adult who either didn’t get the opportunity to be privileged with that ‘good start’ earlier in life, or finds him/herself obliged to be baptised. Believer’s baptism, in my opinion means a lot more on the part of the candidate as it was through their own commitment that they have decided to be baptised.
The reason behind adults being baptised can vary from person to person, some adults decide baptism is the start of their new life, learning to leave behind the corruption of their past. Other people decide baptism is significant to their commitment to God, as from now on they have decided to make God play a more active role in their lives. This reason and other reasons for baptism can be adopted and flourished by the baptised individual by simply going to church more often or helping out their community. The commitment involved when baptised shows that the person has abandoned his or her corrupted past and through baptism has been cleansed of sin and burden. Baptism is about life and what better way to begin life committed to God?
