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| My brother and his wife have been blessed with a beautiful little girl. My niece is going on 3 years of age and is not baptized. Her parents attend no church, claim to have no religious beliefs, and maintain that they will not raise their daughter with any religious training. I have volunteered to take her to be baptized, and undertake her religious rearing myself; they have absolutely refused. They will not even allow her to learn any children's religious songs, or bedtime/table prayers. I know that I cannot openly defy her parents, but I also know what Scripture teaches concerning baptism. It is not her fault the dear child was born to such parents! Would I be wrong to baptize her myself, when she is in my care, in the name of our Triune God? (At least she would be given the gift of forgiveness, and the Holy Spirit could be admitted to her heart!)
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| The Lord has made the father and mother responsible for the care of their children. This parental responsibility also includes the religious instruction of the children. Consider the well known words of Paul, "Fathers, do not e.htmlerate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4) Parents, then, are the ones answerable to the Lord God and responsible for bringing a child to holy baptism. It is unwise to secretly or deceptively go against the parents' wishes. Future efforts at witnessing the love of Jesus to these parents will certainly be endangered, and the parents embittered at what they view as "religious coercion." A child baptized in such circumstances will not receive on-going instruction with the Gospel of life. The end does not justify the means in any case.
Your sincere concern for the child's spiritual welfare is a fruit of the Holy Spirit's working in your heart through the Gospel. Continue to pray for the opportunity to lovingly and openly share Christ's love with the parents and with the child. By word and example, demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit in patiently "speaking the truth in love." Pray fervently for an "open door" in the face of such hostility, and commit the matter to the Lord Jesus, who loves the child even more than we do. As the girl grows, you will have personal opportunity to demonstrate the joy of forgiveness in your life and gradually share with her what Jesus means to you. Jesus grant you his wisdom from on high as you continue your efforts to share his love.
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