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Your first question is important: Does baptism save us? The answer for me, and for Anglicans in general, is definitely no. Baptism is a sign of God’s covenant over Jude, but it is God who saves by His grace.

Theologian N.T. Wright puts it this way: “Baptism signifies membership in Christ… of course the follow-up question is always, how can children have the faith which is the sole badge of that membership, and part of my answer … is that as a parent I know I can communicate with a tiny child, can give and receive love — and if God, the father of all, from whom all families take their name, cannot likewise give and receive love, then I am shocked and surprised.

He continues:
“And how might God do that? Well, perhaps it might have something to do with bringing the child into the family of the church under the sign which speaks powerfully of the death and resurrection of Jesus…”

An important, personal part of this is that I don’t remember not being a Christian. Does that mean that my parents forced me to be a follower of Jesus? No. But they did raise me in a church that included me at the early age of seven into their fellowship by way of baptism. Did I understand this as a sign marking my newfound relationship with Christ? Not really. I knew that Jesus loved me, and that I was about to get very wet.

However, as I grew up, I increasingly gave my desires, thoughts, and plans to God, thus taking more and more ownership of a faith that was handed down to me. So when did I “become” a Christian? I’ll let you or anyone else try and answer that. I’ve come to believe that there is something very significant about being born into a family that truly follows Christ, even with all their faults and frailties. Our role in Jude’s life is a big part of the meaning of this baptism!

It’s good to hear from you, and thanks for asking about this stuff, Tiffany. I welcome the dialogue! Even though I view things a little differently than I used to, I am still growing in my relationship with Christ and his church. It continues to be a journey full of unexpected turns and thick with meaning.

“I look forward to the day when Jude looks up at me and asks, “Dad, am I a Christian, too?”

I know what my answer will be.”

Does that mean that you believe he becomes a Christian tomorrow when he is Baptized as an infant? Does Baptizm save us? When he gets older he will have to ask you if he is a Christian? When one becomes a Christian isnt it a time in life when we come to realize our sin and hopelessness without Christ and when we realize that there is absolutley nothing we can do to earn His salvation and that it is only by his grace that he rescues us from the pit of death into righteousness? Shouldnt that be something he realizes for himself?

(just realized this paragraph looks like im drilling you …… i really just want to understand your thougths.

p.s Jude is perfect, and im really glad for our technology these days so that people like you and me can keep in touch!

Tiffany