Faith for the Family: How God Includes Our Children in His Promise
The Beauty of God’s Promise to Families in the Kingdom of Christ
Infant baptism is one of those doctrines that, for much of my Christian life, seemed secondary — a matter of personal preference or church tradition. But over time, and especially as my own family has grown, I’ve come to see it as something far more vital. It’s not an arbitrary side issue, but it’s about how we understand the Kingdom itself — the nature of God’s covenant, His grace, and who belongs to His people.
There have been two places in Scripture that have been instrumental in my comprehension of infant baptism, the first of which is Matthew 19:13–15, where we see infants being included in God’s covenant:
Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” And he laid his hands on them and went away.
Matthew 19 is a familiar story. Even if you haven’t studied it deeply, you likely know how it goes: Jesus is in the heart of His ministry, proclaiming the Kingdom of God. As He enters Judea, large crowds follow Him, and amid the commotion, parents begin bringing their children to Jesus. The disciples, however, tell them to stop—but Jesus intervenes and welcomes the children instead.
1. The Heart of the Parents
Verse 13 says, “Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray.”
First, let’s clarify that these are truly children. Some argue that the Greek word paidion might refer to older youth or young adults. While it can have a range of meanings, its earliest biblical usage in the Septuagint appears in Genesis 17:12:
“He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised.”
This connection firmly establishes that paidion can indeed refer to infants. Contextually, the children were “brought” to Jesus—passive, not active. So these were likely dependent children, even infants.
In Jewish custom, parents would bring their children to rabbis or spiritual leaders to receive a blessing—acts believed to convey divine favor and protection. You see similar practices in the Old Testament, such as Jacob blessing his grandsons.
Even in modern cultures—perhaps in some Asian traditions—there’s a sense of generational blessing when elders lay hands on the young. And even if you’ve never experienced something like that, you can still understand the parents’ heart here. They fought through the crowds in Judea to bring their children to Jesus because they wanted what was best for them.
John Calvin writes of this moment:
“We must observe the intention of those who present the children; for if there had not been a deep-rooted conviction in their minds, that the power of the Spirit was at his disposal, that he might pour it out on the people of God, it would have been unreasonable to present their children.”
In other words, these parents brought their children because they believed Jesus could bless them with the Spirit.
That’s quite different from the modern parenting mindset, isn’t it? Today, many parents insist on giving their children “freedom to choose” their religion, as though neutrality were a virtue. I remember when I was growing up—my parents, like many others, let me try soccer, lacrosse, piano, art, basketball—but also allowed me to skip church when those things conflicted. Looking back, I regret those missed Sundays, because I missed out on the blessings of belonging to God’s covenant community at an early age.
The heart of the parents in Matthew 19 wasn’t to appease their children’s desires—it was to bring them to the One who could truly bless them. By virtue of their faith, their children received the benefits of that faith through Christ’s blessing.
2. The Heart of the Disciples
Verse 13 continues: “Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people.”
Before we get to Jesus’ response, we should ask—why did the disciples rebuke the parents?
In the ancient world, children were often viewed as socially insignificant. Though loved by their families, they were dependent, unable to contribute economically or religiously. In first-century Judaism, children couldn’t participate in sacrifices or synagogue worship—those were for adult men. So the disciples likely assumed Jesus had more “important” matters to attend to.
To them, children didn’t belong in the center of spiritual activity. “Let the grown-ups do the talking,” they probably thought.
3. The Heart of Jesus
But Jesus rebukes them:
“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
And this leads us to the central question of today’s message:
Are children part of the Kingdom of God, or not?
Because the answer to that question determines whether they should receive the sign of the Kingdom—baptism.
Let’s unpack Jesus’ statement: “for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
The “kingdom of heaven” is unique to Matthew’s Gospel, but it’s synonymous with “kingdom of God.” The term refers to God’s covenant community, though Scripture sometimes uses it in three overlapping ways:
The visible church – as in Matthew 13, the net that gathers both good and bad fish, or the field with both wheat and weeds.
The invisible church – the regenerate, true believers (John 3:3, 1 Cor. 6:9).
The consummated kingdom – God’s perfected reign in glory (Matt. 25:34).
Calvin described the visible church this way:
“By the term ‘Church’ is designated the whole multitude of men who, spread through all parts of the world, profess to worship one God and Christ. In this Church are mingled many hypocrites who have nothing of Christ but the name and outward appearance.”
So the Kingdom has both visible and invisible aspects—just like Israel in the Old Testament, which included believers, unbelievers, and their children. Though the forms of worship changed, the covenantal substance remained: God calling a people—and their children—to Himself.
That naturally leads to the question: If children received the covenant sign of belonging in the Old Testament (circumcision), shouldn’t they also receive it in the New (baptism)?
Baptism: Two Views
Let’s define the two main views of baptism:
Baptist view: Baptism is a public testimony of one’s faith in Christ. Therefore, only those who can profess faith should be baptized.
Reformed/Presbyterian view: Baptism is a sign and seal of what Christ has done for His people. Therefore, covenant children of believing parents should receive it.
Both agree that in the Old Testament, entire households were included in the covenant. Adult converts had faith before circumcision (like Abraham), while their children received circumcision before faith (like Isaac).
So where we differ is whether that covenant principle continues into the New Testament.
Continuity in Colossians 2
The second text which serves as a pillar in my understanding of this doctrine is what Paul writes in Colossians 2:11–12:
“In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands… having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God.”
In one sweeping sentence, Paul links circumcision and baptism. Physical circumcision pointed forward to the cutting off of Christ in His death (Isa. 53:8). Baptism now points backward to that same reality—death and resurrection with Him.
Every “watery judgment” in Scripture—like the Red Sea—has two outcomes: one party perishes, one is saved. The Egyptians and the Israelites both entered the sea; only one came out alive. Baptism mirrors this—our old self dies, our new self rises in union with Christ.
So while the sign has changed, the substance remains: both circumcision and baptism signify union with Christ and entrance into His covenant people.
If the substance of the sign remains the same, then so should its recipients—believers and their children.
Covenant Continuity
Throughout the New Testament, this covenant pattern continues:
Acts 2:38–39: “The promise is for you and your children.”
1 Corinthians 7:14: Children of even one believing parent are called “holy.”
Galatians 3:8: Paul quotes the promise to Abraham—and calls it “the Gospel.”
Household baptisms reinforce this continuity—Cornelius, Lydia, the Philippian jailer, Crispus, and Stephanas—all were baptized with their households.
What’s at stake here isn’t just theological precision—it’s whether we see children as inside the Kingdom or outside. In neglecting infant baptism, we risk repeating the disciples’ error—unintentionally hindering those whom Christ invites.
If Jesus blessed the children brought to Him, should they not also receive the sign of His blessing?
Joel Beeke says,
“Baptism is God’s pledge to the child; it is His claim, not the child’s testimony. That covenant claim should shape the entire upbringing of the child.”
And Sinclair Ferguson adds,
“To be a covenant child is to be raised not on neutral ground, but on holy ground.”
Jesus concludes by saying,
“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
In Mark’s account, we’re told, “He took them in His arms and blessed them.”
The disciples thought the Kingdom had “bigger fish to fry.” But Jesus redefines greatness. In Matthew 18, He says, “Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Who belongs in the Kingdom? The humble. The dependent. The ones who confess that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
And what better picture of humility and dependence than a child? Children who can do nothing for themselves—who rely completely on the mercy and provision of another.
Jesus shows us that children are not merely symbols of the Kingdom’s character—they are also recipients of its promises. After all, it would make little sense for Him to declare that the Kingdom belongs to them, only to later deny them its sign.
As Christ reveals the heart of His Kingdom, let us not neglect those whom He invites. Let us bring our children to Him in faith, trusting that He blesses them and claims them for Himself. And may we, too, come before Him with the humility and dependence of a child—knowing that our salvation rests not in what we do, but entirely in what Christ has done.
May this truth shape our homes, our church, and our lives—that both young and old alike may know, experience, and rejoice in the immeasurable grace of our Lord.
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