The Theology from the Back Seat

Get a License

Entropy: Mama, mama, mama, did you know that you need a license to GO FISH!!! To go fish!!

Me: Yeah, baby. I knew that.

Entropy: Mama, mama, mama, did you know that Mr. Dave had to go get a license to PREACH?? Did you know that?

Me: Yeah, baby.

Entropy: And mama, mama, mama, did you know that you have to have a license to DRIVE?

Me: Yeah, baby, I have both a driver's license and a pilot’s license. Did you know you have to get a license to get married?

Entropy: (Very dramatic) NO WAY! Really, to get married? Do I have to get a license to pet on bunnies?

Chaos: Oh, that’s just silly.

Entropy: Petting bunnies is not silly!! (singing song of own composing) Bunnies are so funny, bunny, bunny, bunny, funny, funny, funny, yeah, yeah, yeah, Huh!

Chaos: (in a very thoughtful manner) Mama, when you and Mr. Dave and Mr. Phil baptize babies, is that a license you give the parents?

Me: No baby, it’s a certificate saying that the baby was baptized into the church and that we have promised to raise the baby up in the church and love that baby and teach the baby all about Jesus.

Chaos: Oh. (long pause) Mama, that’s really sorta like a license though, isn’t it? We are giving God a license to give that baby lots of love and we are giving Him permission to love that baby extra special hard so that the baby will grow up loving Jesus her whole life long.

Wow. I have never heard a better explanation of baptismal regeneration and prevenient grace. I am sort of convinced of the doctrine of total depravity – just watch the TV show “Cops” or “Nanny 911” and you will see what I mean. But I also believe that we are made in the image of God (imago Dei) and that an echo of that image remains. I believe in both baptismal regeneration (in a Methodist, not Catholic manner) and prevenient grace AND the conversion moment.

And now I love the idea of baptizing babies so that God will love them extra special hard so that they will grow up to love Jesus. I know my babies do – and I know Jesus loves them.

Now that we are home -- they are trying to catch Little Kitty to baptize her. I hope they choose to sprinkle and not dunk....