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FOUNDATIONS*109**children* come* to* Jesus,* or* does* he* merely* see* this* as* the* pastoral* res:ponsibility*of*fathers*not*pastors,*as*we*see*in*Eph*6:4*and*Col*3:21?***Conclusion:%a%positive%vision%for%children%of%believers%!I* have* argued* in* this* paper* largely* about* what* is* good* for* children.* The*baptism*of*young*children*is*not*good*for*them,*or*for*their*peers.*However,*the*consideration*must*be*not*only*the*individual*child,*but*the*ultimate* glory* of* God.* The* purity* of* a* church* that* is* accountable* to* one*another* and* responsible* before* God* is* ultimately* undermined* by* child*baptism.*If*the*purity*of*the*church*is*undermined,*then*so*also*is*her*witness*to*every*generation*of*children.*In*the*end*we*must*have*far*more*concern*about*whether*children*are*in*the* invisible,* eternal* church,* than* at* what* age* they* are* admitted* into*membership* in* the* visible,* temporal* church.* We* should* share* the* gospel*with*children,*we*should*encourage*them*to*repent*and*believe,*we*should*encourage*parents*to*take*an*active*interest*in*their*children’s*discipleship*and*encourage*all*fledgling*signs*of*faith.*We*should*teach*children*to*grow*in*the*grace*of*evangelism,*service*and*love*within*the*community.*We*can*and*should*do*all*this*without*baptising*them.**We* should* not* deny* all* responsibilities* from* younger* teenagers,* and*even* pre:teens.* We* need* not* merely* tell* teenagers* to* wait* until* they* are*older*before*they*are*ready*to*be*baptised*and*join*the*membership*of*the*church.* Such* a* negative* vision* is* insufficient,* just* as* in* other* realms* of*growth.*For*example,*we*would*be*foolish*to*tell*a*teenager*struggling*with*a*growing*sex*drive*only*to*abstain*from*sex*until*they*are*old*enough*to*get*married. 34 *In*both*cases,*the*reason*they*should*wait*is*because*of*the*need*to* grow* in* maturity.* A* positive* vision* for* that* time* of* growth* towards*maturity*must*be*held*out.*In* preparing* children* for* the* responsibilities* of* marriage* we* would*encourage*them*to*learn*how*to*have*appropriate*and*healthy*relationships*with*members*of*the*opposite*sex.*In*preparing*them*for*church*membership*we*would*seek*to*train*them*in*loving*people*of*different*ages*and*stages*of*life*across*the*spectrum*of*the*church.**This* learning* curve* does* not* need* to* wait* until* teenage* years.* When*visiting* a* member* of* the* church* in* hospital* I* will* often* take* one* of* my*children*with*me*as*I*visit,*read*the*word,*listen*and*pray.*This*is*good*both*for*the*congregation*member*I*am*visiting*and*for*the*child.*Within*the*life*of*the*church*there*are*some*areas*of*service*that*are*restricted*to*members*of*the* congregation,* but* there* are* many* that* are* not.* Teenagers* and* younger*children*have*helped*serve*within*the*corporate*gathering*of*the*church*in*********************************************************************34*I’m*grateful*to*T.*Michael*Lawrence*for*this*analogy*and*much*of*this*section.**!