The local church has a custodial influence, only, and at its best must be found providing instruction and guidance to the parent. Children are not always able to differentiate between peer pressure, sibling influence, parental approval and genuine Holy Spirit leading. Children are often lonely, especially when they are from an unsaved home, and will usually crave any attention or approval they can get. There must be parental follow-up so that the child will be taught the implication and responsibility of church membership. It is this item that, for many, becomes a real stumbling block.
Baptism dramatizes the death to the old nature, and life to the new nature.
It pictures a changed attitude toward sin and a desire to walk in spiritual newness. Observation by pastors who counsel with children find that rarely is a child under the age of 8-10 able to identify with the nature of sin in such a way as to make the picture of baptism personally meaningful. In fact, it is often very hard to explain baptism to these children in terminology that they can comprehend. The child may be left with the feeling of attainment, and never really come to terms with the need of future spiritual growth and maturity. The child may later in life never be taught or be expected to confirm the church covenant, Articles of Faith, or Constitution.