Is infant baptism from the Bible?

[Hobie]

Some may say, what is wrong with baptizing an infant? Well we need to go to the word of God and to the requirements for baptism.

Baptism is for those that hear the Gospel message, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and repent of their sins. This must be done before a person can be baptized.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts 2:38.

"Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 20:21.

Why do we need to repent to God?

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23.

Only those that receive the Word of God and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are fit for baptism.

"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." Acts 2:41

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Mark 16:15, 16.

"But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." Acts 8:12.

"And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." Acts 8:36, 37.

The question must now be asked, ‘Can an infant understand the Gospel, accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, and repent of their sins?’ Of course they cannot, so therefore according to the Bible they cannot be baptized and any church that condones infant baptism is not following the Word of God.

 

[BreadOfLife]

Some may say, what is wrong with baptizing an infant? Well we need to go to the word of God and to the requirements for baptism.

Baptism is for those that hear the Gospel message, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and repent of their sins. This must be done before a person can be baptized.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts 2:38.

"Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 20:21.

Why do we need to repent to God?

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23.

Only those that receive the Word of God and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are fit for baptism.

"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." Acts 2:41

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Mark 16:15, 16.

"But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." Acts 8:12.

"And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." Acts 8:36, 37.

The question must now be asked, ‘Can an infant understand the Gospel, accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, and repent of their sins?’ Of course they cannot, so therefore according to the Bible they cannot be baptized and any church that condones infant baptism is not following the Word of God.

You posted Acts 2:38 - but left out the very next verse:
Acts 2:39
"The promise is for you and your CHILDREN and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

The Bible clearly teaches that the OT TYPE that was circumcision has been FULFILLED by Baptism:
Col. 2:11-12
In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in BAPTISM, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Through Circumcision baby boys entered the Covenant with God by the faith of their parents who raised them.
Through Baptism, babies enter the NEW Covenant with God by the faith of their parents who raise them.
The difference is - Baptism is for EVERYBODY - not just boys.

Peter Baptized the ENTIRE household of Cornelius.
Paul Baptized the ENTIRE households of Stephanas and the Philippian Jailer.
"Entire" households had people of ALL ages - young and old.

The Early Church attested to the fact that Infant Baptism was handed down to them by the APOSTLES themselves. This was NOT simply a "popular" practice in the Early Church - it was UNANIMOUSLY believed in and practiced . . .

Irenaeus
"He [Jesus] came to save all through himself; all, I say, who through him are reborn in God: infants, and children, and youths, and old men. Therefore he passed through every age, becoming an infant for infants, sanctifying infants; a child for children, sanctifying those who are of that age . . . [so that] he might be the perfect teacher in all things, perfect not only in respect to the setting forth of truth, perfect also in respect to relative age" (Against Heresies 2:22:4 [A.D. 189]).

Hippolytus
"Baptize first the children, and if they can speak for themselves let them do so. Otherwise, let their parents or other relatives speak for them" (The Apostolic Tradition 21:16 [A.D. 215]).

Origen
"The Church received from the apostles the tradition of giving baptism even to infants. The APOSTLES, to whom were committed the secrets of the divine sacraments, knew there are in everyone innate strains of [original] sin, which must be washed away through water and the Spirit" (Commentaries on Romans 5:9 [A.D. 248]).

Gregory of Nazianz
"Do you have an infant child? Allow sin no opportunity; rather, let the infant be sanctified from childhood. From his most tender age let him be consecrated by the Spirit. Do you fear the seal [of baptism] because of the weakness of nature? Oh, what a pusillanimous mother and of how little faith!" (Oration on Holy Baptism 40:7 [A.D. 388]).

John Chrysostom
"You see how many are the benefits of baptism, and some think its heavenly grace consists only in the remission of sins, but we have enumerated ten honors [it bestows]! For this reason we baptize even infants, though they are not defiled by [personal] sins, so that there may be given to them holiness, righteousness, adoption, inheritance, brotherhood with Christ, and that they may be his [Christ’s] members" (Baptismal Catecheses in Augustine, Against Julian 1:6:21 [A.D. 388]).

Augustine
"The custom of Mother Church in baptizing infants is certainly not to be scorned, nor is it to be regarded in any way as superfluous, nor is it to be believed that its tradition is anything except APOSTOLIC" (The Literal Interpretation of Genesis 10:23:39 [A.D. 408]).

 

[Hobie]

Well, there is no scriptural evidence sanctioning or for the authorization of infant baptism, Christ says nothing about infant baptism, the apostles say nothing about infant baptism. The early Church did not have infant baptism, so were did it come from.

The sudden rise of infant baptism is not hard to account for if we look at the mystic rites of the mystery religions. In the mystery religions of antiquity in Egypt, Chaldea and Babylon, the power of the priests was claimed so great that they held the eternal destiny of human souls in their grasp. Infants who died without the mystic rites of the mystery religions having been performed over them, were denied entrance into the "Elysian Fields," the paradise of the Pagans. The system of infant baptism from the earliest time was an initiation ceremony of the mystery religions and cults and interestingly, infants in paganism have 'Original Sin'....

"The Elysian Fields was a conception of the afterlife that evolved and maintained by certain Greek religious and philosophical sects and cults. In mythology, Aeneas, like Heracles and Odysseus before him, travels to the underworld and we read of the visit of Aeneas to the infernal regions. There he found the unhappy souls of infants who had died without receiving the rites of paganism, before the gates the cries of babes new-born, whom fate had from their tender mothers torn, assault his ears." (cambridgecitycoc.org.uk/OriginalSin.doc)

Here is a another description...

"Infant Baptism is an issue that has divided the Christian community for centuries. Surprisingly this was never an issue in the early church; it is only an issue of churches in more recent history.

During the first three centuries, the church was in an evangelistic mode and we see only adult baptism being administered only upon a person’s conversion. There was also the concept that baptism washed away all pre-baptismal sins. It has been in more recent history that infant baptism has been practiced by the church to wash away “original sin.” Another practice followed this of even postponing baptism until a person’s deathbed in order not to commit post-baptismal sins which would have to be dealt with through penance.

As the church absorbed the pagan world, infant baptism became a common practice. In part, this was based on the fact that even in the ancient church there was the idea that baptism was the initiation rite into the community of faith, and infants are born into that community so they are baptized. Another contributing factor was the rise of the understanding of original sin and the belief that baptism washed away the stain of original sin." What are the origins of infant baptism, and is there any Scriptural basis for it?

I am starting to see a pattern, one corruption in doctrine, opens the way for another...

 

[BreadOfLife]

Well, there is no scriptural evidence sanctioning or for the authorization of infant baptism, Christ says nothing about infant baptism, the apostles say nothing about infant baptism. The early Church did not have infant baptism, so were did it come from.

The sudden rise of infant baptism is not hard to account for if we look at the mystic rites of the mystery religions. In the mystery religions of antiquity in Egypt, Chaldea and Babylon, the power of the priests was claimed so great that they held the eternal destiny of human souls in their grasp. Infants who died without the mystic rites of the mystery religions having been performed over them, were denied entrance into the "Elysian Fields," the paradise of the Pagans. The system of infant baptism from the earliest time was an initiation ceremony of the mystery religions and cults and interestingly, infants in paganism have 'Original Sin'....

"The Elysian Fields was a conception of the afterlife that evolved and maintained by certain Greek religious and philosophical sects and cults. In mythology, Aeneas, like Heracles and Odysseus before him, travels to the underworld and we read of the visit of Aeneas to the infernal regions. There he found the unhappy souls of infants who had died without receiving the rites of paganism, before the gates the cries of babes new-born, whom fate had from their tender mothers torn, assault his ears." (cambridgecitycoc.org.uk/OriginalSin.doc)

Here is a another description...

"Infant Baptism is an issue that has divided the Christian community for centuries. Surprisingly this was never an issue in the early church; it is only an issue of churches in more recent history.

During the first three centuries, the church was in an evangelistic mode and we see only adult baptism being administered only upon a person’s conversion. There was also the concept that baptism washed away all pre-baptismal sins. It has been in more recent history that infant baptism has been practiced by the church to wash away “original sin.” Another practice followed this of even postponing baptism until a person’s deathbed in order not to commit post-baptismal sins which would have to be dealt with through penance.

As the church absorbed the pagan world, infant baptism became a common practice. In part, this was based on the fact that even in the ancient church there was the idea that baptism was the initiation rite into the community of faith, and infants are born into that community so they are baptized. Another contributing factor was the rise of the understanding of original sin and the belief that baptism washed away the stain of original sin." What are the origins of infant baptism, and is there any Scriptural basis for it?

I am starting to see a pattern, one corruption in doctrine, opens the way for another...

From where do you get this nonsense??

In post #2, I destroyed this myth by listing no less than SIX (6) quotes from the Early Church that spoke of Baptizing infants and how it was an APOSTOLIC TRADITION.

Sooooooo - where do YOU get the idea that the Early Church didn't practice Infant Baptism??
Man - you anti-Catholics slip-up more and more every day . . .

 

[Hobie]

The doctrine of baptism during the early church was adult believers baptism only. Infants simply cannot comply or be converted, infants cannot repent and believe and in reality, do not need repentance, having not yet committed any actual transgression, they have no quilt from Original Sin. Infant baptism is not a Scriptural doctrine and is not found anywhere in the Bible. There is not one example in the Bible of one single baby ever being baptized and its origins are clearly not scriptural. In the Babylonian mysteries, 'new birth' was conferred by baptism of infants, and to this day the "holy water" used for baptism in some circles is still prepared according to the pagan custom of plunging a torch from the altar into the water.

In Acts 8, the King James Version gives a full description of the baptism of the eunuch. The eunuch was a high official from Ethiopia and had come to worship in Jerusalem. He was reading the book of Isaiah when Philip was sent to him and explained to him the passages pertaining to the Messiah.

Acts 8:26-35
26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

When he had grasped their significance and recognized Jesus Christ in these verses, he was ready to be baptized. Scripture continues with the following verses:
Acts 8:36-38
36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

The question of the eunuch, "What doth hinder me to be baptized?" is answered by Phillip in verse 37: "If thou believeth with all thine heart, thou mayest."

How is a infant going to 'believe with all thine heart'......

 

[BreadOfLife]

The doctrine of baptism during the early church was adult believers baptism only. Infants simply cannot comply or be converted, infants cannot repent and believe and in reality, do not need repentance, having not yet committed any actual transgression, they have no quilt from Original Sin. Infant baptism is not a Scriptural doctrine and is not found anywhere in the Bible. There is not one example in the Bible of one single baby ever being baptized and its origins are clearly not scriptural. In the Babylonian mysteries, 'new birth' was conferred by baptism of infants, and to this day the "holy water" used for baptism in some circles is still prepared according to the pagan custom of plunging a torch from the altar into the water.

In Acts 8, the King James Version gives a full description of the baptism of the eunuch. The eunuch was a high official from Ethiopia and had come to worship in Jerusalem. He was reading the book of Isaiah when Philip was sent to him and explained to him the passages pertaining to the Messiah.

Acts 8:26-35
26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

When he had grasped their significance and recognized Jesus Christ in these verses, he was ready to be baptized. Scripture continues with the following verses:
Acts 8:36-38
36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

The question of the eunuch, "What doth hinder me to be baptized?" is answered by Phillip in verse 37: "If thou believeth with all thine heart, thou mayest."

How is a infant going to 'believe with all thine heart'......

This is NOT the debate we're having.
YOU said in post #3:
"The early Church did not have infant baptism, so were did it come from."

THIS is what I challenged you on.

So, once again - from WHERE do you get this nonsense when I already SQUASHED this false claim in post #2 with no less than SIX (6) testimonies from the Early Church that say that they DID practice Infant Baptism - and that it WAS handed down to them by the APOSTLES??

When you address that falsehood - we will address the rest of your problem with Infant Baptism . . .

 

[Jane_Doe22]

...

Let me sum up this entire thread:
You (the anti-infant baptizer) will say that there's no scriptural support for it and use verses ABC to support your position.
A pro-infant baptizer will say that there's scriptural support for it and use verses XYZ to support their position.
You will say that the early church didn't baptize infants.
Pro-infant baptizer will say that the early church did baptize infants.
... and round and round it'll go, neither of you listening to each other, bashing out the same dead-horse argument for the millionth time.

It really doesn't have much point.

 

[BreadOfLife]

Let me sum up this entire thread:
You (the anti-infant baptizer) will say that there's no scriptural support for it and use verses ABC to support your position.
A pro-infant baptizer will say that there's scriptural support for it and use verses XYZ to support their position.
You will say that the early church didn't baptize infants.
Pro-infant baptizer will say that the early church did baptize infants.
... and round and round it'll go, neither of you listening to each other, bashing out the same dead-horse argument for the millionth time.

It really doesn't have much point.

The difference here is evidence - historical evidence.

Anti Infant Baptism advocates can CLAIM that the Early Church didn't practice or teach Infant Baptism until the cows come home - but that doesn't make it true. The historical facts plainly show that the Early Church DID practice Infant Baptism - and attributed it as a teaching from the Apostles themselves, as I showed in post #2.

You cannot simply erase history . . .

 

[Marymog]

Some may say, what is wrong with baptizing an infant? Well we need to go to the word of God and to the requirements for baptism.

Baptism is for those that hear the Gospel message, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and repent of their sins. This must be done before a person can be baptized.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts 2:38.

"Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 20:21.

Why do we need to repent to God?

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23.

Only those that receive the Word of God and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are fit for baptism.

"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." Acts 2:41

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Mark 16:15, 16.

"But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." Acts 8:12.

"And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." Acts 8:36, 37.

The question must now be asked, ‘Can an infant understand the Gospel, accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, and repent of their sins?’ Of course they cannot, so therefore according to the Bible they cannot be baptized and any church that condones infant baptism is not following the Word of God.

Hi Hobie,

I have nothing to add to post #2 by BreadOfLife and agree with the facts he put forth.

I do wonder though if you think baptism actually saves a person or is it just a symbol?

Curious Mary

 

[Dave L]

Scripture directly supports believer's baptism by immersion in water. It does not directly support baptism by sprinkling of infants.

 

[BreadOfLife]

Scripture directly supports believer's baptism by immersion in water. It does not directly support baptism by sprinkling of infants.

NOWHERE does Scripture describe a single Baptism.

For a description of Baptism, we must defer to extrabiblical documents like The Didache (Teachings of the Twelve Apostles). In this 1st century Church document, the process of Baptism is described for the FIRST time in history:
Chapter 7. Concerning Baptism
And concerning baptism, baptize this way: Having first said all these things, baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in living water. But if you have not living water, baptize into other water; and if you can not in cold, in warm. But if you have not either, pour out water thrice upon the head into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit.

Notice that it talks about "living water" (river, lake, stream, etc.), or "OTHER" water.
Notice how it says that if living water is not available - use OTHER water and POUR over the head.

Finally - YOUR insistence of what Scripture "directly supports" or explicitly mentions is shoddy criteria. As Christians, as ALL believe in the Trinity, yet Scripture NEVER explicitly mentions the Trinity. SAME goes for the Incarnation. These words ARE mentioned by the Early Church Fathers - as is Infant Baptism, which they attributed to the APOSTLES themselves . . .

 

[Dave L]

NOWHERE does Scripture describe a single Baptism.

For a description of Baptism, we must defer to extrabiblical documents like The Didache (Teachings of the Twelve Apostles). In this 1st century Church document, the process of Baptism is described for the FIRST time in history:
Chapter 7. Concerning Baptism
And concerning baptism, baptize this way: Having first said all these things, baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in living water. But if you have not living water, baptize into other water; and if you can not in cold, in warm. But if you have not either, pour out water thrice upon the head into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit.

Notice that it talks about "living water" (river, lake, stream, etc.), or "OTHER" water.
Notice how it says that if living water is not available - use OTHER water and POUR over the head.

Finally - YOUR insistence of what Scripture "directly supports" or explicitly mentions is shoddy criteria. As Christians, as ALL believe in the Trinity, yet Scripture NEVER explicitly mentions the Trinity. SAME goes for the Incarnation. These words ARE mentioned by the Early Church Fathers - as is Infant Baptism, which they attributed to the APOSTLES themselves . . .

We still are all hat and no cattle on infant sprinkling falsely called baptism. Where' the beef?

 

[BreadOfLife]

We still are all hat and no cattle on infant sprinkling falsely called baptism. Where' the beef?

I've been to literally HUNDREDS of Catholic Baptisms and have NEVER witnessed a Baptism by "sprinkling".
They are ALL usually done by pouring or immersion. NOT sure where you're getting the "sprinkling" from - unless you're talking about the prophecy from Ezekiel (Ezek. 36:25-27).

Now - with that said - since YOU require that everything we believe in must be explicitly explained in Scripture - show me ONE SINGLE instance in Scripture where a Baptism is described.

Happy hunting . . .

 

[Dave L]

I've been to literally HUNDREDS of Catholic Baptisms and have NEVER witnessed a Baptism by "sprinkling".
They are ALL usually done by pouring or immersion. NOT sure where you're getting the "sprinkling" from - unless you're talking about the prophecy from Ezekiel (Ezek. 36:25-27).

Now - with that said - since YOU require that everything we believe in must be explicitly explained in Scripture - show me ONE SINGLE instance in Scripture where a Baptism is described.

Happy hunting . . .

So, baptism = dipping of believers, and no infants are baptized anywhere in the NT.

 

[Enoch111]

The question must now be asked, ‘Can an infant understand the Gospel, accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, and repent of their sins?’

Obviously not. The practice of infant baptism goes hand-in-hand with the doctrine of baptismal regeneration -- that when one is baptized they are born again. And this is because of a misunderstanding of John 3:5, where "water" is assumed to be ordinary water, rather than the water of the Word of God (the Gospel). To complicate matters Acts 2:38 gives the impression that water baptism is necessary to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. So many of the Early Church Fathers concluded that infants must be baptized in order to be saved.

But that is why people need to take ALL the Scriptures related to water baptism into account, and then see that (1) sinners must first repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, (2) they are then regenerated or born-again, and (3) immediately after conversion they are baptized by immersion (symbolic of death, burial, and resurrection with Christ, as well as much more).

Since infants and young children (or even those with limited mental capacity) cannot possibly obey the Gospel, God has already made provision for them in the finished work of Christ. They will all be saved (justified) by grace. However, when young people can comprehend the Gospel, then they also become accountable.

 

[Jane_Doe22]

Hi Hobie,

I have nothing to add to post #2 by BreadOfLife and agree with the facts he put forth.

I do wonder though if you think baptism actually saves a person or is it just a symbol?

Curious Mary

Mary, before you can address who should be baptized or symbolism/literal debate, you first need to address the *why* a person is to be baptized. The *why* is the critical question.

Is a person is to be baptized to address Adam's sins? Or is a person's baptism about their own sins and their relationship with Christ?
Does a person enter into the New Covenant of their own violation? Or is this instead marking a family like OT circumcision?

Until you can understand what a person believes about the *why* someone should be baptized, this conversation just misses the mark.

 

[BreadOfLife]

So, baptism = dipping of believers, and no infants are baptized anywhere in the NT.

Just because YOU declare it doesn't make it so.

Show me ONE instance of this "dipping only" method in the Bible.
As a matter of fact, show me ONE instance of "dipping", period.

 

[Dave L]

Just because YOU declare it doesn't make it so.

Show me ONE instance of this "dipping only" method in the Bible.
As a matter of fact, show me ONE instance of "dipping", period.

Baptism = dipping under liquid = like in soaking pickles in brine.

 

[Marymog]

Mary, before you can address who should be baptized or symbolism/literal debate, you first need to address the *why* a person is to be baptized. The *why* is the critical question.

Is a person is to be baptized to address Adam's sins? Or is a person's baptism about their own sins and their relationship with Christ?
Does a person enter into the New Covenant of their own violation? Or is this instead marking a family like OT circumcision?

Until you can understand what a person believes about the *why* someone should be baptized, this conversation just misses the mark.

You ask why should a person be baptized.

1 Peter 3:21, Acts 22:16, John 3:5 should answer that question.

I don't care to understand what a individual person believes about the *why* someone should be baptized. I only care what Scripture says about it and The Church, which is the pillar and foundation of truth, teaches about it.

Mary

 

[Pearl]

Obviously not. The practice of infant baptism goes hand-in-hand with the doctrine of baptismal regeneration -- that when one is baptized they are born again. And this is because of a misunderstanding of John 3:5, where "water" is assumed to be ordinary water, rather than the water of the Word of God (the Gospel). To complicate matters Acts 2:38 gives the impression that water baptism is necessary to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. So many of the Early Church Fathers concluded that infants must be baptized in order to be saved.

But that is why people need to take ALL the Scriptures related to water baptism into account, and then see that (1) sinners must first repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, (2) they are then regenerated or born-again, and (3) immediately after conversion they are baptized by immersion (symbolic of death, burial, and resurrection with Christ, as well as much more).

Since infants and young children (or even those with limited mental capacity) cannot possibly obey the Gospel, God has already made provision for them in the finished work of Christ. They will all be saved (justified) by grace. However, when young people can comprehend the Gospel, then they also become accountable.

I had been born again for many years, and also Spirit filled before I was baptised.