Infant Baptism

[B-A-C]

I know some churches practice infant baptism. I am wondering if there is any scripture that supports this?
I know some churches have something called "confirmation" that requires a profession of belief after a person
reaches an age of accountability.

This thread is not about baptism at all. Whether or not you need to be baptized to be saved is not the point here. The point is can you be saved as an infant that hasn't made a profession of faith?

I know some universalists take verses like 1 Cor 7:14; to say children are saved simply by virtue of the
parents being saved. Of course this is only true if at least one parent is a believer.
There are multiple items of debate here.
1. Are they saved just because the parents are saved... or are they more likely to be saved because of the
influence of the parents.
2. Are they saved for their entire life, or are they saved until they reach the age of accountability?

That last question raises a dilemma for those who believe in once saved always saved.
Is a baby is saved because of innocence, saved forever? (In that case is everyone saved?)
Or does OSAS not apply to infants?

Does infant baptism have any validity in the Bible?

This should not be confused with infant dedication... which is simply the parents and congregation of a church promising to bring a child up in the teachings of Jesus/Bible.

 

[Fragrant Grace]

Greetings brother @B-A-C

There is not one mention of infant baptism in the scriptures....it's a worldly ceremony of no worth.

Regarding young children and babies being saved. We know the Lord judges righteously and knows the heart.. A baby does not purposely sin or reject the gospel even though they are born in sin.

It is enough to know that the Lord always does the right thing

When David's child to Bathsheba died, David states ' can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.'(2 Samuel 12:23). This verse has always been a comfort to me as a nurse when young children or babies have died.

And He shall judge the world in righteousness, He shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
Psalm 9:8

 

[Chopper]

Wow BAC, those are dynamite questions. Lets see if I can answer them all.

First of all, infant baptism has no biblical mandate. I was a Methodist in my youth and was sprinkled as a form of baptism. When I got saved at 34 years of age in a Baptist Church, I was re-baptized by immersion which is Scriptural.

Baptism by immersion has it's roots with Israel as we see John the Baptist baptizing in the Jordan river....
Mark 1:9 "And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.
1:10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:"

Jesus was baptized IN the Jordan by immersion. This represents Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. That's why immersion is so important. Sprinkling just doesn't display this.

All infants are saved until they reach the age of accountability. Once they reach that age, Jewish custom is 12 years old going on 13. Some believe it's 20 because that age was allowed into the Promised land. The age of accountability is different for different people. The understanding of why Jesus had to die, and that the youth is a sinner, all plays out in their need to understand.

There are some mentally challenged folk who will never reach that age and are saved their whole life.

Lastly, infants who have at least 1 born again parent are more likely to be saved.

Here is an important Scripture to back up my theology about innocent & saved until the age of accountability....
Romans 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law."

What this means is, for 1, 500 years from Adam to Moses, people were sinning but without Moses Law, their sins were not recorded against them. The word impute means recorded. Once the 10 Commandments and other Laws, statutes and rules were given, all sins were recorded after that.

If I missed something, ask away.

Love you BAC, keep learning and passing that on to others.

 

[Chopper]

Greetings brother @B-A-C

There is not one mention of infant baptism in the scriptures....it's a worldly ceremony of no worth.

Regarding young children and babies being saved. We know the Lord judges righteously and knows the heart.. A baby does not purposely sin or reject the gospel even though they are born in sin.

It is enough to know that the Lord always does the right thing

When David's child to Bathsheba died, David states ' can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.'(2 Samuel 12:23). This verse has always been a comfort to me as a nurse when young children or babies have died.

And He shall judge the world in righteousness, He shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
Psalm 9:8

O thank you Dear Sister. I've never thought of that Scripture before and that's good thinking. I'll have to remember that.

 

[Tony Walker]

I would tend to agree with the answers already given here..and add the only way to Salvation is through the belief that Jesus Christ Died on the Cross and was raised from the dead..All those that call on the name of the Lord, Shall be Saved!.. That in turn begs the Question "what is the age of accountability?"

 

[Chopper]

I would tend to agree with the answers already given here..and add the only way to Salvation is through the belief that Jesus Christ Died on the Cross and was raised from the dead..All those that call on the name of the Lord, Shall be Saved!.. That in turn begs the Question "what is the age of accountability?"

As per my post #3, probably 12 years old as a rule of thumb. As you said, there must be understanding of why Christ had to die. There must be understanding of repentance, and good works to follow a profession. I have an eleven year old nephew living with me and he understands what I just listed and has made an intelligent decision to receive Jesus the Son of God as his Savior.

 

[B-A-C]

I think as @Chopper said .. it's usually "around" 12 or so. But I think it's different for different people. Also as he mentioned, some people
who are mentally handicapped may never get there.

If infant Baptism isn't in the Bible, why do some churches practice it?
I know some churches such as the Roman Catholic church and the Lutheran ELCA believe you receive salvation from the act of
infant baptism. Other churches practice it, but it seems they don't believe it saves you. So I wonder what the purpose is?

Also... about this profession of faith.
Is it required? I agree with what many have said here that it is. I know some Christians (including myself) I can look back and I remember
the instant I asked Jesus into my life. (It was at an altar call when I was 12, in Long Beach, Calif. I can't tell you the exact date, but I can tell
you the song that was playing.
I know other Christians who say... well I grew up in the church and I've always believed in Jesus as long as I can remember. I've never really
had a salvation "moment".
Sometimes I wonder if that "salvation moment" is required?

 

[Chopper]

I think as @Chopper said .. it's usually "around" 12 or so. But I think it's different for different people. Also as he mentioned, some people
who are mentally handicapped may never get there.

If infant Baptism isn't in the Bible, why do some churches practice it?
I know some churches such as the Roman Catholic church and the Lutheran ELCA believe you receive salvation from the act of
infant baptism. Other churches practice it, but it seems they don't believe it saves you. So I wonder what the purpose is?

Also... about this profession of faith.
Is it required? I agree with what many have said here that it is. I know some Christians (including myself) I can look back and I remember
the instant I asked Jesus into my life. (It was at an altar call when I was 12, in Long Beach, Calif. I can't tell you the exact date, but I can tell
you the song that was playing.
I know other Christians who say... well I grew up in the church and I've always believed in Jesus as long as I can remember. I've never really
had a salvation "moment".
Sometimes I wonder if that "salvation moment" is required?

This Scripture should be followed to be biblically saved....
Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

I'm not sure but it sounds like when you went to the altar at 12 years old, that was your "Salvation moment".

 

[RJ]

Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Jesus never said anything about baptism.....it's more like: "possession is 9/10 of the law!

 

[Waggles]

I know some churches such as the Roman Catholic church and the Lutheran ELCA believe you receive salvation from the act of
infant baptism.

They certainly do (along with the Anglicans), and practice infant sprinkling at the font. I think it is more a ceremony of entering their Church membership -
for example adults of these denominations will say "I was baptized a Lutheran" or "I was baptized into the Catholic Church."

Infant baptism was never practiced by the early Church. My reading of history is that it arose as a ceremony due to the first of the terrible black plagues that
swept across medieval Europe wherein babies were dying in their thousands and thousands. No doubt a Pope of the times (knowing more than Jesus) issued
a Papal Bull (ya gotta love that word) that declared in order for infants to be protected from the plague and to overcome doctrinal issues of infant salvation,
that infants should be sprinkled [lest they end up elsewhere; purgatory? limbo? ]
When Martin Luther initiated the Reformation in Germany he wrote that infant baptism was not scriptural, nor doctrinally, sound, but expressed concern over the very
high infant mortality of his times. He erred on the side of caution and left infant sprinkling in the Lutheran Church as an insurance policy for infants.
Better safe than sorry. Remember Luther was Roman Catholic and only had one role model to go by when he split from Rome [good man].
Tradition in Churches is a powerful influence. "We've always done it this way."

I think the 'Annabaptists' were the first Protestants that reinstituted the correct Biblical doctrine of full immersion water baptism at an age of understanding -
repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins in the name of Jesus Christ [and the Father and the Holy Spirit].

Anabaptists are Christians who believe in delaying baptism until the candidate confesses his or her faith in Christ, as opposed to being baptized as an infant.
The Amish,Hutterites, and Mennonites are direct descendants of the movement. Schwarzenau Brethren, Bruderhof, and the Apostolic Christian Church
are considered later developments among the Anabaptists.

The name Anabaptist means "one who baptizes again" and was given them by their persecutors in reference to the practice of re-baptizing converts who already
had been baptized as infants.[6] Anabaptists required that baptismal candidates be able to make their own confessions of faith and so rejected baptism of infants.
The early members of this movement did not accept the name Anabaptist, claiming that infant baptism was unscriptural and therefore null and void; thus,
the baptizing of believers was not a re-baptism but in fact their first real baptism.
Balthasar Hubmaier wrote:
I have never taught Anabaptism. ...But the right baptism of Christ, which is preceded by teaching and oral confession of faith, I teach, and say that infant baptism is a robbery of the right baptism of Christ...
Wikipedia
Anabaptists were heavily persecuted during the 16th century and into the 17th century because of their views on the nature of baptism and other issues, by both Magisterial Protestants (Lutherans, Calvinists) and Roman Catholics. The Church of England persecuted them also.

 

[Christ4Ever]

Papal Bull (ya gotta love that word)

:laugh: