Infant Baptism

[Rev Randy]

We are talking of infant/babies. When last you heard a baby repent or even speak?

Did Jesus repent?

 

[Albion]

That is my point.
Act 2: 38 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.

Yes, that's one verse out of many that deal with Baptism. Isn't it interesting how that's the only one that opponents of infant Baptism usually think to mention?

 

[Rev Randy]

Yes, that's one verse out of many that deal with Baptism. Isn't it interesting how that's the only one that opponents of infant Baptism usually think to mention?

I like Acts 16:15
And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
Then Acts 16 beginning at verse 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Hi. My question is just a simple one but with a long backstory.. I was baptized as an infant. I've always held this baptism as a true one based on this: I believe if you are baptized and later on decide to not follow God, your baptism is no longer valid. That being said, I believe in the opposite, if you decide to come to God after being baptized, your baptism is in fact, valid. I've also thought that the babies were dedicated in the Israelites' covenant after 8 days, and entire households were baptized in the New Testament. That being said, the church I belong to now believes my baptism is not valid by noting that in the New Testament, it is 'believe, then be baptized'. This obviously disturbs me because, does my baptism count? Do I need to be re-baptized? I don't know, and I've been following God for a while now and am scared that I've been following all this time but missing a step. I've always thought my baptism was valid until my pastor said it was not. Can somebody shine some light on this?

I go to a church that doesn't have a specific denomnation but clearly leans baptist. I'm posting it here as I do think it's a theology question, although it does fall under 'Christian Advice' as well.

Your baptism is valid. You cannot invalidate what God has given you in your baptism. What did God given you in your Baptism? Nothing short of and nothing less than Jesus Christ Himself, Crucified and Risen from the dead--your very salvation.

Which is why, when you think upon your baptism, remember this: You are baptized, you belong to God. By His grace He has saved you, by the wounds of Christ He has redeemed you, by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus He has destroyed death and made it impotent for you. You belong to God, you are Christ's. You have been sealed with the Holy Spirit, the blood of Jesus Himself seals you as God's own child. Therefore, remembering your baptism, say, "Glory to God alone who saves me!"

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Cappadocious]

We are talking of infant/babies. When last you heard a baby repent or even speak?

Have you never read, "Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise?"

 

[Cappadocious]

Rom 10:9 tells how.

"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and intellectually assent to the position that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." -Nobody

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHv4s_hYs4c

 

[ViaCrucis]

"The Bible never says" that children cannot repent.

2 Hesitations 3:8-16,

"And thus, when the Apostle Frank was walking to and fro' for a number of little ones had recently perished, that an angel of the Lord came and spake unto him saying, "What frets you dear Frank?" and didst then Frank speakest thus: "I am in worry for the little ones who have perished, for they knew not the Sinners Prayer nor the Altar Call." Then spoke the angel, "Ah, well thou hast a point there beloved Frank of Bethesda, for without the Sinner's Prayer and without the Altar Call how can one repent and call on the name of the Lord Jesus?" And lo' did Frank find this ever more worrisome. Frank again spoke unto the angel of the lord, "Sir, suppose it be that the little ones are too young?" The angel, scratching his blonde haired head (for as it was written that the angels are of blonde hair and blue eyes), didst then say, "I shall speak to the Lord with this." On the second sabbath after the first sabbath of the third month, the angel again returned to Frank, saying, "Lo' Frank of Bethesda! A word to you, that if a child has reached his eighth year without saying the Sinner's Prayer and without the Altar Call, he shall be clean and without blemish; but if he hath reached the ninth after his birth, it shall be accounted to him a debt most unsavory in the sight of the Lord and all." Then the angel again went to the Lord, and Frank did, most surely, stand still and perplexed."

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Rev Randy]

2 Hesitations 3:8-16,

"And thus, when the Apostle Frank was walking to and fro' for a number of little ones had recently perished, that an angel of the Lord came and spake unto him saying, "What frets you dear Frank?" and didst then Frank speakest thus: "I am in worry for the little ones who have perished, for they knew not the Sinners Prayer nor the Altar Call." Then spoke the angel, "Ah, well thou hast a point there beloved Frank of Bethesda, for without the Sinner's Prayer and without the Altar Call how can one repent and call on the name of the Lord Jesus?" And lo' did Frank find this ever more worrisome. Frank again spoke unto the angel of the lord, "Sir, suppose it be that the little ones are too young?" The angel, scratching his blonde haired head (for as it was written that the angels are of blonde hair and blue eyes), didst then say, "I shall speak to the Lord with this." On the second sabbath after the first sabbath of the third month, the angel again returned to Frank, saying, "Lo' Frank of Bethesda! A word to you, that if a child has reached his eighth year without saying the Sinner's Prayer and without the Altar Call, he shall be clean and without blemish; but if he hath reached the ninth after his birth, it shall be accounted to him a debt most unsavory in the sight of the Lord and all." Then the angel again went to the Lord, and Frank did, most surely, stand still and perplexed."

-CryptoLutheran

I think I just pulled a muscle laughing.

 

[Rev Randy]

"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and intellectually assent to the position that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." -Nobody

Bible Interpretation 101: Zwingli's Razor - YouTube

Come on guy's my sides are splitting.

 

[Rick Otto]

quote=Rev Randy;I'm assuming (how silly of me)you're speaking of an infant. Now just what do you think an infant has need to repent of? Soiling his diaper?

Nothing unless he was born with a fully developed conscience and soils his diaper with malice aforethought.

Do you think an infant needs Christ?

Yes, without the shadow of a doubt.

What did Christ (as we are taking our example from Him) have to repent of? I'd say He was even more innocent than a newborn babe.

As Peter points out, it is a matter of conscience. If in her conscience she is at peace about her infant baptism, then she needn't be baptized.
If in her conscience, her infant baptism was an imposition, then she wasn't realy baptized. It was for the consciences of her parents & the baptizers.

 

[Rick Otto]

I think I just pulled a muscle laughing.

The gospel of Shirley & Frank.

 

[Rick Otto]

Did Jesus repent?

He would have if He were you.

 

[Rev Randy]

He would have if He were you.

On that we are in complete agreement.

 

[Rick Otto]

quote=ViaCrucis;Your baptism is valid. You cannot invalidate what God has given you in your baptism. What did God given you in your Baptism? Nothing short of and nothing less than Jesus Christ Himself, Crucified and Risen from the dead--your very salvation.

SO misleading! It almost sounds like we are saved by performing a sacrament!
God doesn't "give you Jesus". He places you "in Christ".

Which is why, when you think upon your baptism, remember this: You are baptized, you belong to God. By His grace He has saved you, by the wounds of Christ He has redeemed you, by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus He has destroyed death and made it impotent for you. You belong to God, you are Christ's. You have been sealed with the Holy Spirit, the blood of Jesus Himself seals you as God's own child. Therefore, remembering your baptism, say, "Glory to God alone who saves me!"

We belong to God by His mercy, not by baptism.
Peter explains baptism is a "figure" in 1Peter3:21

 

[childofdust]

Did Jesus repent?

John's baptism was a baptism of repentence. If Yeshua took part in John's baptism of repentence, then he repented when he went to be baptised by John. It doesn't get any simpler than that. Now, what that precisely entails/how it is that Yeshua would repent is another matter entirely. And far from simple.

 

[childofdust]

Hi. My question is just a simple one but with a long backstory.. I was baptized as an infant. I've always held this baptism as a true one based on this: I believe if you are baptized and later on decide to not follow God, your baptism is no longer valid. That being said, I believe in the opposite, if you decide to come to God after being baptized, your baptism is in fact, valid. I've also thought that the babies were dedicated in the Israelites' covenant after 8 days, and entire households were baptized in the New Testament. That being said, the church I belong to now believes my baptism is not valid by noting that in the New Testament, it is 'believe, then be baptized'. This obviously disturbs me because, does my baptism count? Do I need to be re-baptized? I don't know, and I've been following God for a while now and am scared that I've been following all this time but missing a step. I've always thought my baptism was valid until my pastor said it was not. Can somebody shine some light on this?

I go to a church that doesn't have a specific denomnation but clearly leans baptist. I'm posting it here as I do think it's a theology question, although it does fall under 'Christian Advice' as well.

As an Anabaptist, I believe that an infant "baptism" is not a baptism. So I would urge you to be baptised. Baptism is not circumcision. It is the putting to death of our old ways in order to rise up again in newness and follow Yeshua. An infant cannot put to death its old ways--it has none--nor can it rise up again in newness and follow Yeshua since it doesn't even know Yeshua. An infant cannot be baptised. Period.

 

[Rev Randy]

John's baptism was a baptism of repentence. If Yeshua took part in John's baptism of repentence, then he repented when he went to be baptised by John. It doesn't get any simpler than that. Now, what that precisely entails/how it is that Yeshua would repent is another matter entirely. And far from simple.

We disagree. On at least two things in that post but we'll not get that resolved any time soon. First; It was Christ's Baptism. John only performed it. Never had anything like that happened before. The second would require a look into the definition of the repentance John was preaching.

 

[Elder 111]

Did Jesus repent?

For you and me!

 

[Elder 111]

Have you never read, "Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise?"

Not baptism.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Hi. The answer is that your baptism is valid and you actually CANNOT be re-baptised because there isn't such a thing, even though there are people who talk that way and some of them have gone through the act two or three or more times.

However, its validity won't ever be accepted by the Baptists, so you face a difficult choice. I don't recommend denying your own baptism for the sake of membership there, so the only other practical choice may be to attend without seeking membership.

I wouldn't bother too much about what Baptists accept or reject about your baptism, justlovinJesus.

As Albion says, "your baptism is valid and you actually CANNOT be re-baptised because there isn't such a thing, even though there are people who talk that way and some of them have gone through the act two or three or more times."

All it means is that they will not accept you into full voting membership.

But they will still take your money in the collection