Actually I do understand the infant baptism thesis and the thought that it is based upon the patents faith and position.
It would seem from this statement of yours that you wrongly assume that infant baptism,
"is based upon the parents faith and position". It is not, because that would not accord with scripture. No one is 'saved' by another's faith. In fact no one is
'saved' by faith. In fact every one is saved by God's Grace.
Rom.3:21-26. Were God's Grace not freely available to all there would be nothing whatever in which to have 'faith'.
Infants are baptised only on
the understanding that the parent(s) have faith in God's Grace, but the grounds for baptism are
the promises of God in scripture, to the children of believing parents. If you choose not to believe those promises, that is your affair. We chose to believe them. If you are ignorant of those promises of God in scripture, it is because you never bothered to read the references given in my previous post.
Unfortunately you do not understand the Bible teaching on baptism my friend. You have copied and pasted a wonderful "Denomination Position" but it is just that and has no grounds in Scripture.
I understand and believe God's promises to both believers and their 'seed'. I copied and pasted an argument citing the scriptures that the Biblical Doctrine is actually based upon. Your inability to accept the Doctrine unfortunately results from your misuse of scripture. (The unwarranted assumption that Doctrine must be based only upon scriptural examples or commands.) If this illogical rule were consistently applied then no woman would be permitted to receive Communion.
The Bible does not give one single example or command of any woman receiving communion anywhere.
I have no desire to argue this with anyone and you are welcome to accept your faith denominational teachings but the concept of adult only baptism, (and therefore exclusion of 'little ones' of covenanted parents
Matt.19:14.) is totally foreign to the Holy Scriptures. This practice stems from the erroneous teaching of
“Baptism requiring human intellect.”
The Bible does not give one single example or command of any baby being baptized anywhere. The Bible does not teach babies are born separated from God. On the contrary, Jesus taught that the kingdom of heaven belongs to little children.
Not all 'little children'.
Eph.2:12.
The children Jesus used as an example were not gentile children.
Eph.2:12. They were Jewish children, whose parents were covenant bound to God.
Ezek.16:20-21. Covenant children belong to God, they are His children from the get go. Covenant parents have covenant children, that is why they are 'Holy'
1 Cor.7:14. If the children of just one believing parent, (even if it is the mother), are 'Holy' but others with unbelieving parents are therefore not 'holy', how does your understanding of scripture explain that?
Upon what scripture do you base the supposition that ALL infants are born 'Holy'?
Rom.6:23? Are you trying to tell us that babies from conception are exempt from death, until they actually sin? Everyone is guilty in Adam, and are therefore born with a corrupt nature.
Job.14:4; Jer.17:9; Isa.6:5; Rom. 8:5-8; Eph.4:17-19. Ps.51:5.
Not that baptism of infants is carried out specifically to remove the inherited sin of Adam. As I explained previously that is not the premise upon which the children of believers are baptised. It is the promises of God to their believing parents which permit it.
We are not held responsible to God for Adam’s sin. Babies are not born separated from God. Therefore there is no need to remove “original sin.” Baptizing an infant is an attempt to remove sin that is not there. Sin is disobeying God’s commands. Sin is falling short of His laws. What command has a baby disobeyed? Babies are not lost.
This is why we only find believing, repentant adults who have made conscious decisions to follow Christ, being baptised in the scriptures!
No it's not, it is because the letters were written at a time most people joining the church were adults. Adults which often had children, who were baptised along with their parents and their slaves.
#1.) an infant does not hear or understand the Gospel of Christ
#2.) an infant cannot therefore believe in Jesus
#3.) More importantly, an infant has no sin and therefore has nothing to repent of, and needs no forgiveness.
I agree only with #3. Infants have no personal sin of which God requires them to repent.
Faith must always precede baptism.
Only in the case of adults, infants are not baptised on the ground of any assumed 'faith' their baptism is on the grounds of God's promise that they will in due course, if they keep covenant with Him, receive 'saving faith' as their inheritance, freely gifted to them as promised to their parents in Holy Scripture. The only thing which might prevent faith following baptism for them , would be ignorance of God's covenant with them, resulting in neglect of their salvation and subsequent rebellion. That is why it is important that they be brought up in the fear and nurture of The Lord, learn his commandments, know His Son Jesus Christ, repent of their sins, believe in the great salvation they have received from God from birth and continue to keep Gods covenant by faithfully serving Christ according to the principles of His Kingdom on Earth, as also in Heaven. (If only this happened with all baptised infants).
Once a child grows and matures and becomes disobedient (and therefore sins) baptism can then enter the equation along with faith and repentance. No one knows what this “age of accountability” is, however; Each person is different.
Hence all the unnecessary anxiety among 'Baptists', whose children (they say) are no longer heirs to the promises, indeed they are not in the covenant since, (they say), it no longer exists; they are no longer in the Church, which cannot embrace them because of their unconscious state; the Church becomes a society of adults to which their children are only admitted as proselytes at the time when each on their own volition believes and is converted and sanctified. Until then they have a dangerous and imaginary liberty which they are always in danger of abusing, and an inevitable slide into sinfulness which is
hoped by the parents, (and the Church presumably), will respond to the rebuke of God, as on
all who have sinned.
This is in fact a profoundly unscriptural theology. Far less scripture based than infant baptism under covenant theology.
Infants of believers are actually a supreme example of salvation by
'faith alone' and not
'works, that any can boast of'.
In adults there must be a confession of faith and repentance of past sins, followed by at least a desire for baptism if they have not already undergone that ritual.
This leaves room for a false view of how salvation is obtained. It is tempting for such believing adults to attribute salvation to (a)
their faith, (b)
their repentance, (c)
their determination to live according to God's law, or any combination of or all three. None of these reasons
provide salvation. It is God's Grace that guarantees our salvation, (the atoning sacrifice of God in Christ), nothing else can secure it. The aforementioned 'a,b,c' only allows the
transmission of God's Grace by the removal of the blockage from our end of the relationship. The free gift was always there for the receiving
"while we were yet still sinners".
Rom.5:8.
Infants receive baptism solely on the grounds of God's grace, in that God has promised those who will trust God's Word, that their children will be
'saved', under the terms of the same covenant God has made with the parents by
their faith in God's Grace, through their repentance and their determination to allow God's spirit to Sanctify them.
Infants are incapable of ratifying and confirming
their own covenant relationship with God. They therefore cannot have false views 'a,b or c'. They have a purer relationship with God than even a
'believing' adult is capable of. They are utterly dependent upon God's Grace, incapable of faith or works of the law and have as yet nothing for which personal repentance is required by God.
This indeed is perfect
'salvation' which cannot be enhanced, but only neglected, if they are careless enough to allow it to fall into abeyance or actually reject it.
All being well they will voluntarily come to God at the time of God's choosing and freely take upon themselves the full responsibility of keeping God's covenant, which is faithful service to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Meanwhile they belong to God, God has claimed them for Himself, to give to Christ.
John.6:37.
.