What is the point of infant baptism?

[FireDragon76]

Just read the 4 gospels, and try to argue God is not merciful or gracious to you.

In all the Gospels, it never says "You, Aaron, are my beloved son". But God did that in my baptism.

 

[FenderTL5]

If so, I can understand this justification for infant baptism - I believe it can be argued consistently. For myself, it seems quite risky, but I guess so did circumcision on the eighth day in the Old Testament.

It is so.
They are anointed with oil and immersed three times, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as are adult converts.

 

[Neo_Frisk]

In all the Gospels, it never says "You, Aaron, are my beloved son". But God did that in my baptism.

Your name is Aaron?

 

[FireDragon76]

Your name is Aaron?

Yes. I just used that as an example to illustrate what baptism means to us, and why just reading the Gospels does not give you that.

 

[FireDragon76]

This is from Google. It's not perfect, but it's right on this occasion.

"What does the word baptism mean in the Bible?
THE ORDINANCE OF WATER BAPTISM[edit] The word "Baptism" is a transliteration of the Greek word BAPTIZO which means to immerse. In Hebrew it is referred to as a MIKVEH - an immersion."

Mikveh is not baptism. A mikveh is not baptism in Christ's death and resurrection.

 

[Neo_Frisk]

Mikveh is not baptism. A mikveh is not baptism in Christ's death and resurrection.

A mikveh, and a baptizo, are both immersions. We are immersed into Christ (spiritually), just as our baptism into water symbolises this physically.

 

[Dave-W]

Yes. I just used that as an example to illustrate what baptism means to us, and why just reading the Gospels does not give you that.

If you listen to what Dr Prince says, it will tell you what baptism means to the believer. It is a funeral and burial for the old nature.

 

[Neo_Frisk]

If you listen to what Dr Prince says, it will tell you what baptism means to the believer. It is a funeral and burial for the old nature.

And resurrection for the new.

 

[Dave-W]

This is from Google. It's not perfect, but it's right on this occasion.

"What does the word baptism mean in the Bible?
THE ORDINANCE OF WATER BAPTISM[edit] The word "Baptism" is a transliteration of the Greek word BAPTIZO which means to immerse. In Hebrew it is referred to as a MIKVEH - an immersion."

Not exactly. Mikveh was the name of the baptismal pool. Immersion is tevilah.

So you get tevilah-ed in a mikvah.

 

[Albion]

The English word "baptize" was invented by the translators of the King James bible. It was taken from the Greek Baptizo meaning to dip, plunge, immerse.

It also means to wash. So if immerse is one meaning but several others do not mean to immerse, the Anabaptist/fundamentalist claim is invalid.

 

[Ttalkkugjil]

If you listen to what Dr Prince says, it will tell you what baptism means to the believer. It is a funeral and burial for the old nature.

A funeral? More like a murder. The old me was drowned in my baptism.

 

[Neo_Frisk]

It also means to wash. So if immerse is one meaning but several others do not mean to immerse, the Anabaptist/fundamentalist claim is invalid.

Where is it used in scripture to mean wash?

 

[Dave-W]

A funeral? More like a murder. The old me was drowned in my baptism.

No. You bury what is already dead.

Romans 6:4
Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

Colossians 2:12
having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.​

That death is by faith and repentance.

That is why, whenever you see them together in the NT, faith and repentance ALWAYS precedes baptism.

 

[Ttalkkugjil]

No. You bury what is already dead.

Romans 6:4
Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

Colossians 2:12
having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.​

That death is by faith and repentance.

That is why, whenever you see them together in the NT, faith and repentance ALWAYS precedes baptism.

The old me was drowned and therefore buried. I am a new creation alive in Christ.

 

[FireDragon76]

If you listen to what Dr Prince says, it will tell you what baptism means to the believer. It is a funeral and burial for the old nature.

Of course, Luther said as much. But I can always say "I am baptized" and know that I belong to God.

Fourth

What does such baptizing with water indicate?
It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

Where is this written?
St. Paul writes in Romans chapter six: “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Rom. 6:4)

Luther’s Small Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther

 

[Albion]

Where is it used in scripture to mean wash?

The Holy Scriptures were not written in English. As was mentioned before I wrote my post, the word is Baptizo, which is translated into English as Baptize. The question then becomes the correct meaning.

Baptists, etc. want it to mean immerse and nothing but immerse, but although that is a correct translation, there are several alternate translations which are also correct and do not mean to totally submerge in water.

As for wash itself, just about every Christian church understands that the act carries with it the idea of washing away sin or the old nature, etc. regardless of what else is believed about the sacrament/ordinance.

 

[tz620q]

The Holy Scriptures were not written in English. As was mentioned before I wrote my post, the word is Baptizo, which is translated into English as Baptize. The question then becomes the correct meaning.

Baptists, etc. want it to mean immerse and nothing but immerse, but although that is a correct translation, there are several alternate translations which are also correct and do not mean to totally submerge in water.

As for wash itself, just about every Christian church understands that the act carries with it the idea of washing away sin or the old nature, etc. regardless of what else is believed about the sacrament/ordinance.

And if one wanted to get pedantic about the Greek meaning of baptizo, it was also used to indicate sunken ships. Bapto was used to indicate a temporary dipping, while baptizo indicated a permanent immersion. So the thought was that a sunken ship was permanently at the bottom of the sea. So maybe the correct way to baptize is to hold them under until they are dead and then bring them up and hope that God revives them.

 

[Neo_Frisk]

And if one wanted to get pedantic about the Greek meaning of baptizo, it was also used to indicate sunken ships. Bapto was used to indicate a temporary dipping, while baptizo indicated a permanent immersion. So the thought was that a sunken ship was permanently at the bottom of the sea. So maybe the correct way to baptize is to hold them under until they are dead and then bring them up and hope that God revives them.

Either way, neither method involved sprinkling. It would like be if the Jews started calling haircuts circumcisions. Both involve cutting, but aren't the same.

 

[FireDragon76]

Either way, neither method involved sprinkling. It would like be if the Jews started calling haircuts circumcisions. Both involve cutting, but aren't the same.

Does sprinkling not involve water?

Our theology is not dependent on parsing out the quantity of water (we don't agree with Baptists that if a toe doesn't get baptized, it's not a real baptism), what is critical is merely the intention to baptize with water according to Christ's command.

 

[Neo_Frisk]

Does sprinkling not involve water?

Our theology is not dependent on parsing out the quantity of water (we don't agree with Baptists that if a toe doesn't get baptized, it's not a real baptism), what is critical is merely the intention to baptize with water according to Christ's command.

The bible doesn't explicitly mention infant baptism. Some try to carry it out, in obedience to what they believe is the command. But if obedience is the reason, don't change the command - else you accomplish neither obedience, nor consistency.