baptism

[mama2one]

sorry if this is a repeat; unable to do searches for some reason today


baby dedication at age 2 when we adopted her

she is now 10 and have been thinking about baptism lately
husband and I were both baptised as infants

should we should wait until our child expresses interest in being baptised with other adults?
or look into having her baptised with infants now?

 

[faroukfarouk]

Acts 2.41-42 has a good pattern of events.

 

[Ken Rank]

sorry if this is a repeat; unable to do searches for some reason today


baby dedication at age 2 when we adopted her

she is now 10 and have been thinking about baptism lately
husband and I were both baptised as infants

should we should wait until our child expresses interest in being baptised with other adults?
or look into having her baptised with infants now?

My personal view of Scripture concludes that this is your life and you must follow your own convictions. For what it is worth...

Baptism is an outward expression of something that takes place inside. A baby can't choose God nor understands the need for messiah's work in dying and raising to ultimately reverse the curse of sin and death. So, if you want to baptize the child... it isn't hurting anything but it is not a Scriptural requirement. When somebody who is old enough to know right from wrong, life from death (and so forth) and can make their own intelligent decision... then baptism is on the table. And I don't think there has to be an age on that... each person is different. It could be 10, 15, perhaps it's 20 years old? But it has to be when they understand why they would be doing the thing they are doing or else what point is there outside of making the parents feel better, respectfully speaking.

 

[Resha Caner]

Coming from a Lutheran perspective, Baptism isn't about us choosing God or declaring our faith. It's a gift from God that works in us to produce faith. So, there's no reason to wait.

 

[mama2one]

what point is there outside of making the parents feel better, respectfully speaking.

thanks for your reply
this isn't about us parents, however

am unable to discern when our child is ready
if we were to ask her, she would say yes, just to please us if she thought that is what WE wanted

 

[vinsight4u]

/nvm

 

[Ken Rank]

thanks for your reply
this isn't about us parents, however

am unable to discern when our child is ready
if we were to ask her, she would say yes, just to please us if she thought that is what WE wanted

Right... look, if this were me (but I say this knowing you aren't, so again, please follow your own convictions) if my 10 year old insisted on baptism, I would let them, in fact... I would do it myself! (I did baptize my own children) But I would explain to them, at the time, that they might want to do this again when they grow in understanding of the Lord. But I certainly wouldn't withhold them from it now... you don't want to create a negative view of the event.

Blessings.

 

[faroukfarouk]

And I don't think there has to be an age on that... each person is different. It could be 10, 15, perhaps it's 20 years old? But it has to be when they understand why they would be doing the thing they are doing or else what point is there outside of making the parents feel better, respectfully speaking.

From the Scriptures I would see it as totally a different thing from deciding with them, say, at what age to have their ears pierced, etc. From Acts 2.41, it would seem that personal faith precedes the symbol of believer's baptism

 

[Ken Rank]

From the Scriptures I would see it as totally a different thing from deciding with them, say, at what age to have their ears pierced, etc. From Acts 2.41, it would seem that personal faith precedes the symbol of believer's baptism

I personally believe this is an adult or late teen thing. I believe, personally, that a person should know the difference between life and death, right and wrong, and understand the need by God to send somebody to reverse the curse. My baptism, into his death, and being raised to walked in the newness of life, can't be comprehended to its fullest by an adolescent. And, it needs to be... because, again, baptism is an outward expression of a heart condition. And the only way to develop that heard condition is to be old enough to understand what Messiah did for us.

But... like I told Christine, I wouldn't hold them back IF that is what the child wanted because I wouldn't want to create a negative feeling toward baptism. But I certainly WOULD have a discussion with them about the things I just mentioned, on the level the child is on... and make sure they understand that in a few years, as they grow in understanding, that it would not only be OK but good if they did this again.

 

[tampasteve]

sorry if this is a repeat; unable to do searches for some reason today


baby dedication at age 2 when we adopted her

she is now 10 and have been thinking about baptism lately
husband and I were both baptised as infants

should we should wait until our child expresses interest in being baptised with other adults?
or look into having her baptised with infants now?

This is entirely up to you, how you would choose to raise your child, and how you/your church views Baptism. There is scripture to support both infant Baptism and waiting for conscious recognition.

The Lutheran, Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican/Episcopal, etc. churches believe that Baptism is right for infants and distinct from making a conscious commitment (Confirmation) when ready. Other churches believe it should wait until one is at an age of accountability, the age of which varies by person and church. Both views are supportable from scripture and tradition in each path.

I was Baptized as an adult (20, I think), but my wife and I chose to have our son Baptized at around 7 months old in the Lutheran church where we were married. Clearly I fall on the side of infant or child baptism.

 

[Micah888]

should we should wait until our child expresses interest in being baptised with other adults? or look into having her baptised with infants now?

Hi Christine,

Assuming that you are a child of God, you have two options: (1) go strictly but what is taught and commanded in Scripture or (2) accept man-made ideas and go with the flow.

Christian baptism as revealed in the New Testament is strictly for BELIEVERS. Those who have repented and been converted, and received Christ as Lord and Savior.

Since your child is 10 years old, she is probably able to understand what sin is, who a sinner is, and what Christ did for sin and sinners on the Cross and in His resurrection. She must see herself as a sinner in need of the Savior.

So you parents should firstly share the Gospel with her, and she should then respond to the Gospel (without any pressure or compulsion). And it is only after she has genuinely repented and received Christ that Christian baptism (which is by immersion and not sprinkling) should be discussed.

 

[tampasteve]

Assuming that you are a child of God, you have two options: (1) go strictly but what is taught and commanded in Scripture or (2) accept man-made ideas and go with the flow.

Christian baptism as revealed in the New Testament is strictly for BELIEVERS. Those who have repented and been converted, and received Christ as Lord and Savior.

My opinions:

There really is valid views on both sides, not simply man-made ideas for either side. The use of full immersion for a family converting to Judaism would require the baby to be immersed in the mikvah as well, which is where baptism came from. Christian tradition has infants being baptized since nearly the beginning, but there is supporting documents for only older people as well that is just as early. That said, the only scripture talking about children would be mentions of "whole households" being baptized, which people assume included children, but it is not explicit by any means. However on the opposite end, the scripture does not say it is only for people of a certain age either.

Basically the argument can be made for either case, but to say one is man-made is not really fair, or accurate.

 

[Albion]

baby dedication at age 2 when we adopted her

she is now 10 and have been thinking about baptism lately
husband and I were both baptised as infants

should we should wait until our child expresses interest in being baptised with other adults?
or look into having her baptised with infants now?

Hello, Christine.

This may depend on what your denomination is and what the pastor thinks. But, otherwise, you cannot really go wrong, whichever way you choose. However, the ceremony in her case would be more like that of an adult than that for an infant, so this would probably be my choice if there were no other considerations.

 

[mama2one]

thanks everyone for your replies!

was driving child one day and she said "I want to be a follower of Jesus" then she said "I want to be a religion teacher or a preacher"
that was in jan. 2017

 

[Micah888]

Basically the argument can be made for either case, but to say one is man-made is not really fair, or accurate.

Why is it unfair or inaccurate in view of just these two Scriptures?

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)

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)

So we see in these two passage alone that the two conditions of obedience to the Gospel must be met before a person in baptized -- repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21).

Now how in the world can infants or young children fulfil these requirements? It might not even be suitable for a 10-year-old but according to Jewish custom at age 12 boys were deemed to be men, so it is close enough.

 

[tampasteve]

Why is it unfair or inaccurate in view of just these two Scriptures?

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)

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)

So we see in these two passage alone that the two conditions of obedience to the Gospel must be met before a person in baptized -- repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21).

Now how in the world can infants or young children fulfil these requirements? It might not even be suitable for a 10-year-old but according to Jewish custom at age 12 boys were deemed to be men, so it is close enough.

First let me say that I 100% agree that the scripture is clear that to repent and be baptized is what is to be done.

That said, the scripture does not say that it has to be in a particular order, or that one must be at any age to complete either action, or that they are on the same day or year. May I mention that in Judaism circumcision is done on infants as well as adult converts (or at least a blood letting for adults that are already circumcised) and then the young adults make a commitment at a older age? From Colossians 2:11-12 we know that circumcision and baptism carry the same spiritual meaning, so to claim that infants cannot be baptized brings into question the age of circumcision in Judaism. Lastly, we have evidence that infants were being baptized within the first centuries of the faith, but we do not have much (or really any) clear opposition to it until the 16th century.

Your mention of the age Jewish boys become men would actually be a good analogy for Christian Confirmation, not really baptism. Infant circumcision and baptism and then young adult confirmation and bar mitzvah are analogs of each other.

Finally, let me point out that I still maintain that both practices are supportable, I am not advocating that one must baptize infants or that to not do so is wrong.

 

[dreadnought]

sorry if this is a repeat; unable to do searches for some reason today


baby dedication at age 2 when we adopted her

she is now 10 and have been thinking about baptism lately
husband and I were both baptised as infants

should we should wait until our child expresses interest in being baptised with other adults?
or look into having her baptised with infants now?

Some people want to make sure their kids are baptized so if a child dies today, he goes to heaven. Others believe a person shouldn't be baptized till they want to be baptized. People argue passionately about this.

 

[Paidiske]

At 10 years old she's able to answer for herself, so I'd treat it as an adult baptism. Perhaps, if you're not sure, you might do something like find a YouTube video of someone being baptised the way your church does it, and watch it with her? Ask her if she understands it?

The only thing above I'd seriously disagree with is the idea of baptising more than once.

 

[mama2one]

thanks again everyone! appreciate all the responses!

just spoke with husband and he thinks she's not quite old enough
since we both were baptised as infants, we also thought we could all be baptised as a family

 

[DW1980]

thanks again everyone! appreciate all the responses!

just spoke with husband and he thinks she's not quite old enough
since we both were baptised as infants, we also thought we could all be baptised as a family

This sounds like you attend a Church which practices believers baptism (which is what I believe). Otherwise they wouldn't baptise you and your husband "again"?

Personally I believe that baptism should follow a profession of faith, and ideally should be by immersion. I describe my own circumstances like this: I was christened as a child, and baptised at 18.