Infant baptism

[eleos1954]

Just curious for those that believe in infant baptism, sprinkling, etc where did this idea come from since Jesus himself was not baptized until he was around 29-30?

I do not believe there is anything wrong with baptizing a baby .... however when and if the child becomes older if they choose Christ then they may want to re-dedicate themselves to Christ. Baptism in itself does not save a person, it is an outward acknowledgement of what they have received inside ... and ... that being they have received Christ as their Lord and savior.

The bible does teach immersion as this is symbolic of dieing with Christ and being raised up with Him. When being baptized this should be foremost in the persons mind.

God Bless.

 

[ItIsFinished!]

You have been given scriptures but you ignored them.

Do you have any scriptures that refute infant baptism?

I haven't ignored anything and no Scripture has been given to support infant baptism.

 

[Shawn Stuart]

I haven't ignored anything and no Scripture has been given to support infant baptism.

Yes you did ignore the scriptures. You’ve been shown multiple times that entire families were baptized.

 

[Albion]

I don't think that we differ on this subject, but I do wish to expand some. Also see below for a discussion and the Methodist/Anglican position that I believe we both hold.

Your statement here goes beyond the doctrine of the sufficiency of scripture to give us all we need to understand salvation.

If so, I should have worded it otherwise. I wanted to avoid seeming to say that Scripture gives us everything that can be known about God or religion. It is sufficient for all that is essential doctrine, and it is that which causes the advocates of Sacred Tradition, for example, to challenge the adequacy of Scripture.

 

[ItIsFinished!]

Yes you did ignore the scriptures. You’ve been shown multiple times that entire families were baptized.

No I didn't ignore any Scripture, and none of the Scriptures provided stated infant baptism.
And assuming regarding Scripture doesn't fly.

 

[Albion]

No I didn't ignore any Scripture, and none of the Scriptures provided stated infant baptism.
And assuming regarding Scripture doesn't fly.

It is possible to pick apart almost any Scriptural passage, if we try, and make it seem to say something other than it does. One thing about (divine) revelation to keep in mind is that it is supposed to be revealing. I believe that the Bible is that.

In this case, some say that households, whole households, did not necessarily include any children. While it is possible for any one household to be absent any minor children, this would be atypical of the usual household in that place and time.

In addition, we who believe that baptism is not limited to adults could use the same approach to the matter and point out to those people that nothing in the passage tells us that the other household members who were baptized made any profession of faith, ergo it cannot be that the so-called Believer's Baptism is proper.

But in the end, the Scripture should be taken for meaning what it says, not for some theoretical exception we could come up with that might possibly be compatible with the wording.

 

[Shawn Stuart]

No I didn't ignore any Scripture, and none of the Scriptures provided stated infant baptism.
And assuming regarding Scripture doesn't fly.

But you’ve been shown several passages where entire families were baptized. I think it’s safe to assume that there were children involved.

 

[ItIsFinished!]

But you’ve been shown several passages where entire families were baptized. I think it’s safe to assume that there were children involved.

Children yes I would agree , but not so sure about infants.
The Scriptures definitely do not say either way.
My question for you is , what does baptism represent ?
And , who should get baptized?

 

[Shawn Stuart]

The Scriptures definitely do not say either way.

Precisely what I’ve said.

So instead we have the writings of the Church Fathers to verify that infant baptism was indeed practiced in the early church.

 

[Monk Brendan]

Just curious for those that believe in infant baptism, sprinkling, etc where did this idea come from since Jesus himself was not baptized until he was around 29-30?

First off, John's baptism is NOT the same thing as Christian baptism.

Next, all members of the Eastern Churches baptize by triple immersion.

Remember the baptism of the household of Stephanus?

There is NO definition of "household"--oikos==that excludes infants and children. In fact, it even includes slaves, servants, employees, and clients of it.

 

[Monk Brendan]

Children yes I would agree , but not so sure about infants.
The Scriptures definitely do not say either way.
My question for you is , what does baptism represent ?
And , who should get baptized?

I'ts not what baptism represents.

It's what baptism ACCOMPLISHES.

 

[ml5363]

Men if churches can be wrong..that's why we have to get convictions from Christ and reading our Bible..not religion and church buildings

QUOTE="Gracia Singh, post: 73463120, member: 262261"]This is just me talking.... when one kind of lets go and stops trying to figure out what the Bible says / means on every possible topic for themselves, and begins to trust what the Church has always taught about these things (Mary, baptism, Saints, salvation, what Church is and means...) it's a lot less exhausting. The brain and soul can rest.[/QUOTE]

 

[ml5363]

---Staff Edit---

What is purpose for infant baptism..

My Bible says repent.. then get baptized..an infant can't repent..so what's the point?

And no I don't think infants go to hell

 

[Basil the Great]

This is what I was trying to get at...what is purpose for infant baptism..

My Bible says repent.. then get baptized..an infant can't repent..so what's the point?

And no I don't think infants go to hell

Hell does not seem to be a valid option for infants or at east I have never heard or read of anyone teaching such. Rather, it is a question of Heaven or some form of Intermediate State, be it the Limbo taught by Augustine or some other Intermediate State taught by St. Gregory. I personally lean heavily toward the option of Heaven for unbaptized babies and toddlers.

 

[Bruce Leiter]

Just to point out , when Jesus was baptized, He was fully immersed in the water.
No sprinkling of water.

Where does the Bible say that he was fully immersed?

 

[Prepper Pete]

Just curious for those that believe in infant baptism, sprinkling, etc where did this idea come from since Jesus himself was not baptized until he was around 29-30?

It depends on which tradition you are speaking of. For the most part infant baptism is where the parents present their child to God with the promise that they will raise him or her in the teachings of the Church, so that when the child is old enough to confirm their faith, he or she will submit to the authority of the Church and it's teachings.

 

[Prepper Pete]

Where does the Bible say that he was fully immersed?

John the Baptist was in the river Jordan, baptizing his followers; as well as Jesus himself. Being immersed is what you would expect in a river. The ritual is not a Christian original though, as being washed to make oneself ritually clean was actually a Jewish practice, long before it became a Christian one...

See BAPTISM - JewishEncyclopedia.com

 

[ItIsFinished!]

Where does the Bible say that he was fully immersed?

Baptism of a believer in Jesus Christ is an outward picture of what has transpired from the inside.
It represents the gospel.
1. The death
2. The burial
3 The resurrection

Romans 6:3-4 (KJV)
Know ye not , that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Verse 4
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death : that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father , even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Amen.
The meaning of the word "baptize" comes from a Greek word which means to "submerge in water".
Therefore sprinkling /pouring is out of the question.
Plus it defeats the burial part of the baptism.

Also Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River.
No need for such a large body of water if sprinkling/pouring would suffice.

I hope this helps friend.

 

[Radagast]

I don't have to prove anything and circumcision is not the topic here.

Baptism is the new circumcision: a sign and seal of the New Covenant, just as circumcision was of the Old.

In both cases, children are part of the Covenant.

 

[ItIsFinished!]

Baptism is the new circumcision: a sign and seal of the New Covenant, just as circumcision was of the Old.

In both cases, children are part of the Covenant.

Friend it was never a question about children , but rather about infant baptism.
I personally know children who have accepted Christ as Saviour and been baptized.
However, I have never known a baby to repent of sin (s) and get baptized Scripturally .