What is the purpose of infant baptism?

[tonychanyt]

Purposes of paedobaptism:

1. As a parallel with circumcision in the Old Testament, Luke 2:21.
2. Initiate the baby into the Christian community because his parent is a Christian, Acts 16:33, 1 Corinthians 7:14.

I baptized all my 5 kids by near submersion in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit when they were 8 days old. I understand that the evidence for infant baptism in the Bible is not explicit and is debatable. So, when my kids were teenagers, I told them that if they believed that was sufficient, there would be no need to be baptized again; but if not, feel free to have an official adult believer's baptism from a reputable local church.

 

[msortwell]

The rite signifies, in part, the promise of God to cleanse, wash away, the sin of any person who trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation. For those who hold to the reformed view of a monergistic regeneration, placing that sign upon their child accompanies their understanding that the eternal state of their precious child rests fully in the hands of their God.

 

[rdclmn72]

The methodist church still believes in infant baptism. You baptize a child, you gain a family.