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What about the practice of "infant baptism"? Does it have the
authority of God behind it? Are infants scriptural subjects of baptism?
While the burden of proof rests with those who practice it, we will analyze
the custom in the light of the scriptures.
Romans 6:4 says, 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. Colossians 2:12 says, Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. Most of the denominations which teach that infant baptism is acceptable
to God sprinkle or pour water upon infants, rather than immersing them.
But there being no passage which implies that any other action will suffice
for baptism, the necessary conclusion must be that baptism is nothing
short of immersion in water. Thus, those who have not been buried
in or by baptism have not been baptized. But, one may ask, what about
those who actually immerse infants in water? What of their practice?
Matthew 28:18-19 says, And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The apostles were to teach and baptize those of "all nations."
The word for "teach" means to "make disciples of." This involves
creating within the individual a desire to learn of Christ and follow Him.
The only thing infants are capable of desiring, however, is the satisfaction
of their basics physical needs. They are simply not capable of grasping
the concept of spiritual responsibility.
Mark 16:15-16 says, 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. Again, the first responsibility of the apostles was to "preach the gospel"
to "every creature" in "all the world." The desired result of the
preaching was, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."
In other words, the apostles were to preach in order to make believers
and then baptize the believers they had made. The believers who were
baptized would be saved. But infants cannot even understand the gospel,
much less believe it. And if we cannot make believers out of infants,
why baptize them?
Matthew 18:2-3 says, And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them. And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. If little children need to be baptized so they can be saved, why did
Jesus say that adults need to "be converted, and become as little children"
in order to "enter into the kingdom of heaven?" This is the new birth
Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about (John
3:3-5). Since infants do not need to be saved, there is no need
for them either to believe or to be baptized.
Acts 2:38 says, 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. Peter made it clear in the first gospel sermon recorded in the book
of Acts that all those who need to be baptized need to repent, because
both are "for the remission of sins." Thus, only those who need to
repent need to be baptized, because both are for the same purpose - obtaining
"remission of sins." On the other hand, those who do not need to
repent do not need the remission of sins. And those who do not need
the remission of sins, do not need to be baptized.
Not only is there no real evidence that any infants were ever baptized
in the book of Acts, but the evidence is decidedly against that conclusion.
Let us consider the most popular supposed cases of infant baptism.
Acts 10:47-48 says, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Did Peter command any infants to be baptized on this occasion?
Those whom he commanded to be baptized had received the Holy Ghost miraculously.
Who were they? Those who spoke with tongues, and praised God, Acts
10:46. Surely, this could not have included infants. Besides,
babies would not have understood such a command. Therefore, no infants
were commanded to be baptized on this occasion.
Acts 16:13-15 says, And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a riverside, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us. Who was baptized here? "Lydia and her household" were baptized.
We have already seen, in Matthew
28:19-20 and Mark 16:15-16,
that the apostles were to baptize those whom they had taught or preached
to. Whom had they taught on this occasion? They had taught
"the women which resorted thither." Whom, then, did they baptize?
They baptized women whom they had taught. Thus, Lydia's household
was composed entirely of women who had been taught the gospel. Therefore,
no infants were baptized here.
Acts 16:32-34 says, And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took the same hour of the night and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. Notice that Paul and Silas preached "to all that were in his house,"
before baptizing them. Thus, "all that were in his house" were old
enough to hear preaching. Inasmuch as the jailor "rejoiced, believing
in God with all his house," everyone in his house believed. Thus,
none of those baptized were infants.
It is true that Jesus said, "Suffer little children, and forbid them
not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven," Matthew
19:14, but these little children were not coming to Jesus for baptism.
They were being brought to him "that he should put his hands on them, and
pray", Matthew 19:13.
There is no evidence that Jesus ever said, "Suffer infants, and forbid
them not, to be baptized." An infant cannot even request baptism.
They are brought to the "baptismal font" without any knowledge or understanding
of what is going on.
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