Should babies be Baptized?

Question

I know I'm opening up a HUGE area of debate here but I'm curious to see what the majority of Christians believe.

Answer 1

I had a recent discussion with a Lutheran friend on this matter. He told me that the bible said to baptize ALL in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

He said that by Baptizing their childeren, they are by faith commiting them to God (as many would do baby dedications) but they say, this act by faith will nsure them that when the time comes they will choose Christ.

I do agree that this is a stretch, because what it really begins to bring about is many people think they are saved because they were baptized, and no because of their own need for Christ. They put their faith in the ritual instead of Him.

Needless to say, though, I cannot fault my friends steps of faith reguarding his children. That was the best answer I had ever heard.

Answer 2

No.

I understand that Presbyterians view the following scripture to include babies.

Acts 16:31-34 (NKJV)
So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." [32] Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. [33] And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. [34] Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.

They also embrace "Covential Theology" ..meaning that God often passes belief on in a family.

http://www.fpcjackson.org/resources/apologetics/Covenant%20Theology%20&%20Justification/ligoncovt.htm
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Although the whole household was baptized, scripture doesn't say babies were included (That is their reasoning also...the scripture doesn't say babies were EXCLDED and the houshold may have had babies)

I do agree with most of the Reformed teachings...but not this one. I am a Reformed Baptist.

I believe people have to hear, understand and accept the scripture before baptism (immersion...not sprinkling).

I do believe children can be baptized though. It depends on the child. Some I know have been baptized at 6 years old because they have been taught the scriptures and they understand.

I have not allowed my 11 year old son to be baptized yet. He is immature and I don't believe he understands. My other children were baptized around 6 to 8 years old because they understood the scriptures.

Mark 16:16 (NKJV)
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

The emphasis on this verse is BELIEF. When can somone believe?

Baptism is a symbolic picture of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection. It is performed on repentant sinners...people that know and understand the wickedness of their hearts and the need of a savior.

A baby in unable to understand or repent.

You can spend hours at this website if you are interested. It explains both views in depth.
http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/topic/babtism.html

Answer 3

In the book of Acts, we see a couple seperate occasions where a man said that 'he and his household' would be baptised. This is a hint that people of several ages could be baptised.

The examples in the Bible are always adults who believe, and are then baptised. There is no Biblical record of what to do if your child is raised in a believing household.

Some churches have created an artificial teaching of 'the age of accountability'- a time when the young person can make a conscious decision 'for Jesus' and then be baptised.

This just plain feels wrong to me. If Christian parents raise the child, IS there a specific time when the child starts to believe? Young children say prayers, we read Bible stories to our infants, we model the Christian life to our kids daily.

Another aspect is WHY do we baptise? John's baptism 'was for the forgiveness of sin', so washing away sins is not the primary reason- another thing about the age of accountability is that it is the time when sins start to 'count' in those church's minds.

Baptism is done for two interlocking reasons. One is to wash us clean for God's use (subtly different than washing away sin), and one is to be a symbol of how we die to our carnal needs and are reborn in a spiritual way. The former is based on a practice of washing impliments used in the Temple in the Old Testament- ritually cleansing everything in fresh, or 'living' water.

A baby cannot choose to be 'reborn' spiritually, but CAN be washed for God's use.

I am not going to argue that a baby SHOULD be baptised, but I see no Biblical reason why it cannot be. Personally, I find that a ceremony at birth and another ceremony at about 10-13 fills both needs- the washing for use and the 'rebirth'- nicely. One is often called 'confirmation'. Most churches offer one at birth and the other later- is the name of the ceremony vital?


Another aspect of this debate is 'do you HAVE to be baptised to be saved?' I would argue that there is no physical ritual or legalistic act required for salvation, so no.

Answer 4

No, babies should not be baptized. They are too young to make this decision for themselves, and baptism does not guarantee salvation (which can only be acquired by trusting in Jesus' sacrifice on the cross). I see nothing wrong in publicly declaring that you will bring up your child in christianity, yet I do not think that the child should be baptized during this dedication, since baptism has a different meaning.

Answer 5

I do not believe in infant baptism because the ritual of baptism is for "the remission of sins" as stated in Acts 2:38. An infant hasn't the mental capacity to fathom the fact that it is born unto sin; therefore it is innocent until it reaches an age of accountability. I'm just "spitballing" here a bit, but I think that most denominations that DO baptize infants do so because they understand the sin-curse placed upon us from birth, but don't understand that the child has free will that it has yet to understand.

Answer 6

As a Christian Pastor I don't have a problem with the concept of Christening a baby as that is really put the responsibility on the parents to raise him/her in a Godly manner.
However Baptism is a different thing.
It has to do with accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
It has to do with a conscious decision that has been made by the person being baptized.
A baby is unable to make this decision.

Answer 7

I dont think babies need to be baptized because they are already pure. They should have the choice of being baptized when they are mature like at age 15 or 16 by choice.

Answer 8

No way!!! We are to be baptized AFTER we repent. Not before we can even have the vaguest suggestion of an idea what sin might even be. In the Holy Scriptures we read that NOT ONE person under the age of understanding was baptized. They were all ADULTS.

Answer 9

No. Baptism symbolizes the cleansing (remission) of sins, and the union of the believer with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. A baby doesn't ask for forgiveness of its sins. It is innocent and doesn't even know right from wrong at that time of its life. I know some Christian denominations believe in baptism. In other denominations parents dedicate their children to the Lord. They make a committment to raise the child in the way of the Lord. 1 Samuel 1:27-28 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.

Answer 10

Absolutely not! The only ones who are candidates for Baptism are those who have accepted the Lord as their savior and wish to follow him in scriptural Baptism. Baptizing an infant is worthless as it achieves nothing.