Since Baptism is a sign of faith in Jesus Christ, how is it that Presbyterians condone infant baptism?

Answer 1

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, "Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin, children also have need of the new birth in Baptism to be freed from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God, to which all men are called."

Infant baptism is not a new thing. There are non-biblical documented sources starting in the second century telling of infant Baptism.

There are even several passages in the Bible where whole households were baptized. This would include everyone who lived there, men, women, children, and infants.

Acts 16:15, "After she and her household had been baptized"

Acts 16:33, "then he and all his family were baptized at once."

Acts 18:8, "came to believe in the Lord along with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard believed and were baptized."

1 Corinthians 1:16, "I baptized the household of Stephanas"

St. Paul wrote that baptism has replaced circumcision (Col 2:11-12), and in Judaism circumcision was performed primarily on infants.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

It was believed by some during the 3rd or 4th century (still very early in the Church age) that if a child, being unable to make a profession of faith and therefore accept Baptism, were to die (being an age before modern medicine, and thus high mortality rates) that child would go to Hell.

This in an excert from a small book called the Trail of Blood, a history of the churches from the death of Christ to the modern day (which at that time was 1931). While it has a decidedly Baptist slant (of which I, being a Missionary Baptist, see for what it is), there is no question as to the truth of the facts.

.......... Remember that we are now noting the events occurring between the years A.D. 300 and 500. The Hierarchy organized under the leadership of Constantine, rapidly developed into what is now known as the Catholic church. This newly developing church joined to a temporal government, no longer simply an executive to carry out the completed laws of the New Testament, began to be legislative, amending or annulling old laws or enacting new ones utterly unknown to the New Testament.

One of the first of its legislative enactments, and one of the most subversive in its results, was the establishing by law of "infant baptism." By this new law, "Infant Baptism" becomes compulsory. This was done A.D. 416. Infants had been infrequently baptized for probably a century preceding this. Insofar as this newly enacted law became effective, two vital New Testament laws were abrogated--"Believers Baptism" and "Voluntary personal obedience in Baptism."..........

Presbyterians, being one of the breakaway sects of the Catholic Church (11 years after the Lutheran Church), kept some of the practices of the parent church, of which infant Baptism is one.

Answer 3

Well, Baptism is not ONLY a sign of faith. It is much more than just that. Many denominations believe it removes original sin, it unites one more fully into the Body of Christ, it acts as a gateway to other sacraments (most Christian denominations will not allow participation at 'the Lords Table' to an unbaptized person).

In the Bible we see entire families being baptized in the early church....so there is no reason to think that infants were not allowed into this. The parents and godparents make the profession of faith on behalf of the infant.

Answer 4

I'm an Elder at a Presbyterian church. I personally don't believe in infant baptism. I think the Bible is pretty clear that baptism is something you do as an outward symbol after you become a believer in Christ. My particularly congregation leaves it up to the parents...we do both baptisms and dedications of children.

Answer 5

Well I am Presbyterian so I will take a chance at answering this one... We are affirming that we believe in the Grace of God provided to us and that we are blessing the child with this affirmation... I personally believe that I was saved with the resurrection of Christ and that my baptism was a symbol of this... By the way I didn't get baptized until I was an adult... on the same day as my husband and my son who was around 4 months old at the time!

Answer 6

Are you condeming baptism of infants? Most religions do this.
Presbyterians do baptize with water.

You must accept Jesus as your Saviour in order to be Baptized
in the Holy Spirit. read the book of Acts its in there.

Some religions, like the Presbyterians follow a Litergy, as do the
Cathololics, only the Protestant faith truly follows the Path of
Jesus. They preach the Word of God, not a yearly, pre-planned
litergy. How's that???

Answer 7

The parents, who believe in Jesus Christ, are committing to raise the child in the Christian faith with the help of the church community. Not only Presbyterians, but Methodists, Episcopalians, and Catholics all baptise in this manner. They can't all be wrong...neither are the ones who immerse. It is all part of God's overall plan.

Answer 8

Baptism is a similitude of the death and resurrection of the Savior. The Savior suffered an Gethsemane and was later crucified so that we could have remission of our sins. Since little children are without sin there is no need for them to be baptised.

Answer 9

I don't recall an age limit in the gospels? If there was, it would be there.

Don't forget it is the baptism by water and by holy spirit. What happen to the holy spirit?

Answer 10

I'm not entirely sure, but I think it's beacuse as an infant, they aren't given a choice to follow Chirst, the decision is made for them.