What does Baptism entail as a protestant? How old should one be to under go baptism?

Question

I have two daughters aged 2yrs 9months, and 7 months. I am always asked when they will be baptised and I would like to plan their futures accordingly. Do I have to get them god parents for thisfunction?

Answer 1

Don't know, I'm not Protestant, but I'd imagine it's pretty much the same thing as Catholics.

Answer 2

Children under the age of 7 cannot commit a sin. You could wait until then and ask them which religion they wish to follow (deep question for a 7 y/o, but allows participation in their own future).


Or you could just go ahead and get them baptised...it is a universal right which is accepted by all churches, ie. If you are baptised into the CofE, you will not need to be baptised again if you should choose to change over to the RC church.

(Some evangelical baptist churches like to baptise adults - so a second baptism )

Hope that helps.

Answer 3

You must be catholic. a Chritian, NOT catholic, baptism happens when a person chooses salvation and want to take the next step on their journey. baptism is a full body submersion under water, that symbolizes the flesh dying. the raising out of the water symbolizes the birth of a new person, clean and blameless before God. that is the way that Jesus was baptised and the way he commanded that we be baptised. it is a choice made by the person being baptised, not the church. I did not get baptised until i was fourteen.

Answer 4

Three main lines of thought here.
The "reformed" protestant churches (anglican, presbyterian, methodists usually work from the "child of a covenent" principle where the child is part of the church due to the parents faith. The child is usually baptised/christened as a baby.
Other groups baptist, non-denomiational ie brethren and most pentecostals believe that water baptism should only follow profession of faith and therefor eonly baptise adults.
Other groups believe that outward rituals are just that and either attach no importance to them or just don't do them (quaker).

Of course there is a large group who just aren't Christian and so wouldn't even bother.

You have to decide where you fit into all this.

Answer 5

God bless you brother, my dad encouraged me at about 14 to be baptised, i had issues and did not then feel entirely ready but thank God he made me, i just had guilt and shame.

Personally i think baptism is a response to an appeal. It is an answer, a concious decision, acceptance we make to the Lord accepting him, confirming our belief in him, i believe one of the stages towards conversion.
I beleive you have to be old enough to know what you are doing, to know jesus, to love jesus, to accept and commit to him and be aware on a real level of the world. I personally never could understan christening but i'd ask what do you believe christening will achieve which is making you push so... not wanting to hinder you, your kids maybe very aware. Seek the Lord is most important being saved is not simply about baptism. The Lord declares he has heart, he is gentle... come to him, he also declares his patience and the richness of his reward, he is a rewarder of those who dilligently seek him. Also be cool, remember the fruits of the spirit, peace, love, joy, longsuffering,i'm learning these also and i'm 31.

Answer 6

If you are a Bible believer, not a denominational follower than the Bible teaches that believers Baptism is an optional thing and is only done to believers which means your children need to be old enough to understand the Christian faith in Jesus Christ, and have confessed Christ as Lord. Then they can be baptized if they or you want them to. If you follow a religious denomination than each one has their own teaching. Personally I would recommend following the Bible.
In counseling an Ethiopian on Baptism the Apostle Paul said to him, 'If you believe with all your heart, you MAY (not must) be baptized."

Answer 7

The baptism of children is more of a Christian custom, it started when people thought that if something should happen to the child then they would be saved. Baptism is we were born in sin through Adam, but if we profess with our lips and ask Jesus in to our hearts, then we will be saved and have a new life

Answer 8

First off, it depends what church you are going to do these baptism. You don't need god parents(from what I know). I wouldn't do this just as a formality either. Do it because you want your kids to grow up in the church.

Answer 9

As a christian myself i have to say that a child does not require to be baptised as they are under grace until they are twelve, when they reach that age they can make their own choice of being baptised, through full emersion, but is a choice that they themselves must make and not an enforced one. it is your responsability though as a christian parent to raise those kids in the fear of the Lord and being the priest of your household yourself, to guide them, not forcing the issue, but through love, showing them that they must take Jesus as their King and saviour as a matter of free will and not religious duty, because if you do things out of duty you do them under duress, and if act out of duress you are not acting in truth, so your motives will be judged as you are not being real but are lying, using religion to justify yourself, and Jesus was never about religion but reconsilliation with our father in heaven, but you must teach them that to get to the Father you must have the Son, for they are one and the same and there is no other name under heaven that you are saved, this is your responsability, but baptism is their choice.

Answer 10

Firstly, a child should not be baptized until they can state that they want to be baptized and they have an understanding of why baptism is performed.