Baptism????

Question

My boyfriend is a catholic i was raised as jehovahs witness although i cant say i am one because i do not preach or do exactly what they teach but anyways my question is we have a baby his teachings are to be baptized when you are a baby my teachings are not to get baptized until you are ready! what do yall think? baptize as a baby or wait till my child is ready to be baptized because its a dedication to god

Answer 1

how can a baby dedicate him/herself to God as a baby? i dont believe in baptism of babies, but you can do whatever you want :)

Answer 2

Do whatever you feel is right. One thing to think of, Catholics baptize babies but when that child is older (around 13-14) they are in a sense "re-baptized". (Confirmation-they renew baptism vows themselves after deciding if they are ready and if they want to)
Also,
The bible actually does show one instance of babies being baptized. (Luther and Calvin also practiced infant baptism)
During the time of the bible one must remember something--the religions was fairly new. Most people were being converted or were newly converted. Most of the stories about baptism are about people just converting. (not people being born into the faith--that makes a difference) Also, how many stories about children do you even see? Not many. Children were not valued in the same way then as they are now. You could read the whole new testament and it would appear that they weren't that many children even alive. Is that true? No, they just weren't mentioned very often. Males dominate the bible and so their stories dominate the bible.

Answer 3

You do not have to baptize a Child when you dedicate him to God, What the bible says is the Child is Presented to the Lord by the Priest, and in prayer, not baptized.
Later on, there is a confirmation of faith, when the Child reaches puberty, to this, the parents still govern the Child and bring him to church.
Then, when he is responsible for his acts, he professes his faith, and chooses to get baptized. Is his responsibility to make this decision, and Jesus was example to it.

Curiously enough, Baptizing a Baby was a belief imposed by the Catholic Church, to keep the Baby from going to the Limbo in case of infant's death, but about a year ago, the Pope said that there is no Limbo. Why he didn't say that baptizm to babies is not necessary any more. Well, they still charge $$$$ for baptisms.

Answer 4

Being baptized bears no saving grace. Meaning, that getting baptized does not save your soul or allow you into heaven because of it. It is public proclaimation to your faith and belief in the saving grace that Christ gives you. It's symbolic in that your immersion into the water symbolizes that you enter the water as a sinner, but emerge renewed and cleansed by the spirit of God and what Christ did for you. It's your testament to that fact that you have accepted Him. A baby cannot possibly knowingly engage in this rite. Therefore, it should be done only by those that are old enough to intelligently process this for themselves and come to this realization on their own.

Answer 5

Baptism is an outward expression of an inward faith. So being baptized before you can decide for yourself if you want to follow Christ is pointless.

But if it makes you both feel better, you can baptize your baby now with the understanding that when the child reaches an age where he/she makes a decision for Christ that they can be baptized again.

Answer 6

Baptism doesn't replace circumcision, Gal. 6: 15 For neither is circumcision anything nor is circumcision, but a new creation [is something]. 16 And all those who will walk orderly by this rule of conduct, upon them be peace and mercy, even upon the Israel of God.


Jesus said to baptize disciples, disciples are those who have learned what Jesus requires of them, and they have made a choice to follow Jesus. Babies can not do this.

Your child's standing with God (until they reach an age of accountability) is based on your standing with God.

If you want your baby to be saved at Armageddon, then you must get your life and your relationship with God in order.

Answer 7

I think u should baptize your baby, and when he or she grow old enough let be the child decision to be baptized or not. because when still a baby he or she cannot decided alone but the parents can.

Answer 8

Instead of following any human custom, why not follow the pattern in the bible?

: How many babies in the bible were baptized?
zero

: How many non-babies (or, 'persons who could reason for themselves') in the bible were baptized?
At least 3,000.
(Acts 2:41) Therefore those who embraced his word heartily were baptized, and on that day about three thousand souls were added


Does the bible describe baptism candidates as "boy and girls"?
No.
(Acts 8:12) they proceeded to be baptized, both men and women.


Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/article_16.htm
http://jw-media.org/people/worship.htm

Answer 9

:) if you do have a baby as a Catholic he is bound to have all your children baptized as a Catholic, specially if he is a practicing CAtholic, he is obliged to do so, i think this is a question u best discuss with him, and i think u should also think of conversion in the future too, even if he doensnt demand it, to prevent family squabbles. My prayers are for u both, and God bless.

Answer 10

Gen. 17:12, Lev. 12:3 - these texts show the circumcision of eight-day old babies as the way of entering into the Old Covenant - Col 2:11-12 - however, baptism is the new "circumcision" for all people of the New Covenant. Therefore, baptism is for babies as well as adults. God did not make His new Covenant narrower than the old Covenant. To the contrary, He made it wider, for both Jews and Gentiles, infants and adults.

Job 14:1-4 - man that is born of woman is full of trouble and unclean. Baptism is required for all human beings because of our sinful human nature.

Psalm 51:5 - we are conceived in the iniquity of sin. This shows the necessity of baptism from conception.

Matt. 18:2-5 - Jesus says unless we become like children, we cannot enter into heaven. So why would children be excluded from baptism?

Matt 19:14 - Jesus clearly says the kingdom of heaven also belongs to children. There is no age limit on entering the kingdom, and no age limit for being eligible for baptism.

Mark 10:14 - Jesus says to let the children come to Him for the kingdom of God also belongs to them. Jesus says nothing about being too young to come into the kingdom of God.

Mark 16:16 - Jesus says to the crowd, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved." But in reference to the same people, Jesus immediately follows with "He who does not believe will be condemned." This demonstrates that one can be baptized and still not be a believer. This disproves the Protestant argument that one must be a believer to be baptized. There is nothing in the Bible about a "believer's baptism."

Luke 18:15 – Jesus says, “Let the children come to me.” The people brought infants to Jesus that he might touch them. This demonstrates that the receipt of grace is not dependent upon the age of reason.

Acts 2:38 - Peter says to the multitude, "Repent and be baptized.." Protestants use this verse to prove one must be a believer (not an infant) to be baptized. But the Greek translation literally says, "If you repent, then each one who is a part of you and yours must each be baptized” (“Metanoesate kai bapistheto hekastos hymon.”) This, contrary to what Protestants argue, actually proves that babies are baptized based on their parents’ faith. This is confirmed in the next verse.

Acts 2:39 - Peter then says baptism is specifically given to children as well as adults. “Those far off” refers to those who were at their “homes” (primarily infants and children). God's covenant family includes children. The word "children" that Peter used comes from the Greek word "teknon" which also includes infants.

Answer 11

Acts 2:38  "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."

Think about it... When will your child be able to do the first of these three steps, i.e. repent? He or she will need to be old enough to understand the meaning of the Gospel and do an active decision turning from his or her sins handing his or her life over to God.