Why do some churches baptize babies instead of waiting till they can know what baptism is?

Answer 1

Because they follow their traditions instead of the Bible Jesus himself was a mature man about 30 yrs old when he was baptized by John Matt 3:13-16, Mark 1:9,10 Luke 3:21-23, John 1:28-34 notice in all of theese Jesus was comming up out of the water being completely immersed under the water of the jordan river not some pouring of water over the head or sprinkling of water which isnt valid but a complete total immersion with every part of the body completely under water and Jesus was a man who walked up to John and requested to be baptized not a tiny baby who does not understand what baptism is or means think about it Gorbalizer

Answer 2

The practice of the church, since the earliest days, has been to baptize ALL, including infants, at the earliest possible opportunity.

In the Catholic Church infant baptism is the ultimate demonstration of salvation with NO WORKS AT ALL.

God desires that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of his truth, so the Catholic church freely provides EVERYTHING NECESSARY FOR SALVATION, including the FAITH.

Nothing at all is required of the infant.

Suitably baptized, original sin is washed away, the infant becomes a temple of the Holy Spirit, and adopted child of God, a co-heir with Jesus Christ, and a member of the true church.

We should all be so fortunate.

No where in scripture is infant baptism prohibited.

Answer 3

The OT covenant seal was circumcision performed on the 8th day of life. The NT covenant seal is water baptism. Since Judeo/Christianity is an extension of the Jewish faith, households (including children) were baptized into the faith. This practice was encouraged by the 1st gosepl message given by Peter at Pentecost (read Acts 2:38,39) where he explicitedly states that the promise of salvation through baptism was for adults and their children. Paul baptized many households into the faith as well. Plus, there is no scriptural reference denying infant baptism, nor is there a reference to an age of accountability. The early church embraced it and it has continually passed on from generation to generation. Only in recent history has it become an issue.

Answer 4

That was born out of superstitions and that is probably why they changed the confirmation rites to age enough to understand their faith. Some several decades ago they can do baptism and confirmation at the same time but it has to be done by a church bishop only.
A child has to be baptized as early as fifteen days after birth but now it takes longer than that because of some changes in the church. The supertitious belief is that a child unbaptized for long period may be possessed by evil spirit or bad omen. And in order for the child to be a full pledged believer, the confirmation rite was moved to an age when a child is old enough to confirm his belief which is closed to a Jewish bar-mitzvah.

Answer 5

The name is the same "baptism", but the meaning of the ceremony is different.

For a baby, it is the open testimony by ceremony that the parents will raise the child in a Christian home, and establishes by ceremony the godparents of the child. It is also the time when the priest/pastor asks a blessing for the child.

For an adult, it is the open acknowledgement that they are 'saved', that they will follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Answer 6

Because it says in the Bible that Baptism is required to enter into Heaven, and most Christians who understand this like to have the insurance that if anything happened to their baby, like if their baby died, they could know for certain that their baby is in Heaven and not have to wonder about it.

Also, Baptism takes the place of circumcision.

Circumcision was done to a baby boy at 8 days old for the baby to enter into the Old Covenant. This was done based on the faith of the parents and their promise to God to raise their child in the faith.

In the same way, Baptism is done to a baby based on the faith of the parents and their promise to God to raise their child in the Christian faith. This is so that the child can enter into the New Covenant. The only difference is that circumcision was only done to boys, but with Baptism there is neither male nor female. So baby boys and baby girls can both be Baptized to enter into the New Covenant.

The debate between early Christians was not whether or not to Baptize a baby. It was whether a baby should be Baptized at the moment of birth or if it should be when they are 8 days old, like with circumcision.

Jesus gave all of His authority to the Church to decide such matters, so the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, decided that a baby could be Baptized at the moment of birth.

My daughter was born 2 months premature and almost died. We called for a priest, and he did an emergency Baptism on her because we did not know if she would survive a 3 hour life saving surgery. But one never knows if their baby can be healthy one minute and the next minute something could happen to them. It would be very sad for a baby to die and then regret that you did not have them Baptized. This is the best example that I can give.

Answer 7

Bible says we are to be Baptized with water and the Holy Ghost. We are suppose to be baptized when we get saved.Following in the steps of Jesus.I guess some people think that because the word says to be baptized that they should have their babies baptized to make sure that the child is baptized with water as they think this is commanded of us and don`t want to leave it to chance.

Answer 8

The Bible says you must be baptized. The way it goes, it sounds to me that one must be of an age to understand what it is, so I left the Catholic church, became a Pentecostal, and got baptized. The Catholic church says what it wants, because Jesus said, "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you let go on earth will be let go in Heaven." Sort of means they can make some rules of their own, as long as they follow the major track. I just couldn't see it that way, and neither can a lot of others.

Answer 9

I was raised Roman Catholic. They believe that it is one of the Sacred Five Rights, and that children must be Baptized in order to prevent damnation due to 'Original Sin'.
All this purgatory stuff makes my head dizzy.
You need to choose how you wish to teach your own children, and stick with it.
Baptism does no harm to those children that receive it, but the moral and religious aspects are things you must work out.
My wife and myself have chosen to allow our children to learn and decide for themselves - some are religious, some not (we have four). But I believe they are capable of making the choice when they are ready.
Social implications may be a problem based on where you live, and how your family was raised. But it is the decision of the parents at the end...

Answer 10

It is the ancient Tradition of the Catholic church to baptise infants.

How about a little Augustine:
Augustine



"It is an excellent thing that the Punic [North African] Christians call baptism salvation and the sacrament of Christ’s body nothing else than life. Whence does this derive, except from an ancient and, as I suppose, apostolic tradition, by which the churches of Christ hold inherently that without baptism and participation at the table of the Lord it is impossible for any man to attain either to the kingdom of God or to salvation and life eternal? This is the witness of Scripture too" (Forgiveness and the Just Deserts of Sin, and the Baptism of Infants 1:24:34 [A.D. 412]).

"The sacrament of baptism is most assuredly the sacrament of regeneration" (ibid., 2:27:43).

"Baptism washes away all, absolutely all, our sins, whether of deed, word, or thought, whether sins original or added, whether knowingly or unknowingly contracted" (Against Two Letters of the Pelagians 3:3:5 [A.D. 420]).

"This is the meaning of the great sacrament of baptism, which is celebrated among us: all who attain to this grace die thereby to sin—as he himself [Jesus] is said to have died to sin because he died in the flesh (that is, ‘in the likeness of sin’)—and they are thereby alive by being reborn in the baptismal font, just as he rose again from the sepulcher. This is the case no matter what the age of the body. For whether it be a newborn infant or a decrepit old man—since no one should be barred from baptism—just so, there is no one who does not die to sin in baptism. Infants die to original sin only; adults, to all those sins which they have added, through their evil living, to the burden they brought with them at birth" (Handbook on Faith, Hope, and Love 13[41] [A.D. 421]).