I am a Christian in the Pentecostal denomination and I'm not sure what is standard. I have read some people have the baby baptized in the hospital's chapel right away, while others may wait a few days. I am also going to ask my Pastor on Sunday but I wanted to ask now to see if anyone of my religion, or that knows of my religion may have an answer.
2007-01-13 13:29:44 · 16 answers · asked by BeautifulOne 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Biblically, you should dedicate the baby to the Lord, but wait until the child is old enough to choose Jesus as his Lord and Saviour and THEN he should be baptized, Baptism is an outward expression of an inward transformation, and is not scriptural for babies.
2007-01-13 13:40:54 · answer #1 · answered by lookn2cjc 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'll be the lone person here that takes a stand for infant baptism as a sign and seal of God's covenant with man in a sacrament that takes the place of circumcision in the Old Testament. "Entire households" being baptized do not forbid baptism for infants, but this is probably because age was not an issue (making an "age of reason" nothing more than a human invention to fit Arminian theology). Baptism was and is an authority issue, with the entire households being conducted in a Christian manner due to the conversion of the head of household.
But I'm getting off the subject. Pentecostal denominations do not baptize babies because of their Arminian theology -- which you already have the interpretation of from several other people that responded to your post. I thought I would give you the dissenting view though since you brought up the subject and deserved a little more than just strawman arguments against paedobaptism, as it's called.
2007-01-14 08:51:52 · answer #2 · answered by ccrider 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
After the child has attained the " Age of Accountability " and has accepted The Lord as his / her personal Savior ! Being baptized does not get you into Heaven and means nothing without the acceptance of Jesus Christ as your Savior. In The King James Holy Bible read all of the following verses concerning " Baptizing "....Matthew 3:11 , Matthew 3:14 , Mark 16:16 , John 1:26 , John 1:33 , Acts 2:38 , Acts 8:16 , Acts 8:36 , Acts 16:33 , Acts 18:8 , Romans 6:3 , 1 Corinthians 12:13 , Galatians 3:27.. God Bless & Prayers for a Blessed life for your child !!
2007-01-13 14:53:38 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
"I am a Christian, and am of the strong belief that a baby does not need to be baptized. No where in the Bible does it tell of an infant being baptized, only people who were more mature. Babies are born innocent, and do not know right from wrong in the beginning."Someone once stated the baptism for a baby is to erase the original sin. Very interseting. Then what did Jesus do for us on the cross? He was crucified, buried and arose 3 days later. Babies are born sinless. They are pure and clean of sin. How can you baptise a baby? In the bible Jesus said to "suffer the children to come unto me so that I may bless them". In other words, babies or children should be prayed upon that Jesus would watch over them until the age of accountability. At that point if the spirit of repeatance falls upon them, they would be baptised. You really need to read your bible and undertand it for yourself instead of having someone tell you about it."
2007-01-13 13:37:13 · answer #4 · answered by K 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I personally as a fellow Christian don't really believe in baptizing babies. Children are born without sin and aren't accountable for it till they are old enough to know better. We do have a sin nature though which is why I think a person should have the right to wait till they are older to make this decision so that they can repent and have a real relationship with God.
2007-01-13 13:38:03 · answer #5 · answered by Angela F 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you look at the examples in the bible on baptism you will find that they were full grown adults who understood, accepted the terms and conditions of baptism and they were in full agreement with it.
The crossing at the Red Sea, this was an entire nation that was baptized at the same time.
In Jesus day, John was baptizing full grown adults before Jesus came to him.
Baptism is a symbol of your dedication, that you are in full agreement based on true knowledge of what Jehovah requires for all of mankind.
2007-01-13 13:41:19 · answer #6 · answered by Here I Am 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I have never found a piece of scripture where a baby is baptized.. only AFTER one repents are they baptized. 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.
2007-01-13 13:35:27 · answer #7 · answered by littledreamergirl 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
The Bible standard is that we must have the ability to make a decison to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, after we do that we should decide to be baptized as an act of obedience.
Baby baptism is not Biblical.
2007-01-13 13:35:31 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Have your baby dedicated to the Lord through yours and your congregations profession. Wait on the baptism until your child is grown up enough to truly understand the meaning of the baptism. You know that Jesus loves all the little children of the world and they belong to Him until they make a consious decision to reject Him.
God bless you for your concern.
2007-01-13 13:39:52 · answer #9 · answered by bob j 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What good is baptism to a new born child?
Is Sin Inherited?
Do we inherit the guilt of the sins of Adam and our parents, or will we be accountable only for those sins which we personally commit? The Scriptures clearly teach that we must answer to God for our own sins rather than those of our ancestors. "So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." (Rom. 14:12) "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." (II Cor. 5:10) "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Rom 3:23) Note that Paul teaches that we come short of God's glory through our own sins, not that we are born short through the mistakes of our forebears.
The doctrine that a baby is born with the stain of the sin of Adam and his parents upon him is known as "original sin". It concludes that a little baby who has never personally sinned is forever condemned to hell unless that infant is baptized. Neither the expression "original sin" nor the idea it represents is found in the Bible. God's word teaches the opposite. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son." (Ezek. 18:20) In other words, a child is not accountable for his parents' sins.
This teaching fails to consider that sin is an act ("the transgression of the law" -- I John 3:4) and therefore not an inheritable trait. It may no more be inherited than cooking a meal or driving an automobile since these are acts rather than characteristics.
If babies were born sinners, Jesus would not have chosen them as examples for us to follow. "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 18:3) Surely Jesus is not exhorting His disciples to become like sin-blackened children doomed to everlasting punishment. We are the "offspring of God" (Acts 17:29) and our spirits have been given by God. (Ecc. 12:7) Were the doctrine of original sin true these passages would imply that we inherit original sin from God Himself which cannot be since God is perfect.
What then, do we inherit from our physical parents? We inherit their ability to know good and evil, and also the human weakness which in time causes us to sin. We do not inherit the guilt of Adam's transgressions nor that of our parents. Until a child is old enough to understand the meaning of sin, he is as pure in the sight of God as the freshly fallen winter snow.
2007-01-13 13:36:12 · answer #10 · answered by Gladiator 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋