Would you baptize your child because of your in-laws?

Question

I am a Christian. My husband came from a strict Catholic family, but (by his own will) decided to convert to my faith, (I belong to the United Church of Christ). Our faith believes that baptism of babies isn't necessary, but they do it sometimes for parents who wish to. My in-laws insist that my baby will go to hell if she isn't baptized, but I don't believe that at all. If we do go ahead with the baptism, it's only for for them, not me or even my child...so would that be wrong? What would you do?

Answer 1

Yes it is wrong to do that for the wrong reason. No it would not matter about going to heaven, this is a lie of the church to teach dogmas outside of the Bible. I was raised Catholic but the truth is more important than to believe a lie. You can purpose to dedicate your child unto God with this service but that does not mean your child will not go to heaven without this baptism. All babies go to heaven, if they die before reaching age of accountability, same with retarded people, if there is no accountability there cannot be judgment.
So getting back to your question; dedicating your child to God is OK, but still the only scripture you have for this is a Jewish tradition (Jewish tradition not the Bible) of circumcision at eight days old.
So dedicating is something Protestant churches started not the Bible as an answer to Catholic baptism of babies. But heaven is not the issue, a baby cannot except the Lord Jesus as savior so baby baptism is plain wrong and accepting Baptism is a personal decision not our parents decision. Also sprinkling is not immersing and that is what everybody in the Bible did.
So to clarify if your baby is baptised it doesn't do anything for God, but it never hurts to have God parents or people willing to help watch over your children. So make your choice based on the facts not fear, if it was me I would dedicate my child to God which you can find in the Bible, Samson was such a child; Judges 13:12And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?
13And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware.
14She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe.

And Samuel also was such a child; 1 Samuel 1:20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.
27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:
28 Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.

Here above she does dedicate her son to the Lord forever and he became a very great prophet of God that anointed the first and second Kings of Israel.
But reading the other answers I agree if you really want to do the right thing the husband should decide not you. 1 Corinthians 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. There is order to Universe, and to obey oder is better than sacrifices. and Samuel taught us that; 1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Answer 2

When "in-laws", become like "out-laws", and pretty much like put a gun to your head about your baby being baptized...RIGHT NOW!!!
I think that it is best for you to remind them of the "Laws of Faith, and Grace", and that God/ Jesus is not going to "condemn a small child to hell", the child has, probably got to like oh...6 or 7 years old, before they even begin to be "responsible" for "many actions".
I was born into a "Catholic family".
So when I was just "months old" I was "baptized', or (not really sure how to spell it)... "Christened", the pictures are "cute?"...
I wore a "Christening Gown", and still, later I did not put the ashes on my forehead on "ash Wednesday", this happened in the 1st grade, at "Sacred Heart" elementary school.
Later I realized I was a Christian.
And though the Catholic Faith is somewhat like Christianity...They seem to want to be able to pray to all the Saints, or the Virgin Mary, or whatever.
We pray to God the Father, through Jesus Christ.
Hmm, i guess you know that.
Well, I wish you the very best with it.
DJH

Answer 3

Christian baptism was a rite observed by BELIEVERS. Babies cannot express the faith which the New Testament indicates is a prerequisite for the baptism to have any meaning.

... Point the in-laws to Ezekiel 18 which makes it clear that GUILT of sin CANNOT BE INHERITED.

Eze 18:1 A message came to me from the LORD. He said,
Eze 18:2 “You people have a proverb about the land of Israel. What do you mean by it? It says, “‘The parents eat sour grapes. But the children have a bitter taste in their mouths.’
Eze 18:3 “You will not use that proverb in Israel anymore,” announces the LORD and King. “And that is just as sure as I am alive.
Eze 18:4 Everyone belongs to me. Father and son alike belong to me. People will die because of their own sins.
...
Eze 18:19 “But you still ask, ‘Is the son guilty along with his father?’ No! The son did what was fair and right. He was careful to keep all of my rules. So you can be sure he will live.
Eze 18:20 People will die because of their own sins. The son will not be guilty because of what his father did. And the father will not be guilty because of what his son did. The right things a godly person does will be added to his account. The wrong things a sinful person does will be charged against him.
Eze 18:21 “But suppose a sinful person turns away from all of the sins he has committed. And he keeps all my rules. He does what is fair and right. Then you can be sure he will live. He will not die.
Eze 18:22 None of the sins he has committed will be held against him. Because of the godly things he has done, he will live.
Eze 18:23 “When sinful people die, it does not give me any joy,” announces the LORD and King. “But when they turn away from their sins and live, that makes me very happy.

...The chapter presents a hypothetical family with alternating good and evil generations. God makes it clear that an evil son will not be saved by his good father and a good son is not condemned by his father's sin.

Answer 4

Baptism:When our Son was born in the 60s .I was at the Hospital,He arrived Healthy and no problems,Another Lady had deliver of Her Child,The Doctor said the Baby ,wiil not live long.

This Lady was of the Catholic Denomination,Since it was around
1 Am ,There was panic,because the Priest wasn"t there or hard to find.----My statement at the Time was,Hey if that innocent child"s Destiny is in Question,some of the Adults have a Great Problem,anyway Priest arrived,Prayed with Lady and Baptised
Child,Childs condition was reversed and Healthy.My answer go with what is in your Heart.

Answer 5

Being baptised does not get u to Heaven. U must accept the Lord into your heart. Baptism should not be done until after you are saved. Baptism is telling the Church that you have been saved. It is pointless to baptize babies because they are not saved.

Answer 6

The belief that baptism is essential to salvation, that it is the means where forgiveness of sins is made real to the believer. This is incorrect. Paul said that he came to preach the gospel, not to baptize (1 Cor. 1:14-17). If baptism were essential to salvation, then Paul would have included it in his standard practice and preaching of the salvation message of Jesus, but he did not. (See also Col. 2:10-11.)

Answer 7

I think that sounds like sweet sensitive thing to do.. If it puts their mind at ease I would do it. And then after you have shown them how respect their feelings show them that it was what Jesus did on the Cross that saves us not the waters of baptism. If baptism had the power to save us then Christ died in vain... Jim

Answer 8

Very touchy subject. My wife and I were in a similar situation and fought over this for a long time before I finally gave in. She was raised Catholic, I'm Methodist. We both wanted to get the kids baptized but her parents are strict Byzantine Catholics, so unless we did it in their church, they would have a major problem with it and probably wouldn't even show up. I had a big problem with this because my wife and I regularly attend a Methodist church and neither of us agree with a lot of the Catholic doctrine and I was angry that she wouldn't stand up to her parents and be honest about what she believed. I eventually gave in out of respect to her folks and we've had all 3 of our boys baptized in her Mom & Dad's church. It still bothers me a bit, but overall I'm glad I did it to keep peace in the family and to make my wife happy.

I would say that if your husband wants to do it out of respect for his folks, then I'd probably go along with it, but if you both agree that that's not what you want to do, then I wouldn't worry about what his folks say. It's not their decision.

Answer 9

In-laws can be such a pain!
I guess it depends on how much stress this is causing you, your husband, and your marriage. If you decide you are going to take a stand for what you believe, you need to know if you are taking it alone, or if your husband is going to be with you.
If not, then you've probably got some other problems that are going to be cropping up from time to time.
Good luck.

Answer 10

baptism is a choice made by the one being baptized. baptism is a total submersion of the body. you lower the person into the water to sybolise the death of the old body andthe rising of the person from the water symbolises the birth of a newe person. i would never do anything to please people. i would be more worried about pleasing God than anybody else. so i hope you allow your child to choose to get baptised on their own.