Christians, do you think infants should be baptized?

Question

In most (but not all) Christian denominations, it is common practice to baptize babies. What is the purpose of this?

I ask because I recently got into an argument with a family member who was shocked that I didn't want to have my future children baptized. This person asked me, "What if the baby dies before it is baptized?" To which, my response was, "Well, you tell me, what if? Is God going to send my child to hell because I didn't have some tired old pastor throw some H2O on his forehead?" Needless to say, we're not getting along well at the moment.

I was baptized as a young adult, as my parents thought it should be my decision, and I would like to extend the same courtesy to my children. Although, you can probably guess that I never really had my heart behind it. In fact, I now think it laughable that I ever even considered religion, for exactly this sort of reason.

Quote from Mariah: "Christening is different than baptism."

Please explain this. I thought they were the same.

Some of you people are splitting hairs with me. The fact is that many/most/several/whatever-descriptor you-want of Christians christen/baptize babies.

Answer 1

Baptism is an act of obedience to God, announcing to the world that you have accepted Christ as your Savior. Your own decision, not that of your parents.

I don't agree with baptising infants. It's not necessary, because children haven't reached the age of accountability. Children, all children go to heaven. When they reach the age where they start questioning, and THEN make the decision for Christ, then they are to be baptised.

I am a strong follower of Christ. We get baptised as an act of obedience to Him, to tell the world we have chosen to follow Him. But, if someone accepts Christ, follows Christ and never gets baptised, he doesn't lose his place in heaven.

Christ said "you must be born of water and born of the Spirit". Born of water means, a natural birth from your mother, the water being in the womb (not water baptism, like so many believe). Born of the Spirit is accepting Christ, and being born again when His Spirit comes to join with your spirit of life and renew you.

I wouldn't get your children baptised. That is a decision they must make on their own when they reach the age of accountability.

It's their choice. Not yours.

Answer 2

I agree with you. An individual being baptised without knowing the reason for this action makes the action void. The earliest time Infant Baptism was noted in Christian history was during the time of Augustine 354-430.

This practice is not in the bible, thus the individual should make this decision upon reaching adulthood it shouldn't be made for them. If baptism takes place without the child's knowledge then the adults involved are saying (non verbally)that if the infant should die that the lord God would send the baby straight to hell. The baby has no concept of sin and will not perish if life for whatever reason is taken.

The lord wants all of us to have hearts like children to enter the kingdom of heaven; why then would he destroy or allow harm to befall what he uses to teach the rest of the human race? God is mightier and more powerful than that!

"Matthew 18:3 (New International Version)

And he (Jesus Christ) said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Answer 3

Jesus said "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16)

Peter taught in Acts 2 that they needed to believe ("know assuredly" verse 36) that Jesus was the Christ. After it was clear they believed and they asked what they needed to do to be saved, he told them, "Repent and be baptized". (Verse 38) Belief and repentance both precede baptism in this chapter.

When the eunuch recognized the need to be baptized, he asked "See, here is water; what does hinder me to be baptized?" Phillip's response was, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." (Acts 8:36-37) Belief is required for one to be scripturally baptized.

Those who say an infant may, or even must, be baptized base their argument on the "households" that were baptized. They assume these households included infants that were baptized. Their idea is mere assumption rather than what the Word says.

Also the scriptures in some of these accounts say a certain individual believed with his whole house. If the whole house believes, then it can be concluded they were capable of believing, and therefore not infants.

Finally, the conversions of these households do not contradict the other verses that teach belief comes before baptism. Again "If you believe you may (be baptized)".

In addition to this, an infant has no need of baptism. Baptism is "for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). A baby is not capable of sinning.

"Sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4) If a baby is guilty of sin, then which law has he transgressed? What law is he capable of transgressing?

Also, a baby is not guilty of inherited sin.

Notice Ezekiel 18:20; "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: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him."

Since a baby cannot believe, cannot repent, cannot sin, and does not inherit sin, why would he be qualified to be baptized and why would he need baptism?

Answer 4

My husband and me had a little girl in 2001. She was born very prematurely and we knew she wasn't going to make it. We called in a preacher to pray with us. About a year later my husband visited a local Catholic church (because a friend asked him to go. We are not Catholic.) My husband about punched out the preacher (or whatever they are called in the Catholic church) because the man had the audacity to hint that Aleah might not be in Heaven because she wasn't bapized and "who knows whether she would have chosen to accept Christ as an adult or not".
To make a long story short....I believe that a child could/should be DEDICATED. This is not baptism. A dedication is just a parents promise to raise their child according to the teachings of the Bible. Later when the child has reached the age of accountability and knows good from evil and can choose Christ then they are BAPTIZED.
A baby doesn't know right from wrong, good from evil on the level that they can make a choice so they cannot be held accountable. All babies and young children who die are in Heaven.
You are doing the right thing momma!

Answer 5

Your family member's argument is inaccurate, but where they are coming from as far as infant baptism, would be the view of baptism as a replacement for the covenant of circumcision in the Old Testament. In other words, God's people are marked for salvation, and the rite is performed out of obedience to God in the same way that circumcision was practiced by adults entering the Jewish faith. Since the head of the household had authority over his family, male infants were also circumcised, and females were a part of the covenant simply by their association with that head of household. Unfortunately this often gets extrapolated into babies being "saved" by baptism, and this is not the case.

Your views are of course in marked contrast to theirs as to what baptism involves, i.e. a personal decision followed by baptism as a profession of your faith, where the two are linked together but belong to the individual only, rather than an entire family.

You will never reach common ground on views that are this divergent. But what you can do is ask your family member to respect your views on this rite as you respect theirs.

Answer 6

The babies are not being baptized (you should get your facts straight) they are being Christened, that is where the Parents, family and friends ask for God to watch over the baby and protect the baby and give blessing to the baby.
Christening is different than baptism.

Answer 7

no, I do not. A baby has not even understood what baptism is... and we as parents, as much as we may like, cannot choose the faith our children will follow.... some may terrorize their kids into believing horrible things if they do not remain 'their religion' .... but the fact of the matter is that each person needs to choose their faith in Jesus for themselves.

as parents, we can 'dedicate' our children (Christen) but that is us, as parents, promising to raise the child to know who Jesus is.... in hopes that one day they will accept Him personally as their savior.

My kids were not forced into anything... and actually requested to be baptized, (by us, not some pastor/priest) when they were 16 and 17... because they wanted to be baptized as an act of obedience to the Lord, and also as an outward expression of an inward change in their lives

Answer 8

Only if the infant is capable of learning such deep things as are taught in the Bible would infant baptism be meaningful to God.

Jesus said: "Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And, look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.”

Make disciples ... teaching them. Does an infant have this capability?

Answer 9

I honestly don't think it really matters. I am a Christian, and I can not stand these little doctrinal issues that are constantly being brought up by churches. Baptism is not essential to the Christian life, so I don't really think it matters when one is baptized. It is not necessary. Don't get me wrong, it is not a bad thing, and I myself have been baptized, but I just don't think it really makes a difference.

Answer 10

It is not a practice in "most" Christian denominations, but rather a few.

The Roman, Orthodox, Episcopal, Methodist, Lutheran, and Presbyterians are the most common ones that do, but you will find that Evangelical churches, Pentecostal, Charismatic, and Baptist churches do not baptize infants.