Are Catholics And Others Right In Believing That They Are Saved At Infant Baptism?

Answer 1

Pastor Billy says: why is that non-Catholics like to speak on Catholicism without learning about real Catholicism?
For example the majority of people resisting the reality of infant baptism enjoy using the word "alone" in explaining baptism. You know the usual bible alone, faith alone, Jesus alone rant.

Nowhere in Catholic doctrine are we taught baptism alone saves, however how many infants do any of you know which have committed personal sin and require repentance? Zero thats how many, therefore baptism is for the remission of original sin and if a person throughout their life was able to stay in a state of grace they would be technically saved.

Infants are baptised by Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Armenian, all Oriental Churches, Coptics, Anglicans, Methodists and probably more higher church Protestants because it has been done right from the beginning of Christianity with all households. Kait and others have misrepresented holy scripture yet once again. What they implied is the majority of NT stories mention adult baptism "alone" and therefore infant baptism is not performed. When you examine the OT and the transition from circumcision to baptism you begin to realize how empty these statements are and how misforunate it is that persons such as these have been taught to take scripture out of context in making a point.

The New Testament is giving examples of first generation converts who happen to be adults who will also be the instructors of the faith to their immediate families so why would anyone think Jesus and the apostles would start teaching the children so as to teach their parents? Wouldn't it be more logical to teach the heads of the households who would than teach the rest of their families and baptise the children.

Catholics believe as Titus explains, baptism has the effect of regeneration vs the Jewish rite we can look to Ephesians as well

Titus 3:5 he saved us, not because of deeds done by us righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit 6 which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour. (reference Ezek 39:23-27 again)

Again the bath of baptismal waters and the second renewal of the holy Spirit (living water)

Ephesians 5:25-26 Husbands love your wives even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her, 26 to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word.


Furthermore, Paul notes that baptism has replaced circumcision (Col. 2:11–12). In that passage, he refers to baptism as "the circumcision of Christ" and "the circumcision made without hands." Of course, usually only infants were circumcised under the Old Law; circumcision of adults was rare, since there were few converts to Judaism. If Paul meant to exclude infants, he would not have chosen circumcision as a parallel for baptism.

The historic Christian Church has always held that Christ’s law applies to infants as well as adults, for Jesus said that no one can enter heaven unless he has been born again of water and the Holy Spirit (John 3:5). His words can be taken to apply to anyone capable of belonging to his kingdom. He asserted such even for children: "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 19:14).

The idea of "believers baptism" is a recent pheonomon. Of course adult converts are called to repent of personal sin before baptism and of course they would naturally be called to accept Jesus Christ using their intellect but this alone doesn't dismiss the historical, traditional and biblical admitance of infant baptism.

Historical Christians talking on the matter

Irenaeus
"He [Jesus] came to save all through himself; all, I say, who through him are reborn in God: infants, and children, and youths, and old men. Therefore he passed through every age, becoming an infant for infants, sanctifying infants; a child for children, sanctifying those who are of that age . . . [so that] he might be the perfect teacher in all things, perfect not only in respect to the setting forth of truth, perfect also in respect to relative age" (Against Heresies 2:22:4 [A.D. 189]).

Hippolytus
"Baptize first the children, and if they can speak for themselves let them do so. Otherwise, let their parents or other relatives speak for them" (The Apostolic Tradition 21:16 [A.D. 215]).

see source below for many additional examples of what early Christians taught and believed.

Answer 2

Salvation has to do with making safe. At birth, no child has done anything to transgress the Law of GOD, but starts off as innocent as Adam and Eve in Paradise before their sin. But an infant has the original sin that Adam and Eve committed upon it as a burden of heritage, and it is a Grace of GOD that Baptism removes that. That is in deed Salvation. One doesn't have to transgress the Law before being saved. Those Paul wrote to were able to understand what he said - he wasn't addressing babies. When he said in a general way that all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of GOD, he addressed people generally born before the New Covenant was established, under which even the least of those truly born again of the Kingdom of GOD would be greater in some way even than John the Baptist. Until that Covenant opened up, there was no Baptism that removed original sin. Now, on the basis of the Sacrifice of JESUS, there was, and this Baptism was into the death and Resurrection of JESUS, in Water and in the SPIRIT, into the NAME of the FATHER and of the SON and of the HOLY SPIRIT, making one a new creation in CHRIST. It is Confirmation that demands ones own choice - if one has sinned, he also has enough understanding according to which to learn repentance, and in accordance with that compreshension, if not already baptised, must repent before Baptism (babies have nothing to repent of at 8 days of age). Adam and Eve had no choice about being placed in original perfection in the Paradise. Babies under the old Covenant had no choice about circumcision on the 8th day from birth.

Answer 3

Some Churches teach that we are saved by baptism. Some believe that when we are infants we are only dedicated until we reach an age that we can consciously choose to be saved through baptism. This dedication will keep us until that time.
Some believe that you can do a Baptism through sprinkling, or the sign of the cross with water and oil. Some think you need to be submerged. To me The baptism is performed in good faith by the minister and the parents who are responsible for the child and teaching of salvation to the child they are given as a gift from God. So if it is true that you must be baptized to be saved, then I guess Jesus died for nothing? Salvation comes from Jesus's sacrifice. Baptism is a dedication of a child to God or a conscious choice to dedicate your life by choice if you were not dedicated. God knows your heart. That is what really matters. Water will not get you into heaven. Your Love for God will be excepted and the Love of Christ who opened up the locked doors to let you in.
Jesus said you must be baptized by water and fire.
When you are born into the world, you are in the water that breaks. When you die, you are baptized in the spirit to the next world beyond and the spirit is the fire of the Holy Spirit.
This is why Jesus said you must be born again. He was talking about spiritual things as he told Nicodemus

Answer 4

Baptism: In the New Testament baptism is ALWAYS practiced AFTER saving faith in Christ. Baptism is not the means of salvation; it is faith in the Gospel that saves (1 Corinthians 1:14-18; Romans 10:13-17). The Roman Catholic Church teaches baptismal regeneration of infants, a practice never found in Scripture. The only possible hint of infant baptism in the Bible that the Roman Catholic Church can point to is that the whole household of the Philippian jailer was baptized in Acts 16:33. However, the context nowhere mentions infants. Acts 16:31 declares that salvation is by faith. Paul spoke to all of the household in verse 32, and the whole household believed (verse 34). This passage only supports the baptism of those who have already believed, not of infants.

Answer 5

this is ridiculous to have faith that baptism saves a hundred% of the time, particularly whilst the Catholic answer to "Are you stored?" is often "no longer yet." For Catholics, babies have purely unique sin as much as an age of accountability, hence baptism's efficacy would be a hundred% for them IN JUDGMENT, effectively yielding the comparable "salvation" that the Baptists have faith whilst they say baptism isn't needed for toddlers. Catholics additionally define non secular "baptisms" which incorporate martyrdom and baptism of want as valid replacements for water baptism contained in the removing of unique sin. this is how the thief on the bypass would have bypassed his possibly non-baptism and gained the grace he gained on the bypass. hence salvation and baptism continually is going mutually, and this closes the loop of Mark sixteen:sixteen.

Answer 6

We were saved when Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, conquering death. Baptism is a prerequisite for Heaven, therefore all should be baptized. The Bible tells us that entire households were baptized, 1 Cor. 1:16 - Paul baptized the household ("oikos") of Stephanus. Baptism is not limited to adults.

God bless,
Stanbo

Answer 7

Catholics do not believe that they are "saved" at infant baptism. Stupid question

Answer 8

INFANTS are saved at infant Baptism because it washes away original sin and enters them into the New Covenant with God by the promise made by their parents to raise them in the faith. Since infants can't commit a personal sin, they would be guaranteed to enter into Heaven after being Baptized if they died at an innocent age.

But when one becomes old enough to reason and to know right from wrong, they have to make a continuous effort to know and serve the Lord and to repent for their sins to be saved.

Circumcision was how someone entered into the Old Covenant, and that was at 8 days old with the parents making a promise to raise the child in the faith.

We enter into the New Covenant by way of Baptism. In a similar way to how an infant would enter into the Old Covenant, the parents promise to raise the child in the Christian faith. Baptism washes away original sin.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says:

1231 Where infant Baptism has become the form in which this sacrament is usually celebrated, it has become a single act encapsulating the preparatory stages of Christian initiation in a very abridged way. By its very nature infant Baptism requires a post-baptismal catechumenate. Not only is there a need for instruction after Baptism, but also for the necessary flowering of baptismal grace in personal growth. The catechism has its proper place here.

Here is a Catholic defense of infant Baptism
http://www.catholic.com/library/Infant_Baptism.asp

Biblical Reasons for Infant Baptism
http://www.scripturecatholic.com/baptism.html#baptism-III

It talks mostly about adults getting Baptized in the Bible because Baptism was a brand new requirement, and people who were already an adult could not go back in time to when they were an infant to be Baptized. God does not expect us to do the impossible.

But nowhere in the Bible does it prohibit infant Baptism. In fact, Saint Paul Baptized whole households of people.
.

Answer 9

Baptism removes the original sin, which is why infants are baptised and brought into the grace of God. When they grow up and are properly taught about Jesus, they must accept Him and His Church, and then receive the sacrament of Confirmation.

God bless.

Answer 10

As Catholics, we’re vaguely familiar with "saved" language. We don’t usually ask someone, "Are you saved?" and when someone asks us this question, we often stutter and fumble for an answer. So how should we answer: "Are you saved?" Constantly. We are constantly being saved by the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Why? Because salvation is dynamic, ongoing. It’s a past, present, and future reality. Let me explain.

Salvation is a past reality: We have been saved by the death of Jesus Christ. While we were still sinners, Jesus’ death canceled the bond that stood against us (Col. 2:14). In other words, the guilt of original sin has been wiped away. God pardoned our sins. But being pardoned isn’t the same as being holy. Being pardoned gives us back our freedom to choose the road to holiness, to walk the narrow path. Right now, today, we are being saved. Grace is wooing us down the narrow path. We are becoming holy. Salvation is an ongoing event.

We can easily verify salvation as an ongoing event—just look at the world around us. If salvation was a past event, then Mother Theresa and Pope John Paul II would be a dime a dozen. Instead, they shine like stars in the darkness. The world is a cultural and spiritual battleground—a collision between the culture of life and the culture of death. This, however, is nothing new. St. Paul described man’s predicament in these terms: "What happens is that I do, not the good I will to do, but the evil I do not intend. But if I do what is against my will, it is not I who do it, but sin which dwells in me" (Rom 7:19-20).

Whether you’re St. Paul, Pope John Paul II, or living in St. Paul, the reality is the same: We are being saved because grace has not yet fully transformed every area of our mind, emotions, desires, and will into the mind, emotions, desires, and will of Christ.

And when this transformation takes place, what will we be? The body of Christ. We will be one with Christ. Too often we think of salvation in terms of what we’re saved from. It’s absolutely critical to be saved from hell, damnation, and the stain of original sin, but what are we saved for? This is the ultimate question and the reason why salvation is a present and future reality. We are saved for union with Christ. Or, to put it in more poetic terms, we are saved so that the two may become one.

Finally, salvation is a future event. After the veil of this life is ripped in two, we shall be fully liberated to become one, but not all at once. In God’s mysterious and progressive plan, our nuptial salvation is completed only with the resurrection of the body. It is then that body and soul will return to perfect unity, and in this perfect unity, we will enter into perfect unity with the Trinity. The two will truly and definitively become one—body and soul, God and man, man and neighbor.

Answer 11

You Catholics that replied should be ASHAMED of yourselves! I'm 14 years old and I want to be a priest, many of you are adults. How embarrassing. Ignore my brothers and sisters comments. Catholics do not believe that you are 'saved' at Baptism. It's a totally different suject. When asked, "Are you saved?" and Catholic should respond "Not yet." for "Only the Father knows."

We baptize as infants because it's a gift of God, and we don't wait a gazillion years to open a gift.