Why the rush to baptise a baby?

Question

Some time ago, I asked a question regarding the baptism of my child and the consequences for him should he die before being baptised. At that time I was assured that he would be considered innocent until he was old enough to make his own decisions on his religion.

Last night on television I watched a programme in which a very young baby was desperately ill, but in the midst of the medical team trying to do their job, they send in a priest to carry out a baptism in case the baby didn't pull through?

So, what are your thoughts? Are children who die without being baptised frowned upon by God, or would the baby have been accepted into Heaven without the baptism?

p.s. The baby survived thanks to some groundbreaking treatment.

Answer 1

If my baby was being treated for a life threating condition and someone got in the way trying to do a baptism I would punch them right in the face to get out of the way.

Answer 2

The Bible says that children under the age of reason are holy in God's eyes so they have an automatic resurrection. The Bible also states that baptism is for those that have an understanding of what it's for. SO, any baby that is baptized has nothing to do with how God sees it.

If the show you were watching was something that was made up then they were not portraying what the Bible says about baptism anyway. Many religions do this but as the Christ was totally under water, that is how we are to be also. Just getting a sprinkle means nothing. Jesus came up out of the water.

Nowhere in the Bible does it say any child will go to Hell if not baptized before they die.

Answer 3

According to the Catholic church if a baby dies without being baptized becuase it is to young to know what sin is and whats right and wrong the baby will be taken to heaven, and the practice of baptism was around along time before christianity but christians made it the gateway to the faith, baptism was used by pagans before christians used it. During the roman persecutions of christians the church decided to get as many people into the faith as early as possible, the best way for that to occur was to baptize the child soon after birth. Since then it has been accepted as the tradition of when to baptize. But overall if a baby dies before being baptized it is most likely going to be taken into heaven, if the baby's parents wanted to get it baptized and were on the way to do it then, according to the church, the baby will be taken to heaven at death because of baptism by intention. Sort of like if you believe in the faith and accept but havnt been baptized and you die before your baptized you are taken to heaven because you have been baptized by blood.

Answer 4

Most church denominations who are considered "sacerdotal" or "high church" in their ritual belief system (Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, etc.) believe in the Augustinian doctrine that the effects of original or generational sin, that we are all born into according to the fall account in Genesis chapter 3 and Romans 5:12, are washed away by water baptism only by the hand of their clergy. Christians of these denominations would consider that moment you described a real serious crisis, since if the child isn't baptized before passing away, they would not immediately go to heaven, if at all, depending again on the denomination. Traditional Roman catholics believe the baby would go to a place called "limbo", where neither the experience of heaven or hell is realized. I think that even this word in Latin means "in between". Again, depending on the particular sect of Roman Catholicism, some believe that the child would remain there, others believe that both clergy and laity (churchgoers) can offer up prayer and offerings in order to get the child closer to heaven, if not eventually and totally there (this latter belief is the traditional Catholic view). They base their beliefs on either the ancient tradition of the fathers and/or the papal authority of the church.

A slight majority of the 3 billion Christians in the world now hold to a "spiritual" or "symbolic" low church protestant view of their rituals, including baptism. This means that water baptism never literally washes away sin, or is the literal means of spiritual regeneration of the child. It is rather either an outward sign of a confessed inward work of salvation for adult baptisms (baptistic churches, such as Southern Baptists and Pentecostal believers), and/or as a symbol that signifies the parents' and church community's vow of faith to raise the child up under God's faithfulness and the teachings of grace (padeobaptistic churches, such as the Methodist and Presbyterian churches). These denominations base their beliefs on the written Word of God over any ancient father or theologian's view (i.e., 1 Peter 3:21; Galatians 5:2-6).

The traditions of these protestant denominations do not purport to a strict and explicit view of what occurs when a child dies, since the Bible is not crystal clear on this matter. Maybe God intended it this way because if He did make it explicit that children who die before the age of accountability (Jesus' teaching in the Jewish temple at the age of 12, Hebrew tradition of the bar mitzvah, high churches' first holy communion and low churches' confirmation around this age also) would in fact go to be with Him, some very neurotic or deranged Christian parents might actually kill their children just in order to save them. However, I believe that we do have some fairly strong inferences about this with David's confession to the Lord about his child that died at birth (2 Samuel 12:23), "But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.", and what Jesus said in Mark 10:14b-16, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will not enter it. And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them."

Do these 2 accounts sound at all convincing to you? They do to me, but then that's just me. Even though it was just a TV program, I'm glad to hear that the baby pulled through via some excellent medical treatment. It's good to hear that American media still highly values the life of a child after being born.

Answer 5

The RCC (and several other sects) teach a doctrine called "Original Sin". According to this doctrine, because Adam sinned we all contain this sin within us, that is why we die and get sick, etc. Likewise, since Jesus was not born "of man", he was not born with this Original Sin. This much is certainly biblical. Sects who teach infant baptism believe that baptism "takes away" or, more accurately, "forgives" that Original Sin that all humans are born with. Thus, baptism assures that Original Sin will not be held against them in the Final Judgment.

I find it interesting that so many sects teach the "complete innocence" of children in light of the biblical teaching on Original Sin. I'm not convinced that infant baptism is effective, but I certainly see the logic behind it. It may be that sects which require adult full-immersion baptism have to overlook Original Sin in order to support their baptism teaching.

Jim, Christian, http://www.jimpettis.com/wheel/

Answer 6

The baby would have been accepted into Heaven without the baptism! The info you were given about infants being considered innocent until they are old enough to make their own decisions on their religion is correct. Some people don't realize this.

Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them; and the law of circumcision is done away in me.

For behold that all little children are alive in Christ, and also all they that are without the law. For the power of redemption come on all them that have no law; wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation, cannot repent; and unto such baptism avail nothing—
But it is MOCKERY BEFORE GOD, denying the mercies of Christ, and the power of his Holy Spirit, and putting trust in dead works.

We are suppose to follow the example of Jesus Christ. Jesus did not get baptized as an infant. Jesus was baptized when he was 30 years old. Jesus being born WITHOUT SIN and getting baptized how much more should we be baptized being born WITH SIN. The only thing is that we must make that decesion FOR OURSELVES. Babies do not make the decision for themselves, it is decided for them. THAT IS NOT FREE WILL which is what God gave us.

Answer 7

This has been a debate among Christians for years. I believe baptism is the outward sign of our inner faith. I don't see how a child can decide this on his own. I don't see any harm in it. I also don't believe people need to be baptized to be saved. Romans 10:13 says "call upon the Name of the Lord and be saved".

Answer 8

It is a Roman Catholic teaching which has held followers of that religion in limbo along with the innocent children. The teaching on limbo was just recently modified to make the Roman doctrine more appealing to Protestants and ease the minds of many questioning adherents to Roman teaching.

Most protestants dedicate or consecrate babies; but according to Scripture do not baptism them believing that God is present in His word. The Roman church teaches that God is present in His 'church;' that they are the only 'church' and therefore the only law and the only representation of God on earth..

Answer 9

Infants receive Baptism in the Catholic Church to remit them of original sin, the sin they inherited from being part of the human race. THEY ARE NOT BAPTIZED BASED ON ANY FAULT OF THEIR OWN. They haven't knowingly committed sin therefore their baptism isn't about forgiving them their trespasses. They are cleaned from the stain of original sin.

If a baby happens to die before being Baptized then it's soul is left to the mercy of God.

Answer 10

I understand religion is an escape route from death however to be baptised physically in this world means for an old bloke to poor water onto your head. It means nothing.