Baptism question?

Question

When should a baby be baptized?

Answer 1

I was baptized as a baby and I really wish I had been given the choice of religion.

Answer 2

Never. Baptism is a sacrament of the believer. If you wish to dedicate the child feel free, but a child has to know what they are doing when they go under. I was 22 when I was Baptized and I had grown up in the Church. I believe it was more meaningful for me because I was not pressured into it.

Jesus was 30 before he was Baptized. So any way you slice it Baptism is for those that truly know the significance and reasons behind it.

Answer 3

They should not. Matthew 28:19-20 instructs Christians make disciples, then baptize them. A disciple is one who is taught.
Acts 8:12 speaks of those baptized in the first century as MEN and WOMEN, and this after they believed.
Baptism is a symbol of something that one needs to be old enough to comprehend.

Answer 4

Baptism is a commandment from God. I have never seen in the bible anything about a baby being baptized. Baptism is for people who are old enough to know that they are making a commitment to Christ. The act of infant baptism is man-made, not God-directed.

Answer 5

A baby should not be baptized because a little child is not yet acquinted with the right and wrong and has not yet committed a sin. The meaning of baptism is the taking away of sins. Catholics are wrong on this matter.
jtm

Answer 6

I disagree with Father K's ultimate reason for baptism, but he does make a good point about the covenant relationship between God and man, and how baptism fulfills that covenant. And I would agree with baysailor_2003 that it's more of a matter of getting friends and relatives together and making an appointment with the pastor to get this done in a timely manner.

In other words, don't worry about the chastising of the credo Baptists who see no other "formula" than theirs as being the correct method for this rite. I think it's better to just stick with an answer to your question and tell you it should be done at your earliest convenience.

Answer 7

Babies should not be baptized. Until a person is the age where they can be accountable for their actions, they shouldn't be baptized. That is a doctrine that the Catholic church made up. Children are NOT born in sin. Baptism by sprinkling of water is also a Catholic doctrine, not taught in the Bible. Christ showed us how to be baptized, by immersion.

Answer 8

Assuming you are a communicant in one of the branches of Christianity that celebrates infant baptism, the answer usually depends more on when it's convenient for family and friends to gather than the age of the child. You want to have enough time to meet with your priest/pastor/minister to talk about the sacrament beforehand. You want to have your family and friends present to celebrate the occasion, and sometimes that takes weeks or months to arrange. Otherwise, as soon as possible, so your baby is welcomed into the family of faith.

As for all the answers from people who argue for believer's baptism, that wasn't the question being asked. The vast majority of Christians in the U.S., the overwhelming majority of Christians in the world, and all but a relative handful of all the Christians who have ever lived have practiced infant baptism. If you don't believe in infant baptism, that's your right, but don't assume you are anything but a minority opinion.

Answer 9

There are no Scriptures that state an infant should be baptized. But someone who gains the knowledge of what the meaning of being baptized is about is the only one who should be baptized. 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 things I have commanded you. Matthew 28:19,20 Jesus shows that they should be of an age to observe all the things he commanded.

Answer 10

Baptizing a baby, does not save it.