Matthew 28:19 – Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Does this include or not include infants?
Acts 16:33 – At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized.
Immediately and all his family?? Did they do it in church so everyone could see? Did his family include children? Although they preached to the whole household, would babies have been able to speak for themselves?
2007-07-22 03:06:20 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
There are differing view points on this so no wonder your confused.
Some religions consider baptism an affirmation of religious beliefs. So an infant would be unable to do so. You would have to be old enough to state your beliefs.
But in some religions you are born into your faith and it is expected that they are raised and follow that religion . These religions routinely exercises infant baptism. Some faiths believe you cant get into heaven unless your baptized. So the sooner the better.
Sorry I'm rambling
2007-07-22 03:15:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Infants are not included. The household was so taken by the events that led up to the jailer's conversion that they too accepted the Lord.
2007-07-22 03:11:06 · answer #2 · answered by Little Stuart 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't believe baptism is necessary. Supposedly, we are saved by faith, not by works, so the "work" of getting wet is not necessary. Certainly getting a baby wet would not "save" the child. The "work" there isn't even the effort of the child, and God knows babies are good enough at getting themselves wet.
Baptism is more necessary for the baptisor than the baptisee. Notice the passage says for people to go out and baptise other people, not for you to go out and get baptised.
Don't worry about this. If God really loves you, He won't hold not having water sprinkled on you against you, and certainly an innocent child won't be kept away for lack of somebody else's action.
2007-07-22 03:15:43 · answer #3 · answered by jack of all trades 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't believe it was children. But that is my personal belief. I don't believe babies and small children should be baptized until they are able to understand the promises they make to God when they are baptized. They should also be able to tell the difference between right and wrong.
2007-07-22 03:10:43 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
No... Baptism requires free will consent to be valid.... you can't march a village down to the river at the point of a gun (it was done) and baptize them. Baptism is the affirmation of a previous acceptance of God... it cannot be forced, given to someone without their knowledge, after death, or without intelligent consent (babies, severely retarded, brain dead etc)
2007-07-22 03:27:26 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I imagine it does include infants unless they're specifically excepted. However a society that values freedom of religion cannot tolerate the religious indoctrination of children.
2007-07-22 03:09:23 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
NOT...how can you make a disciple of an infant? must be old enough to reason and understand.....
2007-07-22 05:50:22 · answer #7 · answered by coffee_pot12 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no metion of infant baptisim. So we cannot asume there where any infants.
2007-07-22 03:11:31 · answer #8 · answered by Vuk Bronkovic 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Can you disciple an infant??-No.
2007-07-22 03:10:26 · answer #9 · answered by Skip-Jack 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋