Being Baptised As Babies?

[Cure of Ars]

ummm... as far as i can see.. sprinkling water on a baby's head only makes the baby's head get wet...

the baby is still a sinner... the bible clearly states we are only made right before God if we believe with our hearts and confess with our mouths that Jesus died for our sins.

I haven't had many babies preaching the gospel to you lately...how about you...?

God has accounted for the fact that infants aren't able to do this liet alone understand what they are doing...

As for sprinkling water on their heads??? um... where is that in the bible?

And don't give me vague references... show me where Jesus commanded it...

The Bible clearly talks about “sprinkling” here;

I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees. (Ezekiel 36:25-26)

Baptism is more than a symbol because symbols can not give us the grace to save us. It can not be more explicit in this regard.

“This prefigured baptism, which saves you now.” (Peter 3:21)

There is not interpretive gymnastics to get around this if you take the Bible seriously.

If I came under original sin by no act of my own through the lack of faith of Adam and Eve the first parents. Why can’t I become reunited to God by no act of my own as a baby though the faith of my parents? It should work both ways dont' you think. The problem is that you believe the non-biblical doctrine that salvation is a one-time event and not a process. This is also very clear in the Bible, “…but whoever endures to the end will be saved. (Matt 10:22)

God bless

[Freaky Chik]

Hey Steve

Yeh, well thanks everybody for all that information.... I'm not convinced, but then again I didn't come to be convinced just to hear what you all believe

God bless!

[Chastisement]

the baby is still a sinner... the bible clearly states we are only made right before God if we believe with our hearts and confess with our mouths that Jesus died for our sins.

By your logic you could also argue that those with mental and intellectual handicaps don't truely understand the Lord or salvation.

And since they will never truely understand, unlike a baby, they are condemned.

[Cure of Ars]

Hey Steve 

Yeh, well thanks everybody for all that information.... I'm not convinced, but then again I didn't come to be convinced just to hear what you all believe 

God bless!

Opinion changed against one’s will is of the same opinion still. ;)

[Paladin D]

Pass the popcorn.

[Robyn]

Hey Freaky Chik! :D

(My lil bro showed me this place)

The Ezekiel verse is right! I just checked it

But I'm the same. I was CHRISTENED as a baby, and when I was older I was BAPTIZED.

Ok, in my denomination, babies are DEDICATED, not Christened. But there I'm not saying it's bad. Just not OUR practice. But I do believe it's more important than christening...

AND I'm a professional in the Disability Field...somebody mentioned intellectually disabled people and kids as not having the mental ability to understand their salvation....true true...BUT there is something in the bible (which I don't have time to find, sorry) that says children are mentally able to decide at about ae 7. I place disabled people in this category - if their mental age doesn't reach 7...and I know of MANY middle aged and elderly ppl in this category, then I believe they are ok... but it's a hard one to draw the line on! SO don't take this as Fact, coz it's more my experience ;)

[soundguy]

I have been baptisted/christened as a baby, but not as an adult. It has been something that has been on my mind but I am waiting on the right time.

It didn't change me as a baby, I still sinned (and heck I still do, for we all have fallen short of the glroy of God -- I can't help that...we have a sinful nature!). It was my parents decision, NOT MINE!

[Freaky Chik]

Hi robyn, I know who you are :P

[Azriel]

I have been baptisted/christened as a baby, but not as an adult. It has been something that has been on my mind but I am waiting on the right time.

It didn't change me as a baby, I still sinned (and heck I still do, for we all have fallen short of the glroy of God -- I can't help that...we have a sinful nature!). It was my parents decision, NOT MINE!

This is isn't exactly great logic, and while I never dive into these debates, since I'm having a child soon, I feel obligated.

How do you know that being baptized as a baby didn't change you? You say you were still a sinner ... well those baptized as adults are still sinners as well, so your logic is faulty.

It is my role in God's kingdom to give my child the best start possible. Why should I not set them on the path of God as a child? That is what the sacrament of baptism is for.

Being able to so-called "understand" baptism, or God ... doesn't mean that you are no longer a sinner, which is what you seem to be implying.

All of us are sinners, all.

[soundguy]

I just want to reply to that saying: I did not mean to say once u have been baptised as an adult you don't sin (if it came out that way, I'm sorry).

What I am trying to say is: To be baptised is saying 'I believe in Jesus, I take back my old ways and I want to try and be 100% living for you Jesus, I give my life to you - I want to be vanurable to you.

[cmotherofpirl]

To be baptised is to have water poured over you with the words" I baptise you in the name of the Father, of the Son a nd of the Holy Spirit".

this is taken directly from matthew 28:18-20.

We are baptised because Jesus commanded it in John 3: Jesus answered, "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.

Under the Old Covanant, a male had to be circumcised : the person was incorporated into the people of God and made a partaker in the Messianic promises; a name was bestowed upon him and he was reckoned among the children of Abraham, the father of all believers.

As St Paul points out Baptism replaces circumcision as enterance to the Kingdom of God. Jews were circumcised at 8 days old. That is when they entered the family of Abraham.

So not baptise our babies would be to deprive them of of remission of original sin, entrance into the Body of Christ, and be a sinful failure on our part as parents.

The idea that one must wait til they are grown up to choose to follow God is not bibical. Go read the proverbs on the ways to bring up a child.

The Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:

2

2 That men may appreciate wisdom and discipline, may understand words of intelligence;

3

May receive training in wise conduct, in what is right, just and honest;

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3 That resourcefulness may be imparted to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

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A wise man by hearing them will advance in learning, an intelligent man will gain sound guidance,

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That he may comprehend proverb and parable, the words of the wise and their riddles.

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4 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; wisdom and instruction geniuses despise.

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5 Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and reject not your mother's teaching;

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A graceful diadem will they be for your head; a torque for your neck.

So we are to teach and educate our children, but not make them members of the Kingdom of God?

[Freaky Chik]

You cannot force anybody to be part of God's kingdom, that is their choice... not the choice of their parents. I mean, if i relied on my parents choice on whether I wanted to follow God or not... well.... I wouldn't be following God then.

[Cure of Ars]

You cannot force anybody to be part of God's kingdom, that is their choice... not the choice of their parents. I mean, if i relied on my parents choice on whether I wanted to follow God or not... well.... I wouldn't be following God then.

Was Adam and Eve a part of God's Kingdom before the fall? If not who's kingdom did they belong to?

Did they choose to enter God's Kingdom or were they created into it?

Did you choose to be part of your country (kingdom) or where you born into it?

If they did not choose to be created as a part of God' Kingdom what is the problem of having babies enter into it by no choice of their own? It was what God originally intended.

Baptism is the starting point. It is how we are born again (John 3:5) which is needed because of original sin due to the fall (Rom 5:12-14). You can always later "choose" to reject God's Kingdom and be apart of Satan's kingdom.

Edited August 29, 2003 by Cure of Ars

[Cure of Ars]

BUT there is something in the bible (which I don't have time to find, sorry) that says children are mentally able to decide at about ae 7.

I would be interested in this Biblical passage because I am not aware of it.

[Robyn]

if I forget to post it, remind me. I have to find it

Not 100% sure abt the wording, but basically it says there is a point in our lives where we are not accountable because we're not mentally capable of understanding our actions.