Baptism before 18 yrs. old

[PastorSBC1303]

To someone in this thread who said their children accepted Jesus as their savior at age four.........How can that be? A four year old cannot understand salvation. I don't even remember being four.

Let's be careful holding your experience of being 4 as the standard for everyone. I have known a lot of folks saved at an early age that are fine godly people. God saves different people at different ages.

Again, the water used in MY baptism was not ordinary tap water. It was blessed by a priest and became Holy Water. I do believe that the water of baptism washes away sin.

And you are a member of a baptist church?

 

[donnA]

Okay, let's all jump on me at once.

I was Catholic until recently. I have joined a Baptist church. Apart from complete amnesia, some of my Catholic beliefs will stay with me for life. This may be one of them.

To someone in this thread who said their children accepted Jesus as their savior at age four.........How can that be? A four year old cannot understand salvation. I don't even remember being four.

Again, the water used in MY baptism was not ordinary tap water. It was blessed by a priest and became Holy Water. I do believe that the water of baptism washes away sin.

John the Baptist did not actually baptize Jesus because Jesus was free of sin. If you need a scripture quote, I'll look it up for you.

You've come out of a religion of false teachings. You need to give these up for the truth of scripture. If your 'old' beleifs are not scriptural your beliving a lie. Satan is the father of lies, it is the enemy you are believing, not God.
Blessed water is still just water, plain tap water, nothing special about it, no powers to remove sin. The power is in the blood of Jesus, alone, to remove and forgive sin.
You need to start studying the bible asking God to help you see and understand, believe His truths and to help you get rid of old false beleifs.
Just to let you know, I grew up RCC. I considered what it was going to mean before I was saved to those beliefs, and was willing to give it all up for Jesus. (whats strange is that my mom was into new age too, so a lot of what I was taught to beleive wasn't even RCC, but new age metaphysical mumbo jumbo). As I read the bible I began to see things contrary to what I was taught, and through the indwelling Holy Spirit began to give up the false for the truth.

 

[donnA]

You may not know and understand all about it, but your heart has to be willing to learn and to give up whats false, what isn't scriptural.

 

[StefanM]

John the Baptist did not actually baptize Jesus because Jesus was free of sin. If you need a scripture quote, I'll look it up for you.

Mar 1:9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
Mar 1:10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opening and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. (ESV)

 

[donnA]

Mar 1:9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
Mar 1:10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opening and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. (ESV)

And theres the scripture quote. Guess John did baptize Jesus.

 

[Brother Bob]

Clean1;
DB17;

Bro. Bob,
Look at Mark 2:17, "....I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." This is Jesus speaking here. Since children are sinners, just like everyone else, then Jesus called them to repent too. 2 Peter 3:9, "....that ALL should come to repentance." That includes children.

In no way am I trying to tell someone else how to worship. That is entirely up to each of one us what we believe. I don't want to say something on here that would offend those that did baptize their children but the OP ask what we thought about infant baptism and I gave my opinion. I know people and no doubt there are some on here that was baptized as a young child and when they grew older they realized they needed a Saviour and was baptized again. I think there is a danger of convincing your child they are saved when in truth they are not. I could convince any 4 year old to say they love Jesus.

The Scripture in Mark you are supposing in order to add children. Again, show me Scripture where a Scripture is to a child and where one of the Apostles baptized one.

 

[BD17]

Clean1;
DB17;



In no way am I trying to tell someone else how to worship. That is entirely up to each of one us what we believe. I don't want to say something on here that would offend those that did baptize their children but the OP ask what we thought about infant baptism and I gave my opinion. I know people and no doubt there are some on here that was baptized as a young child and when they grew older they realized they needed a Saviour and was baptized again. I think there is a danger of convincing your child they are saved when in truth they are not. I could convince any 4 year old to say they love Jesus.

The Scripture in Mark you are supposing in order to add children. Again, show me Scripture where a Scripture is to a child and where one of the Apostles baptized one.

Bob just because scripture does not say children were baptized does not mean that were not, I really wish you could understand that LOGICALLY there were children present at the churches the river where baptism took place etc, by that understanding you can safely believe that it was possible children were baptized.

 

[donnA]

The bible teaches believers baptism.

 

[annsni]

In Scripture it talks of believing and being baptized. If a person can believe, they can be baptized. Entire households were baptized in the New Testament! My children believed (I know them well and they truly understood), and 2 of them have been baptized - the younger one still needs to be but it's been winter and our baptismal is too deep for my short little man! LOL!! He wants to be baptized but he's going to do it this summer at the beach, probably.

Who makes the decision as to whether or not a child is saved? If they have believed in their heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that He came to die for their sins, that they are sinners in need of a Savior and they want to give their lives to Him - and choose to follow Him, how can someone say that they're not saved? My children learn about Jesus from day 1 - and learn more and more about Him as they grow. As I've said, they show PROOF that they have changed, regenerated hearts and that's all I need to see. My oldest is 16 and looking to do missions soon - she has such a heart for the Lord and has been sorely persecuted for her belief (we're talking lawsuit material here, folks). She was saved at 4 and shows proof of that in her walk with the Lord. My 13 year old has such a heart for worship that it makes me cry when I see her worshipping the Lord with her whole heart - no matter what people may think of her! I hear my son singing worship songs as he goes about his day and talking to God as if He's right there next to him - and I see his heart break when he does something wrong. That all tells me that there's something that has happened in their hearts that wouldn't have happened without Jesus. Yep, I believe that children can choose to follow the Lord and be baptized. I don't believe in infant baptism since an infant cannot make that decision and I don't think it's a replacement for circumcision in a covenant relationship because there's nothing in Scripture that says that. Children can and do choose to follow God, though.

Annie

 

[Hope of Glory]

Again, show me Scripture where a Scripture is to a child and where one of the Apostles baptized one.

You won't find any. Assuming that they were is simply that: An assumption.

Now, do I think you should baptize children?

I think that what Scriptures are pointing out is that it is a mature decision that is made by mature believers; it's a concious decision of obedience in showing that you are dying to self.

I think some children (by "children", I don't mean 4 year olds) can make that concious desicion responsbibly. But, most cannot.

 

[DorthyMontine]

When our son was 9 we noticed from his questions, his confessions, his struggles what we believed was an awareness of sin and it's consequences. We never tried to talk him into accepting Jesus, likewise, we never treated him as though he was too young to understand. We prayed and continued to answer questions and study God's word with him.

One morning he came to us and shared that he had been saved. He told us that the previous night, in his room, he was reading the following passage

Romans 5: 8-12

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."

He shared how the part in the passage about us being sinners and Christ dying for us and how his blood saves from wrath had really convicted him. Especially the part about being an enemy with God, but that he saw that by the death of his son, we could be saved. He said he had cried and begged Jesus to save him from his sins and he believed the Lord had answered his prayer and saved him. We saw before us a changed young man. He was eager to stand up at church and share and wanted to be baptized.

He couldn't wait for Wednesday to come around so he could stand up and tell everyone at church he had been saved. Wednesday came and he was running a temp of 103. His father told him he could stay home and wait until Sunday. But, he refused. He said, "I've got to share this good news!" So, he went to church and openly shared. He asked to be baptized the following Sunday. (My husband just happened to be the pastor also!) My son wanted to be baptized in flowing water...such as the river or nearby large creek. It was January in Arkansas! At any rate, after much persuasion, my husband agreed. That Sunday, Adam once again was running a temp of over 101. BUT he refused to postpone his baptism. We couldn't refuse him... and so, in January, running a temp of over 101, my son was baptized in Piney Creek, in Calico Rock, AR.

We've watched our son struggle with sin like any other Christian and also seen him mature and get a grasp on scriptures unlike some adult Christians who've been at it a lot longer. I'm not boasting, I'm simply sharing this to say.... Let GOD work, and trust Him to take care of the children!


Mt 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.


By the way...we found it interesting that his fever left immediately following his baptism!
Awesome!

 

[Cix]

I believe that baptism is the cleansing of the original sin as opposed to the membership in a religion.

Baptism does nothing to cleanse any sin. Baptism is done in obiedience to the Lord after the Holy Spirit has convicted you and you repent your sins and accept Jesus as your savior.

What you're doing is just wetting a baby's head, nothing more. I was baptized as an infant and spent 34 years as a lost soul on this earth until the Holy Spirit opened my eyes and entered my heart.

 

[Cix]

Bob your post is contradicts itself, you say you baptize when someone is old enough to understand that they are lost, yet in other of your posts, you say people are not lost. Infants and small children are innocent of any wrong doing. So when does the wrong that they do that you believeis not wrong, become wrong?

When does the infant or small child change from being "innocent" to becoming guilty of sin?

Answer: He is born with it.

 

[DorthyMontine]

Cix.... I was raised in the Church of Christ... I was baptized three different times.... age 10, age 16 and age 21. Believing this was how my sins would be washed away and I'd become a Christian. None of those dunkings washed my sins away nor changed my heart at all. I continued as before, except maybe more of a Pharisee...so to speak.

However, when I placed my faith in the finished work of Christ Jesus upon Calvary, was born of the Spirit and made a new creation in the Lord Jesus... I was then baptized in water as an outward show of what had now truly taken place, spiritually! PRAISE THE LORD!

 

[Brother Bob]

When does the infant or small child change from being "innocent" to becoming guilty of sin?

Answer: He is born with it.

So Cix; There are a lot and I mean a lot of babies who die as an infant without ever being baptized. I ask you being you say they are sinners, which is different than being born with a sinful nature because of Adam's sin. For them to be sinners they would of had to sin. Anyway, being that many die without baptism, what happens to them? :tear:

 

[rlvaughn]

There's the questions.
When.
Who.

When? In the Bible, the consistent historical evidence is that the apostles baptized a person very soon after he or she professed faith in Christ, evidently at the first opportunity. On the other hand, there quite a lack of evidence of baptizing persons of a young age -- none at all, unless one is willing to include whomever they wish in the cases of household baptisms. It seems a fair conclusion that the apostles were faithfully fulfilling the commission and are our best interpreters of it. If they did not make a concerted effort to persuade young children to be baptized, should we?

Is there a conflict here? Baptisms quickly following profession of faith, yet waiting to baptize our children? Not necessarily, if we consider that baptism is likely associated with a willful commitment to be a disciple of Jesus Christ rather than a simple recognition that we claim to be children of God. I have not resolved all these issues, so am somewhat "thinking out loud."

Who? Again using the idea that the apostles are the best interpreters of the great commission, it is interesting to note that baptism in the New Testament does seem to be limited to preachers (with the possible exception of Philip). Nevertheless, the idea of someone "special" performing the baptism seems to add a sort of "inordinate affection" to the whole idea of baptism. I really can't think of a word to describe exactly what I mean. What is the motivation for a husband baptizing a wife or a grandparent baptizing a grandchild? Does it make it more meaningful? How so? Does the kind of meaninfulness the use of this administrator achieves possibly detract from what is the real meaning of baptism? Would one look back on it as the day one publicly committed to follow Christ or as the special day "hubby" baptized me? Gina, I'm kind of thinking out loud again, just wondering what motivates this thinking. Either way, I would stick with the ones of which there is no question, since we have a biblical example of the preachers performing baptisms. In one case we give someone a baptism that some down the road might find questionable, while in the other a situation none will question (at least on the basis of the administrator). Why set up possible future problems when it can be avoided?

 

[Clean1]

Bro. Bob,
You've been putting all of us to task for Biblical proof of our position, but where's your Biblical proof? Do you have a text/verse to support infant baptism for Salvation or anything else?

 

[Brother Bob]

Clean1;
There is no Scripture for infant baptism so no, I don't have any and neither do I believe in it. Hope that answers your question. It is those that are suggesting infant baptism should produce Scripture. How can you produce Scripture for a nonhappening in the Scripture.
When you say "anything else, I take that as a slur".

rlv;
We have in our articles of faith it must be a ordained Elder who baptises people but there can be a husband, father or any lay member who can help do the baptizing it is just the Elder is the one who actually does the baptizing.

 

[Brother Bob]

Bro. Bob,
You've been putting all of us to task for Biblical proof of our position, but where's your Biblical proof? Do you have a text/verse to support infant baptism for Salvation or anything else?

Matthew, chapter 19

"14": But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew, chapter 18

"3": And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

These children were already "such as the Kingdom of Heaven", didn't say anything about them having to be baptized first, the Lord just picked them out.

Now where is your Scripture that they must be baptized?

 

[BD17]

Matthew, chapter 19

"14": But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew, chapter 18

"3": And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

These children were already "such as the Kingdom of Heaven", didn't say anything about them having to be baptized first, the Lord just picked them out.

Now where is your Scripture that they must be baptized?

Once again Brother Bob rips verses out of context to prove his point. Let me ask you a question Brother Bob... should women be baptized?