Baptism before 18 yrs. old

[ituttut]

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 are honest in your belief for you believe the "great commission", and Peter in Acts 2, without trying to explain away the "salvation of those Jesus said He came for, viz. His people, His nation, His wife, Israel.

Later Christ Jesus from heaven gave to the Gentile, and the Jew, the "grace commission" of believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved (Acts 16). We actually see this applied earlier after Christ chose His One Apostle to the Gentile in Acts 9. Later in Acts 10 Peter was forced by Christ to do what He had never done before. Preach to a Gentile.

Acts 10:28, "And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean."

Acts 10:43-45 "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
44. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Peter acknowledges the difficulty in that day (it continues today) to understand the "grace commission" given to the Apostle Paul (Galatians 1:11-12), the "unsearchable riches of Christ".

Peter in his second book, third chapter, verses 15-18, "And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
16. As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
17. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
18. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

 

[ituttut]

That's because baptism is a sign of obedience; it's a sign of death to self.

And, although I was not saved until I was 8 or 9, I have memories from when I was 2 years old, in the house that I moved out of before I was 3, including some nightmares that I had, my dog, etc. I can give you quite a bit of detail. My wife has memories from when she was 4 (but, not back as far as when her father died), and she has had a saving knowledge of Jesus as long as she can remember.

I think that 4 year olds understanding may be the exception, but it's certainly not unheard of.

I also have memories to between 1 and 2 years of age. But I don't remember fear of God in my heart until I was five years old. I remember that "fear" like it was yesterday. Just about all my breath was taken away, with an awareness of what I had said, running and playing with neighborhood kids, making a mocking remark something like "you really believe there is a God?" in response to one a little older that brought up the subject. From that day forward I knew I would have to deal with God. I believed on the Lord Jesus Christ to save me at the age of nine, but feel He had chosen me before walking the aisle.

I was baptized into that SBC church, understanding it had no saving power, the baptism done to join the same church my parents and siblings belonged to. I saw no need to, nor do I today, but did so to be with my family and some friends, as the church required it.

 

[Brother Bob]

What is honest about saying John did not baptize Jesus?

 

[annsni]

I had the awesome honor of baptizing my daughter about a year and half back when she was 7.
Although we discussed salvation and what it meant to be a Christian often before she professed Christ as her Lord and Savior...i didn't go into great details that would lead to a commitment until she understood in own sinfunless and the need for a Savior; from there baptism was just a step of obedience.
So personally, i see no need to not baptize young people.

At the same time, in most baptist churches baptism means automatic membership (whether the candidate realizes it or not), the downfall of the situation is that you have kids as young as 4 or 5 in some cases who are authorized to "vote" in church matters.
So, i can see a reason for delaying baptism for that reason...but it's still not a good enough reason to avoid a Biblical mandate.

That's so cool about your daughter! What a blessing that must have been!

As for the membership thing - our church doesn't do that. You must have been baptized to become a member but getting baptized doesn't make you an automatic member of the church. To become a member at our church, you must be atleast 18 years old (otherwise they're under their parent's membership). I don't think it's right to have the younger kids be their own member.

Annie

 

[ituttut]

What is honest about saying John did not baptize Jesus?

Hello Brother Bob. I just posted the whole of FollowMeHome, only addressing one aspect of the post, viz. the belief that "water" baptism saves.

 

[Brother Bob]

Hello ituttut;
Sorry, I thought you were addressing what he said about John did not baptize Jesus.

 

[FollowMeHome]

This link might be helpful in understanding the purpose for baptism of infants.

 

[DHK]

I was baptized in the Catholic church.

It seems you people are on a witch hunt for Catholics on this website. You're the third person to question my church membership so far in this thread. I have only recently joined a Baptist church and having a great deal of difficulty on getting a handle on the beliefs of this religion. I'm finding very little consistency.

The inconsistency is in yourself. You are advocating Catholic doctrine. I doubt that you are a Baptist, nor even attending a Baptist Church. Your profile says that the name of your church is: "St. Maria Goretti." That is not the name of a Baptist Church. Infant Baptism is not a Baptist Disntinctive. I think you should be more honest with others in who you are. If you are not a Baptist then there are other forums where you can post such as "Other Denmoninations Forum." This Forum is for Baptists Only. Please take heed to the BB rules which you agreed to when you registered.
DHK

 

[FollowMeHome]

The inconsistency is in yourself. You are advocating Catholic doctrine. I doubt that you are a Baptist, nor even attending a Baptist Church. Your profile says that the name of your church is: "St. Maria Goretti." That is not the name of a Baptist Church. Infant Baptism is not a Baptist Disntinctive. I think you should be more honest with others in who you are. If you are not a Baptist then there are other forums where you can post such as "Other Denmoninations Forum." This Forum is for Baptists Only. Please take heed to the BB rules which you agreed to when you registered.
DHK

When I registered for on this forum, I had been attending a Baptist church for two years. In recent weeks, I have discerned that I cannot continue to attend any Baptist church. I find you doctrine very suspect, at best.

 

[DHK]

When I registered for on this forum, I had been attending a Baptist church for two years. In recent weeks, I have discerned that I cannot continue to attend any Baptist church. I find you doctrine very suspect, at best.

If our doctrine is suspect then find another board to post in, a Catholic one perhaps. This is a Baptist Board after all. And to add to that, you are posting in places reserved for Baptists Only, going against the rules that you agreed to when you registered. You knew then you were not Baptist. So why are posting in these forums?
DHK