{"id":234,"date":"2005-07-14T16:15:39","date_gmt":"2005-07-14T20:15:39","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2005-07-20T15:02:16","modified_gmt":"2005-07-20T19:02:16","slug":"the-error-of-infant-baptism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biblearchive.com\/blog\/the-error-of-infant-baptism\/","title":{"rendered":"The Error of Infant Baptism"},"content":{"rendered":"

Baptizing infants. Why is it done? Is it Biblical? Does it matter?
\nJollyblogger did a series<\/a> on it<\/a> some time ago and I carefully avoided
\nspeaking about the subject so as not to become a bandwagon-jumper.
\nCurrently dealing with baptism I am brought to the point to discuss
\nthis matter that many Christians, both Protestant and Catholic, hold
\ndear.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Before I start, note that I will be resolutely standing against years
\nof church history just as I have done with the Calvinist doctrine. This
\nwould be the time for those of you that have a problem with such
\ndefiance to look elsewhere.\n<\/p>\n

\nThere are several stances on infant baptism (paedobaptism). One is that
\nit is the preliminary sacrament that must be accomplished to assure
\nsaving grace. In this school of thought the parent professes faith for
\nthe child—in outright contrary to Scripture and the Gospel. If anything
\nthis series on baptism has shown that baptism by water does nothing for
\na person and salvation is a work of God alone made available through
\npersonal faith (or trust) on the only one who can save.<\/p>\n

\n
\nThe Protestant Paedobaptist Position (say that 3 times fast)<\/strong>
\nSome Protestants view baptism (and therefore paedobaptism) as a symbol
\nof the covenantal community. A paedobaptist would look to the
\nhistorical Jewish circumcision as a justification for his position.
\nEver since God made a covenant with Abraham ({{Gen 17}}), there was
\ncircumcision in Jewish households. The mandate did not save the
\nindividual nor did it promise to make the individual a true follower of
\nthe Law—it would demarcate that member as part of the covenantal
\ncommunity. A paedobaptist would then probably solidify his position by
\nshowing us where Paul speaks of the gentile fulfilling the role of the
\nJew ({{Roman 2:27-29}}). He would also point to Hebrews saying that
\nbelievers are part of a new and better covenant. In place of
\ncircumcision, which Galatians speaks so vehemently against they might
\nsay, there is now baptism that must be done by those who believe. But
\nas in the Old Covenant, the whole house would be circumcised then in
\nthe New Covenant, the whole house must be baptized. Support for this
\nbaptism as being a covenantal sign would be the house baptisms of Acts
\nand Corinthians and the {{Romans 11}} passage of gentiles being grafted
\ninto the vine. Lastly, some superficial support would be found in {{Col
\n2}} circumcision not with hands and the mentioning of baptism.<\/p>\n

\nThe paedobaptist would explain that this is a sign that the family is
\nbeing raised behind the covenantal walls demarcated by the fellowship
\nin Christ of the believers in the house. The children in that house are
\nacknowledged as sanctified by the believers, and although not
\napparently saved, they have been set-apart for some blessing to be part
\nof that community.<\/p>\n

\nI say not apparently because there are some forms of Protestant
\npaedobaptism that sprinkle the child as a symbol of faith that they are
\nbaptizing one of God’s own elect. They readily
\nacknowledge that baptism does not save but they’ll go onto show how the
\nNew Covenant is just as conditional as the Old Covenant. That the elect
\nare not shown by their belief but by their proclaimed faith, continued
\nbelief and a life of covenant keeping. In the Last Day, they will be
\nconfirmed by God as being Elect so when an infant is baptized it
\nis a symbol of the believer’s faith in stating that “yes, this child is
\nElect” and “I am obeying God to prove my election.”<\/p>\n

\n
\nWhy Infant Baptism is Wrong<\/strong>
\nThe picture of baptism has several illustrative aspects (see previous posts). As
\na memorial illustration it looks back to the recipient of baptism dying
\nin Christ and being risen in Him ({{Rom 6}}). To do so to an infant who
\ncan’t possibly confess their faith is a (excuse the term) watering down
\nof the symbol. These infants are being made to take part in the symbol
\nof a spiritual reality when there can’t even be evidence of the
\nspiritual reality. If we don’t grab and baptize adults who step through
\nthe doors of our churches because we believe that they are elect even
\nthough they have never said anything we shouldn’t do so to infants.<\/p>\n

\nAs an identifying illustration ({{1 Peter 3}}), the baptized stands
\nwelcoming persecution in light of his public confession of a good
\nconscience. This person now states openly that they are willing to
\nsuffer for good rather than stay quiet and get by all right. By
\nbaptizing an infant as part of this identification, we are
\nillustratively making the proclamation that this infant is to welcome
\npersecution for Christ. Now, we wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) go into a
\nMuslim nation and dip them in water, baptizing them and stating that
\nthey are identifying with Christ and stand behind Him so why would we
\ndo it to an infant?<\/p>\n

\nAs a unifying illustration as Paul explains in {{Ephesians 4}}, it
\nwould be a picture that we have all as believers been baptized in
\nChrist. By baptizing an infant as part of this unifying illustration,
\nwe are saying that this person has been regenerated as much as those
\nwho are believers as adults. As such we might as well give them bread
\nand wine to remember to the Lord, which is explicitly given for
\nbelievers to remember Christ. We should then also be allowed to go into
\nour jobs, baptize people to have them to be united with us in the Body
\nof Christ as regenerate sans confession.<\/p>\n

\nIf baptism is sign of the parent’s faith that the infant is Elect and
\npart of the covenantal community then there is as much justification
\nfor baptizing anyone we speak to as long as we believe that they are
\nreally elect. Jeremy actually makes some really good points that allow
\nfor baptizing the dead<\/a> in light of baptizing infants.<\/p>\n

\nRegarding the sign of a covenantal community*<\/a> the Scriptures speak of
\nthe sign of the New Covenant as the wine and the cup, reflecting
\nChrist’s blood shed for us ({{1 Cor 11}}). The sign of the New Covenant
\nis never stated as being the baptism by water and in fact, it is never
\nstated as defining a covenantal community as spoken of in the Old
\nTestament. The covenant in the Old Testament was specifically given to
\nthe Jewish nation and they agreed to its tenets as a people ({{Exo
\n19}};{{Ex 24}}) . The Covenant given by God and mediated by Christ was
\ncompleted of His own sovereign power with no say from men. The notion
\nthat the New Covenant is conditional is contrary to Scriptures and I am
\ncertainly surprised when some devout Calvinists state as much. The New
\nCovenant is God writing on the hearts of men, not men proving that God
\nhas written in their hearts. True, they will come into that they will
\ncome into the benefits of that Covenant by faith and exemplify the
\ntruth of the matter in their maturing lives, but this is also why we
\nshouldn’t be professing this sealing on an infant. Besides the fact
\nthat the infant can’t tell her right hand from her left, how much less
\nwill she understand God’s salvation?<\/p>\n

\nAlso, if the New Covenant were to be almost a better addendum to the
\nOld Covenant (as if believers are the fulfillment of Abraham’s
\ncovenant) where certain things are supposedly replaced (Sunday for
\nthe Sabbath-false; Baptism for Circumcision-false) then it would stand
\nto reason that there would be more restrictions on baptism than
\npaedobaptists are enforcing. The Old Covenant would specify that only
\nmales are circumcised on the 8th of the month but paedobaptism offers
\nno restrictions.<\/p>\n

\nLastly the House baptisms spoken of in Acts and Corinthians in no way
\nprove that infants were baptized in those situations. That’s an
\nargument from silence and in many cases, a logical stretch. In Lydia’s
\ncase, a businesswoman about two hundred or so miles from home, I would
\nseriously doubt she was carrying an infant about on her business trip.
\nIn Cornelius’ case I would seriously doubt that the infants in the
\nhouse (if there were any) were also filled with the Holy Spirit and
\nbegan prophesying. Plus, just because you have a house and a family
\ndoesn’t mean that there’s an infant at home. <\/p>\n

\nSo finally, infant baptism merely muddies the water on what baptism
\nsignifies, is based on false assumptions regarding the Covenant of God
\nand is textually a stretch to establish from Scriptures. To perform the
\nsign as a symbol of the parents dedication still waters down the true
\nsignificance of the sign, and in those cases I would suggest that
\nparents bring the baby up before the congregation and pray for the
\nparents and the child. This would be an effective public dedication by
\nthe parents and in no way besmirches what God has established in the
\nScriptures for the elect.<\/p>\n

-r-<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Full Series<\/span>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1. Baptism Necessary for Salvation?<\/a>
\n2. One Baptism Versus the Many?<\/a>
\n3. Baptism and Big Problems<\/a>
\n4. Baptismal Regeneration (Acts 2:28)<\/a>
\n5. Deluge of Baptism Questions (Acts 1-22)<\/a>
\n6. Baptism and Romans (Rom 6:1-11)<\/a>
\n7. Noah and Baptism (2 Peter 3:20,21)<\/a>
\n8. Paul On Baptism (1 Cor 1:14-18)<\/a>
\n
\n9. The Error of Infant Baptism<\/a>
\n
\n10. Remember Your Baptism (Rom 6:1-11)<\/a>
\nRelated
\n
\nRuss On Baptism<\/a>
\nBaptism of Linkage<\/a><\/span>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n

*<\/a>I could not go on a long discussion
\nregarding the doctrine of Covenants or showing the differences thereof.
\nJollyblogger placed the burden of proof on those of us who say there is
\na difference but that goes beyond the scope of this article already 500
\nwords too long. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Baptizing infants. Why is it done? Is it Biblical? Does it matter? Jollyblogger did a series on it some time ago and I carefully avoided speaking about the subject so as not to become a bandwagon-jumper. Currently dealing with baptism I am brought to the point to discuss this matter that many Christians, both Protestant […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[8,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-234","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-church","category-study"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Error of Infant Baptism - Rey Reynoso's Bible Archive<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/biblearchive.com\/blog\/the-error-of-infant-baptism\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Error of Infant Baptism - Rey Reynoso's Bible Archive\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Baptizing infants. 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