INFANT BAPTISM???? We will discuss infant baptism what does the - TopicsExpress



          

INFANT BAPTISM???? We will discuss infant baptism what does the bible say ?? Is it ok ..What does God think ?? The place we will even remotely find the answers to these questions is the Bible ....Understand if a practice is found to be pagan ,means it isnt of God Now I have heard the argument that it isnt in the bible to not baptize a baby ,really Lets look .... Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost....You must repent can a baby repent ?? Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.....How can a Baby believe anything ?? Can babies hear the gospel ?? Mark 16:15,16 - All who are baptized, must first have the gospel preached to them. But what good would be done by preaching to a baby? John 6:44,45 - No one can come to Jesus without being taught from the Father. This does not just mean simply hearing sounds. One must learn; he must understand the meaning of what is being taught. Can babies do this (cf. 1 Cor. 14:20)? Acts 2:36,41 - This example shows what it means for people to learn the gospel before they are baptized. The people were given evidence that Jesus is Gods Son (v14-36). They were told that, on the basis of this evidence, they must know assuredly that Jesus is Lord and Christ (v36). Those who were baptized were those who gladly received this message (v41). Can babies hear and learn in this way? Can babies understand the gospel ?? Mark 16:15,16 - Every creature who is baptized must first believe the gospel which they have been taught. Baptism is only for those who are capable of hearing and believing the gospel. No one is included in the command if they cannot first hear, understand, and believe the gospel. Can a baby do these things? Galatians 3:26,27 - However many people are baptized, all of them must do so by faith. Everyone who is baptized must first understand the gospel well enough to believe it. Acts 8:12 - When the people of Samaria gave heed to the gospel that was preached (v5,6), both men and women were baptized. When were they baptized? When they believed, not before. Can babies believe? If not, they should not be baptized until they do believe. In all Bible examples of baptism, people were baptized only when they personally had full faith, based on their own understanding of the gospel. Never were they baptized on the basis of someone elses faith, such as their parents. No one else can believe for us, just like no one can be baptized for us. [See also Acts 8:36-39; 18:8; Rom. 1:16; 10:13-17.] Can a Baby confess Christ ?? Romans 10:9,10 - To be saved, one must believe in his heart and confess Christ with his mouth. How can a baby confess Christ when it cannot even speak? Acts 8:35-39 - Here is an example of confession before baptism. The candidate for baptism must make an understandable statement, so that the one who does the baptizing knows they are baptizing someone who has faith. Babies cannot communicate regarding their faith in any understandable way, therefore it is not Scriptural to baptize them. Churches that baptize babies often have a practice called confirmation. People are baptized as babies, but later when they get old enough to understand and make their own choice about serving God, they are taught and are asked to publicly confirm their faith and their desire to live for God. The very existence of such a practice is an admission that the child did not understand, believe, and repent before he was baptized. We have now learned four things which the Bible says every person must personally do before he can be baptized. God is no respecter of persons, so the plan is the same for everyone. Before anyone can be baptized, he must hear and understand the gospel, believe it, repent of sins, and confess Christ. Little babies cannot do any of these things. Therefore, the command to be baptized is not addressed to them. To baptize them anyway would be to act without Gods authority. It would be doing something different from what God says must be done. Can a baby serve God ?? Romans 6:17,18 - To be freed from sin, one must obey from the heart the teaching delivered. This includes obedience in baptism (v3,4). God is pleased only when we serve Him from the willing choice of our own hearts. Our acts of service are valueless if someone else forces them upon us against our will or without our consent. Acts 2:40,41 - People were commanded to be saved, and they responded by being baptized. Each individual personally made his own decision. No one else can obey God for us, and no one else can make that choice for us. Other people may teach and encourage us to obey God, but they cannot decide for us whether or not we will obey. This includes obedience in baptism. Since a baby cannot possibly make this decision and cannot communicate any such decision to us, to baptize it anyway would violate Gods law of personal responsibility. [See also the notes below on Ezek. 18:20 and 2 Cor. 5:10. Cf. Rom. 2:28,29; 1 Pet. 1:22; 3:21; 2 Cor. 8:5; Rev. 22:17; Phil. 2:12; 1 Cor. 13:1-3.]
Posted on: Sat, 18 Oct 2014 04:02:56 +0000

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