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Should we baptize babies? The Christian Church continues to be sharply divided over this important question. Those who answer "yes" (Lutherans, Catholics, Episcopalians, Methodists, etc.) claim Biblical support for their position. Those who answer "no" (Baptists, Seventh Day Adventists, many "Bible" or "evangelical," or "non-denominational" churches) say the Bible is on their side. The pro-infant baptism churches assert that Christ commanded infant baptism. The opposing side asserts that nowhere is such a thing commanded. They hold that at best it is useless and at worst harmful. It is their practice to rebaptize adults who were baptized as babies. The Lutheran...

At this point in our series on the sacraments, it is important to look at the best Baptist arguments against the Reformed position on infant baptism. Iron always sharpens iron! This lecture deals with specific Baptist objections to paedobaptism in light of our previous and comprehensive development of the theology of the Covenant of Grace and the initiatory sacrament of that covenant; circumcision--baptism. Thus, this lecture is not a positive statement but a polemical response, which necessarily builds upon the previous lectures. The Baptist arguments against infant baptism that I have selected [many of which I myself used when a...

IT is admitted by all who believe in the propriety of water baptism that believers in Christ, or all who are "the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus," are proper subjects of baptism; hence we deem it useless to stop a moment to present proof upon that subject. The question we propound is this, Are believers the only proper subjects of baptism? That the Baptist position upon this question is erroneous, we shall endeavor to show. I. That the INFANT CHILDREN of believing parents are proper subjects of Christian baptism, is a plain, direct, and necessary inference from...

WHY BAPTIZE BABIES Church Covenant Included Children When God made a church covenant with Abraham for the generations to follow He made an everlasting covenant and in it He included children. This covenant was to continue as long as the human race. Read Gen. 17:7: "And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee In their generations for an everlasting covenant." Again, Gen. 17:9: "And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations." Circumcision was the sign or "token of the covenant." Read...