Posted on 05/26/2009 7:45:40 AM PDT by GonzoII
That’s right. Baptism never saves unless the person being baptized has received the Lord Jesus Christ into his or her life. THEN we baptize to cleanse them from their sin.
Belief in Christ is FIRST and then baptism. It’s not the other way around.
That's what Catholics believe:
1226 From the very day of Pentecost the Church has celebrated and administered holy Baptism. Indeed St. Peter declares to the crowd astounded by his preaching: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."26 The apostles and their collaborators offer Baptism to anyone who believed in Jesus: Jews, the God-fearing, pagans.27 Always, Baptism is seen as connected with faith: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household," St. Paul declared to his jailer in Philippi. And the narrative continues, the jailer "was baptized at once, with all his family."28
26 Acts 2:38.
27 Cf. Acts 2:41; 8:12-13; 10:48; 16:15.
28 Acts 16:31-33.
Source: http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p2s2c1a1.htm#II
From what I gather on these posts, infant baptism is salvific. That’s where we part company, I think.
That is correct, I could only point to the tradition
of the early Church to prove directly that infant baptism was practiced, but Scripture does not say that it is forbidden.
I have no real problem with infant baptism. I was baptized as an infant but also re-baptized in a pond when I became an adult. It just bothers me that many believe their infant baptism saves them and that’s not true. It may help sanctify them for God’s use but it doesn’t save.
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