Just curious - so when you baptize an infant, that infant comes to a faith in Christ? For the rest of their life?
Even if it against his will?
Should one not make a consious decision about Jesus?
Does one's parents make that decision for them?
What if that baby dies before he is baptised?
Infant baptism just seems so confusing.
Belteshazzar posted this: “So, Jesus was telling Nicodemus that first you had to be born before you can be reborn? Is that what you are saying?” And went on to make his point that being born of the water meant baptism.
While Psalm 73 posted this: “Just curious - so when you baptize an infant, that infant comes to a faith in Christ? For the rest of their life?
Even if it against his will?
Should one not make a consious decision about Jesus?
Does one’s parents make that decision for them?
What if that baby dies before he is baptised?
Infant baptism just seems so confusing.”
Both Belteshazzar and Psalm 73 are partly right, in my opinion. I agree with Belteshazzar that being born of the water means baptism, and for the reasons he gave. I agree with Psalm 73, to summarize his post, being born again cannot possibly mean INFANT baptism. I agree absolutely.
Born of the water (water baptism), yes, but not without faith being excercised, not without repentance. Not by infant baptism, rather someone being baptized who is old enough to make exercise faith and repentance.
Psalm 73 wrote:
“Just curious - so when you baptize an infant, that infant comes to a faith in Christ? For the rest of their life?
Even if it against his will?
Should one not make a consious decision about Jesus?
Does one’s parents make that decision for them?
What if that baby dies before he is baptised?
Infant baptism just seems so confusing.”
You ask a really good question.
This touches on an important, even critical difference in the way the major denominations understand God, man, the person and work of Christ, and the Gospel (the good news of forgiveness for the sake of the life and death of Jesus). Baptism is not, primarily, something man does to signify his/her commitment to Christ. God, who knows all things, already knows our hearts. It is rather something that God does in and for us.
Consider for a moment this: Jesus commanded His apostles to go out into the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all things He had commanded them, and then He promised to be with them (His disciples) until the end of the age, i.e., until Judgment Day. The church’s practice tells us how they understood this: Adults were taught to observe what Christ (not Moses - this is an important distinction) commanded first, and then baptized when they acknowledged that they believed what they had been taught. Children were baptized and then taught, something that parents were held responsible for before God from the very beginning. Baptism and instruction go hand in hand. Later, as they came of age, they confirmed their faith in that in which they had been instructed.
The goal is well illustrated by Paul’s picture of planting, watering, and then God giving the increase. (1 Corinthians 3:5ff.) God, through the ministry He established (Matthew 28:18ff.) baptizes, Paul’s “planting”, preaches and teaches the Word, Paul’s “watering”, and then God giving the increase, i.e., faith. Baptism both gives and leads to faith. But baptism is never alone. The instruction of the ministry and the training of the parents is necessary.
Might such be against the child’s will? Well, since we are all enemies of God from birth, we are all pre-disposed to be against God. But this is true of both adults and children. The Holy Spirit brings light, through Baptism and the Word, where before there was only darkness.
Should not one make a conscious decision for Christ? Well, of course one should, just as I outlined above, one way for the adult, the other for the child.
Does one’s parents make that decision for them? Well, again, yes. What do parents not decide for children? That is their duty and responsibility before God. And what parent who loves and cares for his/her child would not want to give that child such a good thing as forgiveness, eternal life, and salvation?
What if the baby dies before he is baptized? Who prevented the baptism? If it was God, we commend the child to Him, believing He is gracious and merciful for the sake of His beloved Son. If it was us, who is to blame? In the same way, if parents neglect the health and well-being of their child, who does the law hold responsible? This should give all parents a big, big wake-up call.
Infant baptism isn’t so confusing if you understand it as the Scriptures lay it out. It is primarily the gift of God to us, bringing us Christ.