I really have no desire to continue rehashing the same arguments that I already know will not change anyone's mind. The only thing I'll leave you with is this:
I have a brother who, as we all were, was baptized into the Roman Catholic Church as a baby. But this man calls himself an atheist today and he is so far away from living a holy life than anyone I know. His baptism DID NOT SAVE him. Had he died as a baby, before knowing right from wrong, he would be in heaven REGARDLESS of whether or not he was baptized. Without a personal exercise of faith in Christ, baptism is pointless. The ordinance of water baptism DOES NOT SAVE anyone if they have not made a personal profession of faith. In fact, the very act of water baptism was an outward identification with Christ's death, burial and resurrection. Sprinkling water three times on the head is not even how water baptism was done in the early church. It was a total body immersion into the water to symbolize being buried with Christ and then being raised out of the water as symbolic of His resurrection and a commitment to walk henceforth in newness of life - a total change of life. There is NO way a baby can understand this and a parent cannot do this for a baby and have it recognized by God as the person the baby grows into being a saved person. Not without faith!
In Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, it says this about Colossians 2:12
wherein also ye are risen with him; Christ is risen from the dead as the head and representative of his people, and they are risen with him; and their baptism is also an emblem of his and their resurrection, being administered by immersion, in which way only this can be signified; for as the going down into the water, and being under it, represents Christ's descending into the state of the dead, and his continuance in it, so the immersion, or coming up out of the water, represents his rising from the dead, and that of his people in him, in order to walk in newness of life; for the apostle's meaning is, that in baptism saints are risen with Christ, as well as in it buried with him: and this through the faith of the operation of God; that is, it is through faith that saints see themselves buried and risen with Christ, to which the ordinance of baptism is greatly assisting, where there is true faith; for otherwise, without faith, this ordinance will be of no use to any such end and purpose; and it is not any faith that will avail, but that which is of God's operation; faith is not naturally in men, all men have it not; and those that have it, have it not of themselves, it is the gift of God; it is what be works in them, and by his power performs:
who hath raised him from the dead; this is a periphrasis of God the Father, to whom the resurrection of Christ from the dead is generally ascribed; though not to the exclusion of Christ, and of the Spirit, who were also concerned; and is here added, partly to show in what respect faith, which is God's work, has him for its object, as having raised Christ from the dead, who was delivered for offences, but is risen again through the power of God for justification, and whoever with his heart believes this shall be saved; and partly to show, that the same power is exerted in working true faith in the heart, as was put forth in raising Christ from the dead.
I dislike getting caught up in endless discussions that only rehash the same arguments over an over again. I really don't see this as someone "misrepresenting" what the Roman Catholic Church teaches on the subject - it's been more than made clear. I just do NOT agree with it, nor do many others, and I have no fear at all about saying why I disagree with what the Roman Catholic Church teaches nor about the history of what early Christians believed and how what they believed was changed over the years. It is far more important to stress the truth of the Gospel of the grace of God that saves us through faith in Christ. It is that faith that saves and not the works we do afterward. We may never agree this side of heaven about some of the doctrines your church teaches but of all of them, the doctrine of justification by faith and not works is the one I want most to spend my time on. This is because ONLY this is what makes the difference between who is saved and who is lost.
Gill’s exposition of the entire bible?
one need read no further than his phrase “ baptism in water is a LIVELY REPRESENTATION” ( my emphasis )
representation? LOL! compare this to the Scriptures, do they ever say baptism is a “representation” NO!
now, read my prior posting to see how faithful the Church Fathers were to the Scriptures and Apostolic Tradition.
I can understand why one would not want to get caught up with endless exposition of the fallacy of their views, and the fact that they have used NO Scripture to refute infant baptism, but only Scripture which are unspecific as to the reservation of baptism for adults.
As for having to believe in infant baptism because the Church commands it, well, as you claim, I have chosen to follow the Word of God as given to His Apostles and which comes to me through His Church.
I have chosen to accept Jesus and therefore accept ALL that His Church holds and teaches. If I have done so at any command, is it the command of Jesus.
****NO way supports your contention that Jesus said to baptize children.*****
Let us get this clear. It is not my contention we are discussing, as it has been the practice of the Church to baptize infants and you have offered no proof otherwise.
Rather, it is your contention that Jesus told the Apostles to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey all that I command and baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, oh, except for infants and children up to the age of......Whatever.