#1 The way Jesus described it is (a) babies "come unto" Him; and (b) "Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
Here's the context:
15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Luke 18)
#2 Even were I to be able to convince you that to little children "such belong the kingdom of God" (or face Jesus' rebuke to stop hindering them from coming unto Him)...
...even if I could convince you that...
...pre-schoolers can "believe"...
...kinderkids can "believe"...
...primary-aged kids can "believe"...
...you know what?
...People who are steadfast against these little children won't baptize them either!
So "belief" here is just a smokescreen.
It isn't the real demarcation.
Because even if I could convince you these children above can "believe," the likelihood is that your church -- or thousands of other churches in this nation -- still won't baptize them! (Which means many churches deserve the rebuke given them in Luke 18)
So direct questions here:
Would your church baptize a pre-schooler?
Would your church baptize a kinderkid?
Would your church baptize a first grader?
(& for many churches, would that church baptize a 2nd grader whose 7?)
If not, are you thereby announcing to the world, that "no," these-aged kids can't believe?
Are you claiming that these-aged kids don't fit into Jesus' definition of eternal life?
3 Now this is eternal life: that they KNOW you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." (John 17:3)
(and note: "knowing" doesn't = DEEP cognitive development)
And also, what's your stance on mental retardation (beyond mild retardation)?
Do you claim they can't "believe" also -- those whose mental development is say, 7 yrs old & younger?
And where do find your Biblical standard for a non-existent "age of accountability?"
Where is that found in the Bible?
Are you telling me that if you've been a parent, you don't hold your 7 & younger aged kids accountable?
Are you saying there was no sin present in their lives that Jesus' blood covered, or needed to be?
“So “belief” here is just a smokescreen. / It isn’t the real demarcation. “
Not hardly.
First, water baptism saves no one from their sin. It has value, but it is not in any way connected with placing someone in the body of Christ.
Second, apart from faith, there IS no conversion. There is no salvation apart from faith, and there is no justification for baptizing the unsaved.
“15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Luke 18) “
Notice they brought the infants to be blessed, and prayed for, but not for baptism. We would pray for babies, but we would not baptize them - and the same was true of Jesus.
“So direct questions here:
Would your church baptize a pre-schooler?
Would your church baptize a kinderkid?
Would your church baptize a first grader?
(& for many churches, would that church baptize a 2nd grader whose 7?)”
Answers to all: it depends on the child. Can they give some indication they know Jesus and believe? If yes, then they can be baptized. If no, then they cannot. And if one believes before we are ready to baptize, then he has already been saved:
” Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
Why do you insist on formulas? Why do you insist water baptism is needed for salvation, or can save the soul of an unbeliever? Why do you deny the 500 verses about faith and belief? Why do you insist an unbeliever can be a believer, if he is just sprinkled with water? Is it magic?
Give some scriptural evidence that God honors the water baptism of an unbeliever.