Luke 18:15–16 tells us that “they were bringing even infants” to Jesus; and he himself related this to the kingdom of God: “Let the children come to me
. . . for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”
When Baptists speak of “bringing someone to Jesus,” they mean leading him to faith. But Jesus says “even infants” can be “brought” to him. Even Baptists don’t claim their practice of “dedicating” babies does this. The fact is, the Bible gives us no way of bringing anyone to Jesus apart from baptism.
Thus Peter declared, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/pingsyou, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children” (Acts 2:38–39).
The apostolic Church baptized whole “households” (Acts 16:33; 1 Cor. 1:16), a term encompassing children and infants as well as servants
Read the rest of the article:
https://www.catholic.com/tract/early-teachings-on-infant-baptism
The crying of imaginary infants being baptized echoes throughout you posts...
BUT YOU'VE YET TO PRODUCE ONE WET INFANT
You know...if you are a Roman Catholic priest you are committing a grave error in your handling of the Scriptures.
The context of the passage refutes your claim that infants were baptized. It also refutes the Roman Catholic claim that one is saved through baptism.
25But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. 27When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
28But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” 29And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas,
30and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house.
33And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. 34And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly,
having believed in God with his whole household.
Acts 16:25-34 NASB
The jailer and his household all believed. The text is clear on this.
For your position to be correct the following has to be in place:
there are infants in the household though none are mentioned in the passage above.
if an infant were present you're expecting us to believe a two month old can understand what Paul is saying and can affirm in the positive or negative they want to believe.
You are practicing eisegesis....the process of interpreting a text or portion of text in such a way that the process introduces one's own presuppositions, agendas, or biases into and onto the text.
In addition to taking the verse out of context, it is one of the most damaging ways to handle the Scriptures.
I really do hope you are not a priest in any denomination if you cannot handle the Scriptures any better than you have demonstrated thus far.
Didn't realize you held Baptists in such high esteem.
The fact is, the Bible gives us no way of bringing anyone to Jesus apart from baptism.
Baptism occurs after one hears and believes the Gospel. The passage in Acts you took out of context shows that clearly.
Do you just ignore the words of those early church leaders who did NOT agree that babies should be baptized? You claimed infant baptism was something the Catholic church held to from the beginning. That was shown to be false.
Then you need to re-read the Gospels.
1 Corinthians 1:11-17 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
Romans 10:9-13 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
I and most readers who think about it, understand why this lie is so precious to you, a Catholic Priest. If this lie is exposed for its falseness it removes some of the power your ORG (rhymes with Bord) has vested to you. But the Scriptures expose this lie in many passages, not the least of which is 'Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.'
Which was not by baptizing them, which He could have done if that was how they were to be brought to Him, but it was by physically bringing them to Him to lay hands on them to be blessed. (Matthew 19:
And presenting infants to the Lord in dedicating them is what is Scriptural. (1 Samuel 1:25) Joseph and Mary did so, ad Simeon "took he him up in his arms, and blessed God..." (Luke 2:28) And the sacrifice offered as part of this was for the women to "make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood." (Leviticus 12:7) not the infant. 14)
The fact is, the Bible gives us no way of bringing anyone to Jesus apart from baptism.
Once again your "fact" is fallacious, for baptism is nowhere shown to be how infants are brought to Christ as you assert, and instead wholehearted repentant faith is the stated requirements for baptism, (Acts 2:38; 8:36,37) which infants need and cannot provide.
In addition, it is faith which baptism requires and expresses which appropriates forgiveness in the washing of regeneration, as Peter makes clear.
To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. (Acts 10:43-44)
Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? (Acts 10:47)
And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. (Acts 15:7-9)
Which account is interpretive of Acts 2:38, in which the promise is made of the washing of regeneration if they will be baptized in repentant faith, since baptism testifies to that faith.
For such convicted and contrite souls to be baptized was to believe,which is what effects purifying of the heart, likewise for the paralytic in Mark 2 to be forgiven was to walk, with the command to walk being used for "be forgiven," since the latter effects the former, and in that order.
Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. (Mark 2:9-11)
It is not the action that effects the forgiveness, but the latter effects the action and testifies to forgiveness, and thus as in Acts 2:38 a promise of forgiveness can be made if one will do the action, which requires faith.