Are the children of Baptist parents Chirstian?

[Mark01]

I’ve been following a thread here about infant baptism and a question has come to mind about the children of Baptist parents. Are they considered Christians because of their birth to Baptist parents or not until they are baptized?

I can’t recall what the term is when an infant of Baptist parents is brought before the church and the congregation gives their support to help bring the child up in the congregation. I’ve seen this done several times at the Baptist church my wife is a member of, very similiar to an alter call, but the parents are presenting their wishes not the child.

From the discussions I’ve had with my wife about baptism in her Baptist church it is my understanding that a child is accepted as a member of the congregation but is not baptized as a Christian until they can profess a belief in Jesus as their savior. For my wife this was around the age of nine.

I ask this specifically to those who are professed Baptist since they have a very strong belief concerning “believer’s baptism” and being born again in order to be saved.

If one looks at the early Church at it’s start in the first generation of believers, all were converts to the Christian faith. I can see the logic of a believer’s baptism in that first generation of converting people but I get quite lost in trying to understand the logic of a believer’s baptism as it applies to the second generation Christian till present day.

Can one of my Baptist brothers or sisters shed some logic on this.

 

[1ke]

I’ve been following a thread here about infant baptism and a question has come to mind about the children of Baptist parents. Are they considered Christians because of their birth to Baptist parents or not until they are baptized?

The Catholic response to this is that baptism incorporates you into the Body of Christ-- you become a Christian via baptism. So, an unbaptized person is not a Christian.

Although, as you know when a Catechumen is seeking baptism but dies before they receive it, they are counted among the faithful. An argument could be made that a Baptist child could have baptism of desire if there is evidence that the child *wanted *to be baptized but had to wait until they were of the correct age.

I can’t recall what the term is when an infant of Baptist parents is brought before the church and the congregation gives their support to help bring the child up in the congregation. I’ve seen this done several times at the Baptist church my wife is a member of, very similiar to an alter call, but the parents are presenting their wishes not the child.

Some groups practice baby dedication. It is not baptism, and does not remit Original Sin nor incorporate one into the Body of Christ.

 

[4Squarebaby]

They are being raised to be Christian. The baby dedication services you saw were the parents and church promising to do all they can to make the child a Christian. In the end when the child is old enough to understand he/she will truly believe and be born again as a Christian or not.

 

[blazerdave]

4Square’s right. They don’t call their children “Christian” until there is a prayer of repentance and/or a profession of faith. But they would still describe themselves as a Christian home and a Christian family. For Baptists, as I understand it, to be Christian is to have faith. After that faith, one can join the church. For folks like us, a Christian is one who has been brought into the Church through Baptism. It’s a different use of the term.

 

[MastersServant2]

I’ve been following a thread here about infant baptism and a question has come to mind about the children of Baptist parents. Are they considered Christians because of their birth to Baptist parents or not until they are baptized?

I can’t recall what the term is when an infant of Baptist parents is brought before the church and the congregation gives their support to help bring the child up in the congregation. I’ve seen this done several times at the Baptist church my wife is a member of, very similiar to an alter call, but the parents are presenting their wishes not the child.

From the discussions I’ve had with my wife about baptism in her Baptist church it is my understanding that a child is accepted as a member of the congregation but is not baptized as a Christian until they can profess a belief in Jesus as their savior. For my wife this was around the age of nine.

I ask this specifically to those who are professed Baptist since they have a very strong belief concerning “believer’s baptism” and being born again in order to be saved.

If one looks at the early Church at it’s start in the first generation of believers, all were converts to the Christian faith. I can see the logic of a believer’s baptism in that first generation of converting people but I get quite lost in trying to understand the logic of a believer’s baptism as it applies to the second generation Christian till present day.

Can one of my Baptist brothers or sisters shed some logic on this.

I will speak as a Christian who attends a Baptist church. What was the first thng people did once they received the Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts; they heard the message, then they believed and upon believing the message they were saved/received the Holy Spirit, then what was the next thing? They were Water baptized as a “profession of that faith” thus the “believers baptism”. This is a command or ordinance and act of obedience and really for most, the first act of obedience.

keep in mind I am coming from the Baptist understanding and I believe the Christian; but I also recognize that not all religions see it that way; just trying to answer the question in the context to which it was asked.