- Why do you baptize a baby?
Why did the Israelites circumcise their 8-day-old baby boys? To bring them into the Covenant. The NT tells us that baptism is the sign of the New Covenant, and that it does for us today what circumcision did then. At the child’s baptism, the parents vow to bring them up in the Faith. At an “adult” (in the Catholic Church, anyone over the age of 7) baptism, the person speaks for themselves. This has been the practice of the Church since Pentecost.
- Where in the bible does it say to do this?
Ezekiel 36:25-27 And I will put clean water on you so that you may be clean: from all your unclean ways and from all your images I will make you clean.
26 And I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you: I will take away the heart of stone from your flesh, and give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit in you, causing you to be guided by my rules, and you will keep my orders and do them.
Remember the poem? The Old is in the New concealed, in the New is the Old revealed. 2 Tim 3:16 tells us that “Every Scripture which comes from God is of profit for teaching, for training, for guiding, for education in righteousness:” The passage in Ezekiel says that this is an outward sign that will bring about an inward change. This is a foreshadowing of NT baptism. God was preparing us in the OT for what He would do in the NT.
Acts 2:38-39 Then Peter said to them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself."
Acts 22:16And now, why are you waiting? get up, and be baptized for the washing away of your sins, giving worship to his name.
Is it through baptism that we become members of the body of Christ? Or do we become Christians by accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour? There is not a single passage in the Bible that says we become Christians by “accepting Jesus into our hearts as our personal Lord and Saviour”! That passage does not exist. It IS important to have a relationship with Christ; however, it is possible to have a relationship with Jesus and still end up rejecting/betraying Him - look at what happened to Judas. It is not a personal relationship alone that makes us Christians.
1 Corinthians 12:13 For through the baptism of the one Spirit we were all formed into one body, Jews or Greeks, servants or free men, and were all made full of the same Spirit.
Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.
Baptism makes us members of the Body of Christ. Baptism is the new entrance into the covenant with God, just as circumcision was under the old covenant.
Colossians 2:11-12 in Him ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
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I Peter 3:20-21 Who, in the days of Noah, went against God's orders; but God in his mercy kept back the punishment, while Noah got ready the ark, in which a small number, that is to say eight persons, got salvation through water: 21 And baptism, of which this is an image, now gives you salvation, not by washing clean the flesh, but by making you free from the sense of sin before God, through the coming again of Jesus Christ from the dead;
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God!
Jesus was not talking about natural birth when He said, “born of water.” Where does Scripture say that water means amniotic fluid? Nowhere! That is not reading the passage in context. That is an interpretation which is not supported by the whole of Scripture. Right after the conversation with Nicodemus:
John 3:22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
Baptism is the context in which Jesus says “born of water and the Spirit.” If you read any account of Jesus’ baptism, it is in water, and what happens when Jesus comes up out of the water? The Spirit descends upon Him. Water + the Spirit = Baptism.
Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:
Why is baptism given such paramount importance in Jesus’ final instructions to the apostles if it is only symbolic? That makes no sense whatsoever. Scripture does, however, clearly and directly support the teaching that baptism saves us, makes us members of the Body of Christ, washes away our sin, and gives us the Holy Spirit.
You might be interested in this free MP3 download,
Infant Baptism, #6 on the list.
- Does a baby baptism, mean that the person is baptized, even if it grows up not to [believe in] Christ?
Baptism is only the first step, and God is a gentleman who will not force anyone to believe in Him. When that child gets older they are confirmed, (Acts 15:32, 16:5, 1 Corinthians 1:6, Colossians 2:7). We believe that baptism places an indelible mark on the recipient, but a person can certainly grow up to reject Christ. That’s what free will is all about. Should they later repent, they do not need to be re-baptized, as we believe that baptism can only happen once in a person’s life.
