Does the bible have any Infant Baptism passage?

[shannin]

I’d be afraid not to get my children baptized.
Would someone more knowledgable than I am explain to Spokenword what the sacrament of confirmation is.

Shannin

 

[Fiat]

Dear SPOKENWORD:

Try this site: convert.org/infant.htm

In particular, look at the eighth paragraph down. It states that the ocnversion of a female infant or child according to Conservative and Orthodox practices only requires tevilah (immersion in a ritual bath called a mikveh). A male child also requires immersion in the mikveh. Prior to the immersion, the male must have a brit milah. The article also states that “a minor can be converted even though not mature enough to understand the act because making the minor Jewish is performing a favor for that infant or child.”

In Peace
Fiat

 

[SPOKENWORD]

shannin:

I’d be afraid not to get my children baptized.
Would someone more knowledgable than I am explain to Spokenword what the sacrament of confirmation is.

Shannin

Hi Shannin, Fear is not of the Lord. We are only to fear God. God Bless.

 

[SPOKENWORD]

Fiat:

Dear SPOKENWORD:

Try this site: convert.org/infant.htm

In particular, look at the eighth paragraph down. It states that the ocnversion of a female infant or child according to Conservative and Orthodox practices only requires tevilah (immersion in a ritual bath called a mikveh). A male child also requires immersion in the mikveh. Prior to the immersion, the male must have a brit milah. The article also states that “a minor can be converted even though not mature enough to understand the act because making the minor Jewish is performing a favor for that infant or child.”

In Peace
Fiat

Okay, How does Johns baptism of repentence tie in with Jewish ceromonies.? Jewish people did not believe in original sin? Notice that when that child reaches the age of 12 they may renounce thier belief. Is that the age of reason? God Bless.

 

[AmyS]

SPOKENWORD:

Okay, How does Johns baptism of repentence tie in with Jewish ceromonies.? Jewish people did not believe in original sin? Notice that when that child reaches the age of 12 they may renounce thier belief. Is that the age of reason? God Bless.

What age do you think people should be baptized?

 

[SPOKENWORD]

AmyS:

What age do you think people should be baptized?

I personally believe it has nothing to do with age, But only when the child understands the purpose. God Bless.

 

[AmyS]

SPOKENWORD:

I personally believe it has nothing to do with age, But only when the child understands the purpose. God Bless.

I am trying to understand your comment bellow… Are you saying they can reason at that age and that is better… What denomination are you, if you don’t mind me asking?

Notice that when that child reaches the age of 12 they may renounce thier belief. Is that the age of reason?

 

[SPOKENWORD]

AmyS:

I am trying to understand your comment bellow… Are you saying they can reason at that age and that is better… What denomination are you, if you don’t mind me asking?

That comment below was when those of the Jewish sect could renounce thier beliefs at the age of 12or 13 yrs Personally I think at the age of 5 or 6 is good. I believe that is the age most children recieve their 1st communion in the Catholic church. I believe most understand what they are doing…Im a Follower of Jesus Christ,not a denomination. God Bless.

 

[Catholic4aReasn]

Hi jcamm!

jcamm:

Although I don’t completely agree with Spokenword, I do see his point. Why does the Church baptize infants if sacred scripture tends to speak of the sacrament in concert with both faith and repentence?

Sacred scripture tends to speak of the sacrament in concert with both faith and repentence because the writers were writing specifically to adult converts, the first generation of Christians. Thereafter, the promise of baptism was meant for their children as well.

Today, however, not only are there much lower infant mortality rates but, since Vatican II, the Church has indicated that salvation is possible without the reception of physical baptism.

Yes, if one is invincibley ignorant of its necessity.

Granted, baptism is the only means** we know about** thatGod has given his people to wash away original sin. So, I’m not saying that people should stop baptizing their babies. I’m simply questioning a seemingly antiquated practice of the Church.

God’s pouring his grace upon children will never be antiquated.

Another point is that infant baptism tends to promote a sense of indifference amongst the faithful. Let’s face it, converts to the Church, especially those who are baptized for the first time, tend to be more fervent than many cradle Catholics that take the tremendous gift of God’s grace for granted. Here’s a good question: What is the percentage of pro-choice cradle Catholics vs. pro-choice converts? I’d wager the rate would be much higher for the former than the latter. Why is this? My guess would be that adults who become Catholic have a greater sense of ownership when it comes to their faith than those who were born into it. This is where the repentence aspect of baptism is so key and why you usually see the sacrament accompanied by both faith and repentence in the scripture.

Infant baptism is not to blame for indifference. Poor catechises is.

In Christ,
Nancy

 

[AmyS]

SPOKENWORD:

That comment below was when those of the Jewish sect could renounce thier beliefs at the age of 12or 13 yrs Personally I think at the age of 5 or 6 is good. I believe that is the age most children recieve their 1st communion in the Catholic church. I believe most understand what they are doing…Im a Follower of Jesus Christ,not a denomination. God Bless.

I always have looked at baptism as something we are given… not an action of taking away, for example Original sin. We are given the life we where ment to have before Adam and Eve, and our souls where marked. We recieve the Holy Spirit. I also look at most the other Sacraments that way, my proudest moments so far where when my daughter was baptised and when she recieved her first communion. Both made me cry, and I am not big on crying. God bless you … I am blessed to be are part of the nomenation… One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church…

 

[SPOKENWORD]

AmyS:

I always have looked at baptism as something we are given… not an action of taking away, for example Original sin. We are given the life we where ment to have before Adam and Eve, and our souls where marked. We recieve the Holy Spirit. I also look at most the other Sacraments that way, my proudest moments so far where when my daughter was baptised and when she recieved her first communion. Both made me cry, and I am not big on crying. God bless you … I am blessed to be are part of the nomenation… One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church…

Hi Amy, You see everything from above is spiritual and thats why you dont see it. But you know it because of your faith. Those treasured moments are precious. I agree. But the proudest moments have yet to come and that is when we enter Heaven and see our children entering in also. God Bless. .

 

[shannin]

SPOKENWORD:

That comment below was when those of the Jewish sect could renounce thier beliefs at the age of 12or 13 yrs Personally I think at the age of 5 or 6 is good. I believe that is the age most children recieve their 1st communion in the Catholic church. I believe most understand what they are doing…Im a Follower of Jesus Christ,not a denomination. God Bless.

Hi Spokenword,
First of all, thank you for your interest in the Church’s teaching. You obviously really love the Lord & we have that in common.

As a Catholic, I was baptized as an infant because I was born with original sin (First sacrament); at 6 years old I received First Holy Communion (Second sacrament); then, at 12 years old I decided that I wanted to become a full member of my Church and defend my faith, Confirmation (Third sacrament). A priest on EWTN (Father Mitch) explained that Confirmation completes the seal of Baptism.

What I’m attempting to get across to you is that Catholics have the fullness of the faith. Most Protestant denominations only have 2 sacraments; baptism and matrimony.


Shannin

 

[MariaG]

posted by jcamm

It seems to me that infant baptism is an example of a practice that arose amongst the faithful before it recieved theological justification. The reason infant baptism became so wide spread was that, in the early to late middle ages, many babies died in infancy and the Church believed that no one was saved without recieving physical baptism.

WOW! Hold the phone. The reason we have infant baptism is that this is what the apostles taught. It did not develop in the middle ages. Look here and you will see that infant baptism has been practiced and written about by the church Fathers. catholic.com/library/Early_Teachings_of_Infant_Baptism.asp

 

[RNRobert]

Church Militant:

One should remember what the communists said years ago…“give us a child from birth to age 5 and you will never be able to change him”. Most doctors consider that the formative years anyway

It says in Proverbs (I forget the chapter and verse) "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

 

[SPOKENWORD]

shannin:

Hi Spokenword,
First of all, thank you for your interest in the Church’s teaching. You obviously really love the Lord & we have that in common.

As a Catholic, I was baptized as an infant because I was born with original sin (First sacrament); at 6 years old I received First Holy Communion (Second sacrament); then, at 12 years old I decided that I wanted to become a full member of my Church and defend my faith, Confirmation (Third sacrament). A priest on EWTN (Father Mitch) explained that Confirmation completes the seal of Baptism.

What I’m attempting to get across to you is that Catholics have the fullness of the faith. Most Protestant denominations only have 2 sacraments; baptism and matrimony.


Shannin

Hi Shannin,im not sure that is the norm in the Catholic church. Here is where Padre Pio,s gift would really come in handy. [reading hearts]. I taught Confirmation class for many years. How many in the confirmation class where there because they wanted to be? How many were there because they had no choice? I think you would be very surprised with the results. Maybe the Jewish people had it right in leaving the 12 year olds make up thier own decision on whether to continue or renounce theie religieon or not… God Bless.

 

[AmyS]

SPOKENWORD:

Hi Amy, You see everything from above is spiritual and thats why you dont see it. But you know it because of your faith. Those treasured moments are precious. I agree. But the proudest moments have yet to come and that is when we enter Heaven and see our children entering in also. God Bless. .

Of course they are yet to come :getholy: … But, I love being able to see her move in the right direction here on earth too.

 

[MariaG]

Spokenword,

Do you think the Early Church in 200AD had fallen into false teaching since they taught infant, regenerative baptism?

God Bless,
Maria

 

[RNRobert]

I think non-Catholics who oppose infant baptism fail to understand two things:

1. 
   ]To many non-Catholics, baptism is merely a symbol, nothing more than some sort of public ritual demonstrating one’s acceptance of Christ. To the Catholic it is much more. Not only does it remove the stain of Original Sin, it provides real grace. Who would want to deny that to their children?
   ]In the Gospels, many times Jesus healed someone not through the faith of the sick person, but through the faith** **of someone else **asking on their behalf. Examples: The centurion asking for the healing of his servant, the Syro-Phonecian woman asking for healing on her daughters’s behalf; and obviously the raising of Lazarus and Jairus’ daughter from the dead were made possible through the faith of loved ones. So it is with Baptism. The gift of grace is made through the faith of the child’s parents or other loved ones.
   
   Also, as other have pointed out, the Jews circumcised boys at 8 days of age. Except for adult converts, there was no such thing as a “believer’s circumcision.”

 

[RNRobert]

Church Militant:

Not so! It is a Christian parent’s resposibilty to teach his children the faith…not just the church. It really is a team effort by the whole body of Christ, but the Catholic Church teaches that this is our first and foremost area of evangelism. One should remember what the communists said years ago…“give us a child from birth to age 5 and you will never be able to change him”. Most doctors consider that the formative years anyway

As it says in Proverbs, “Raise up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

 

[ianraygor]

SPOKENWORD:

Hi Ian, Sure sounds to me like two baptisms. John baptised with water[repentence] and Jesus baptised with the Holy Spirit. Thus Water and Spirit. God Bless.

Someone submitted to you that the Baptism of John was different from the Baptism of Christ, that is what the Scriptures I quoted your confirms. There is only one Baptism that Christ commanded his Apostles to confer - Mt 16.18-19 and this ONE Baptism is confirmed by Paul in Eph 4.4-7. There is also a Baptism in the Spirit which is not Baptism but Confirmation (Acts 8.14-17) which was confered by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

It seems that you depend ONLY on your reason and your limited understanding of Scripture rather than what has been taught and followed since the time of Christ’s revelation. In viewing some of your replies it seems that they are not well thought out and have no basis outside your own views. I pray that you decide one day to look at the facts presented objectively and come to know the fullness of truth.

God Truth and Peace be with you