The Baptism of infants
CCC 1250
Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin, children also have need of the new birth in Baptism to be freed from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God, to which all men are called. The sheer gratuitousness of the grace of salvation is particularly manifest in infant Baptism. The Church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer Baptism shortly after birth.
CCC 1251
Christian parents will recognize that this practice also accords with their role as nurturers of the life that God has entrusted to them.
Also, remember that the Sacrament of Confirmation is the sacrament in which a person of the age of reason completes and affirms the promises made at their Baptism:CCC 1252
The practice of infant Baptism is an immemorial tradition of the Church. There is explicit testimony to this practice from the second century on, and it is quite possible that, from the beginning of the apostolic preaching, when whole “households” received baptism, infants may also have been baptized.
CCC 1285
Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacrament of Confirmation together constitute the “sacraments of Christian initiation,” whose unity must be safeguarded. It must be explained to the faithful that the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. For “by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.”
rocketrobCCC 1319
A candidate for Confirmation who has attained the age of reason must profess the faith, be in the state of grace, have the intention of receiving the sacrament, and be prepared to assume the role of disciple and witness to Christ, both within the ecclesial community and in temporal affairs.
Actually the NT does note that entire families were baptized… this would include any infants and young children…some one please remind me of why are babies baptized?
because when i read the bible, Yes it says that the babies were bless by Jesus, but it doesn’t say that he baptized those babies rite?
Can someone please remind me why other faith’s DON’T baptize their babies (most faiths, but not all)?some one please remind me of why are babies baptized?
because when i read the bible, Yes it says that the babies were bless by Jesus, but it doesn’t say that he baptized those babies rite?
And I would ask your where that is documented.My pastor (specialty Church History) once told a group of us that because Christians were in constant danger of being killed that the church members begged the church to have their children baptized because if they were killed they’d all be in heaven together and not separated because the child was not baptized.
Baptism is the Christian equivalent of circumcision, or “the circumcision of Christ”: “In him you were also circumcised with . . . the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead” (Col. 2:11–12). Thus, like circumcision, baptism can be given to children as well as adults. The difference is that circumcision was powerless to save (Gal. 5:6, 6:15), but “**aptism . . . now saves you” (1 Pet. 3:21).
The first explicit** evidence of children of believing households being baptized comes from the early Church—where infant baptism was uniformly
upheld and regarded as apostolic. In fact, the only reported controversy on the subject was a third-century debate whether or not to delay baptism until the eighth day after birth, like its Old Testament equivalent, circumcision! (See quotation from Cyprian, below; compare Leviticus 12:2–3.)
We can see in scripture that baptism is compared to circumcision. Circumcision is done on infants on the eighth day. So why would the early followers have to beg for something that was already being done?
Anecdotal it might be this is what he told me.-i don’t think he was lying! I’m just relating what he told us.And I would ask your where that is documented.
From Catholic Answers Library Early Teachings on Infant Baptism You can read the link and see several Early Church Fathers quoted, as well as the scripture below
We can see in scripture that baptism is compared to circumcision. Circumcision is done on infants on the eighth day. So why would the early followers have to beg for something that was already being done?
Lying? Probably not. Wrong? Most definitely.Anecdotal it might be this is what he told me.-i don’t think he was lying! I’m just relating what he told us.
Why do you feel it was definitely wrong? The Church did baptize infants in the 1st century, although it wasn’t as common as it is today.Lying? Probably not. Wrong? Most definitely.
Not wrong about baptizing infants but wrong as to the reason why. It appeared as if the reason why was pressure from parents rather than proper apostolic teaching.Why do you feel it was definitely wrong? The Church did baptize infants in the 1st century, although it wasn’t as common as it is today.
But why is JuliaMajor’s pastor wrong?
I certainly don’t understand your answer, then.Not wrong about baptizing infants but wrong as to the reason why. It appeared as if the reason why was pressure from parents rather than proper apostolic teaching.