Can i answer a question with a question?
As a catholic you are used to certain traditions, baptists believe that the bible has more authority than man. Catholics believe that man has more authority than the bible!
Here comes the disagreement!
Now the question… catholics and orthodox baptise babies …where does this practice come from?
Ok
Not the bible! it cannot be found anywhere…
Do you read history?
Then if you do you can search and find out that this practice was used by pagans ONLY… and was adopted by catholics & orthodox…
I hope i answered your question.
Regards
The Bible reader!
Part of another site is shown below. For the whole article go to -
davidmacd.com/catholic/infant_baptism.htm
Most Evangelicals think that Baptism is simply an outward sign of a profession of faith. They don’t think anything supernatural occurs during baptism. So, given their beliefs, it makes sense that Evangelicals think that only adults, who consciously proclaim Christ should be baptized. They consider it simply a public witness to their "“born again” decision and since babies can’t make that decision, they feel there is no reason for the “sign” of baptism until they can make such a decision.
Catholics don’t believe Baptism is only a sign. We believe something very profound and tangible happens during Baptism. We believe the Bible when it says that Baptism washes away sin. (Acts 22:16) So for us, it is not as much about what we give during baptism (i.e., a profession of faith) but it is about what we get, which is salvation. We believe this salvation is for babies too. Jesus said “let the little children come to me.” (Lk 18:16)
We didn’t choose to be born into humanity but we nevertheless received the grace of human life. Similarly, Catholics don’t think babies have to consciously choose Baptism in order to receive its grace.
We didn’t choose to be born into the sin of Adam, (caused by his disobedience), yet nevertheless we were born into it (original sin). In the same way, Catholics believe that as infants, we can receive the saving grace of Baptism that was won by Jesus’ obedience, without consciously choosing it.
We don’t ask a baby if it wants to eat. We just feed him or her. We don’t ask a baby if it wants its diaper changed, we simply change the diaper. We don’t ask a baby if it needs a bath, we simply give the baby a bath when it is dirty. We take these simple and logical actions to physically clean up a baby. Catholics think it is even more important to do the same thing spiritually, through baptism. We need to let our Lord wash away the “original sin” from the baby.
Code:
And Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you 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 and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him." (Acts 2:38-39)
Here we see that Baptism applies to children. Perhaps some Evangelicals might look at this text and say the kids in this passage are saved by the parent’s Baptism, but then the sentence would not say that the promise is for “all who are far off.” Surely, the adult Baptism does not save “all who are far off” also.
Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, ‘Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God’ (Luke 18:15–16).
Here we see children being brought to Jesus before they were able to make a personal decision for Christ. In Greek it is *
Prosepheron de auto kai ta brepha
*. The Greek word brepha means “infants.” The Lord did not require these infants to make a personal decision for Christ.
Infant circumcision was the sign of Old Covenant.
Baptism is the sign of the New Covenant.
It makes sense that Baptism includes infants.
Under Jewish law, the 8 day old child didn’t have to make a profession of faith. He was part of a household of faith and was thus called by God, and therefore circumcised. Thank God for that! I shudder at the thought of being circumcised as an adult … OUCHHH!!!
The famous Evangelical theologian Frances A. Schaeffer also maintained that an infant should be baptised because of Baptism’s correspondence with circumcision.