Do you Believe in infant baptism?

The Church from the beginning has practiced the Baptism of children. The reasons are very clear in Scriptures.

(Joh 3:5 DRB) Jesus answered: Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

To the first Christians that baptized their children it was understood by them that Baptism is the doorway to salvation. St. Peter said the following:

(1Pe 3:18 DRB) Because Christ also died once for our sins, the just for the unjust: that he might offer us to God, being put to death indeed in the flesh, but enlivened in the spirit,

(1Pe 3:19 DRB) In which also coming he preached to those spirits that were in prison:

(1Pe 3:20 DRB) Which had been some time incredulous, when they waited for the patience of God in the days of Noe, when the ark was a building: wherein a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water.

(1Pe 3:21 DRB) Whereunto baptism, being of the like form, now saveth you also: not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but, the examination of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The effects of Baptism are the regeneration of the soul (born again), eradication of original sin and actual sin and its effects on the soul. A baby does not have actual sin but does have original sin. Through Baptism we become members of the Body of Christ, of which St. Paul says the following:

(2Co 5:17 DRB) If then any be in Christ a new creature, the old things are passed away. Behold all things are made new.

(1Co 3:16 DRB) Know you not that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Baptism is the sacramental doorway into the Church:

(Mat 28:19 DRB) Going therefore, teach ye all nations: baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.

The Bible teaches that everyone should be Baptized:

(Act 2:38 DRB) But Peter said to them: Do penance: and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins. And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

(Act 2:39 DRB) For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, whomsoever the Lord our God shall call.

(Act 2:40 DRB) And with very many other words did he testify and exhort them, saying: Save yourselves from this perverse generation.

(Act 2:41 DRB) They therefore that received his word were baptized: and there were added in that day about three thousand souls.

(Act 2:42 DRB) And they were persevering in the doctrine of the apostles and in the communication of the breaking of bread and in prayers.

St. Peter at Pentecost said to the adults to repent but did not exclude children from Baptism, instead saying that everyone should receive the Holy Spirit not just those of age to repent. He said it is “to you and to your children”. That is why people in the early Church brought even their smallest children to be baptized as do parents today.

There is no necessity to repent for children to be Baptized according to Scriptures. The command to repent is not binding on infants nor to mentally incapacitated people as the intent of repentance is not to exclude those incapable of such an act. They are not to be condemned because of their lack of ability to repent. Certainly the same understanding should apply as we understand St. Paul’s statement in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 where St. Paul says that someone who does not work does not eat. Are we to deny children or the mentally handicapped sustenance? Certainly they should not, nor should they be denied eternal life.

The Old Testament required circumcision at eight days old as a sign of the covenant of God. The child had no knowledge of why he was being circumcised yet the parents brought the son to the synagogue to have this done. God accepted the child into the covenant for what the parents had done just as He accepts the Baptism when the parents present their child to be baptized. The Scriptures tell us clearly that Baptism replaced circumcision:

(Col 2:11 DRB) In whom also you are circumcised with circumcision not made by hand in despoiling of the body of the flesh: but in the circumcision of Christ.

(Col 2:12 DRB) Buried with him in baptism: in whom also you are risen again by the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him up from the dead.

We must remember what Christ said when there were those who attempted to forbid the children from coming to Him:

(Luk 18:15 DRB) And they brought unto him also infants, that he might touch them. Which when the disciples saw, they rebuked them.

Luk 18:16 DRB) But Jesus, calling them together, said: Suffer children to come to me and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

(Luk 18:17 DRB) Amen, I say to you: Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a child shall not enter into it.

Can there be any doubt by a proper understanding of Scripture that children should be baptized? Certainly a complete understanding of the Scriptural verses shows clearly that children have the same need for Baptism as adults and that they should not be held away from this act by their parents or the Church lest they put the child in grave danger and the parents and/or Church are disobedient to the spirit of the teaching of Jesus and the apostles.

In Christ

Fr. Joseph

The idea of infant baptism is related to the mistaken idea that babies are born with the guilt of inherited sin. If a baby is guilty of sin, the thought is that they should be baptized to wash away that sin.

The Bible however teaches that "sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4) If a baby is guilty of sin, what law have they transgressed? A baby is not capable of transgressing, or even understanding, any law.

But, what about inherited sin (guilt)?

This idea goes against many verses, including Ezekiel 18:20.

"The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself."

This verse clearly teaches that children do not inherit the guilt of sin.

Those who teach infant baptism many times point to the households that were baptized in the New Testament. They assume these households had infants and those young children were included in the baptism.

This, however is just an assumption. It is risky to base your doctrine on a guess that cannot be proven from the Scriptures!

In fact, the context of many of these scriptures DISPROVE infant baptism. Notice for example the household of the keeper of the prison in Acts 16.

He was baptized with his household (verse 33). But notice also, all his household was taught ( verse 32), and they all believed (verse 34). An infant cannot be taught, and an infant cannot believe. Therefore, "household" here does not include any infants.

In fact, to be baptized one must first believe and repent, therefore, baptism is not for infants. (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38)

Notice the eunuch in Acts 8. He asked, "What hinders me from being baptized?” (verse 36) "Then Philip said, 'If you believe with all your heart, you may.'" (verse 37)

A baby cannot believe, therefore a baby would not meet this requirement for one to be baptized.

Acts 8:12 says, "But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized." Notice it says they were baptized "when they believed" and the ones being baptized were "men and women"!

Acts 18:8 says, "And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized." Notice the order. They heard, they believed, then they were baptized.

An infant cannot believe, therefore they are not yet candidates for scriptural baptism!

Yes.

Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."

Catechism of the Catholic Church:

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. 50 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. 51

1251 Christian parents will recognize that this practice also accords with their role as nurturers of the life that God has entrusted to them. 52

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. 53

Baptism is for everyone, infants and adults. A few non-denominationals, Baptists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Penecostals, Seventh-Day Adventists, and LDS (Mormons) all denominations of the last 200 years reject infant baptism. All other Christians both Protestant and Catholic baptize their entire family including their infants. It's the way its always been done and it's scriptural. Scripture states that baptism is the new circumcision. At 8 day old infants were circumcised, we baptize our infants marking them with the Holy Spirit. (Genesis 17, Colossians 2:9-12). The Jews of the time, with the male as the patriarch and head of the household, baptized their entire family (1 Corinthians 1:16). This was quite natural, because as stated above they were following God's commandment to give their families the Mark of the New Covenant, the way they have done circumcision for generations upon generations. Having a faith in Christ first is not required. Yes, scripture states "believe and be baptized," (Mark 16:16) but it doesn't say "believe first and then be baptized." If one says let's go to a "dinner and a movie" it also includes going to the movie first. More importantly, it is a failure to understand what baptism is, which causes some to think you have to become a believer first. Scripture says baptism "clothes us in Christ" and brings us back to the very "seed of Abraham" (Galatians 3:26-29). Like Colossians 2:9-12, this text in Galations very clearly signifies that we are clothed or marked, linking us back to the the very "seed of Abraham," the mark of circumcision. Thus baptism replaces circumcision and likewise faith replaces law (Galatians 3:23-25). Yes you can fall from grace. Note proponents of once saved always saved will cite Romans 3:23, but ignore just a few verse after that which states it's "remission of sins that are past" (v 25). Sins in the future of a mortal kind can take away salvation. Scripture says to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling." (Philippians 2:12) False teachers will tell you it means "work out your reward.". Using their Deceiver's slight of hand, they replace "salvation" with the word "reward," fostering the lie that heaven can not be lost. Wishful thinking. There is simply no basis for replacing "salvation" with the word "reward." One doesn't have "fear and trembling" over different reward levels, but one does have "fear and trembling" over loss of salvation. The loss of heaven, the fear of hell is clearly what the scripture teaches here, this loss through mortal sin. These same deceivers will lie and give you false security when they misquote James 2:14-24, stating it about "justification before man," an oxymoron since only God has the authority to to declare this. The entire context is about justification before God, not man. Abraham's justification was before God, not man. And yet through Christ's mercy the sacrament of Penance restores us to a state of grace and gives us hope.

Of course I believe in it. It happens in Churches throughout the world everyday. It'd be silly to deny it is taking place. Now, if you mean to ask do I believe it is useful for salvation of infant, well, I don't think adult baptism is any more helpful in that regard. I've always had problems with the notion that we somehow need "saving" from our putative creator. But, I also understand the tradition grew out of a time when infant mortality rates were exceeding high. God parents weren't intended to be guardians if parents died, but rather for accepting baptism in the Church for the infants incapable of making a free choice, just in the very likely event that child would never reach an age where it could make a decision. I understand that the confirmation ceremonies are just that, a chance for young adults to confirm that choice that was made for them when they were infants...or to deny that choice.

Absolutely

Jesus clearly says the kingdom of heaven also belongs to children.

There is no age limit on entering the kingdom, and no age limit for being eligible for baptism.

There is not one word in Scripture about baptism being limited to adults.

Sin came through Adam and death through sin. Babies' souls are affected by Adam's sin and need baptism just like adult souls.

Yes. In the bible, Lydia's household was baptised. Infants are part of the household.

When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. (Act16:15) NIV

Luke 18:15–16 tells us that "they were bringing even infants" to Jesus; and he himself related this to the kingdom of God: "Let the children come to me

. . . for to such belongs the kingdom of God."

Infant baptism was practiced for hundreds of years, and there was never a Christian voice of opposition until the Reformation.

Protestantism is unbiblical. :-P

Everyone is born with Original Sin, all Christians should believe in that. No one is undeserving of the Grace of baptism.

Yes.

"Now they were bringing even infants to him" (Greek, Prosepheron de auto kai ta brepha). 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).

The Greek word brepha means "infants"—children who are quite unable to approach Christ on their own and who could not possibly make a conscious decision to "accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior." And that is precisely the problem. Fundamentalists refuse to permit the baptism of infants and young children, because they are not yet capable of making such a conscious act. But notice what Jesus said: "to such as these [referring to the infants and children who had been brought to him by their mothers] belongs the kingdom of heaven." The Lord did not require them to make a conscious decision. He says that they are precisely the kind of people who can come to him and receive the kingdom. So on what basis can infants and young children be excluded from the sacrament of baptism? If Jesus said "let them come unto me," who are we to say "no," and withhold baptism from them?

Furthermore, Paul notes that baptism has replaced circumcision (Col. 2:11–12). In that passage, he refers to baptism as "the circumcision of Christ" and "the circumcision made without hands." Of course, usually only infants were circumcised under the Old Law; circumcision of adults was rare, since there were few converts to Judaism. If Paul meant to exclude infants, he would not have chosen circumcision as a parallel for baptism.

In the Old Testament, those born into Jewish households could be circumcised in anticipation of the Jewish faith in which they would be raised. Thus in the New Testament, those born in Christian households can be baptized in anticipation of the Christian faith in which they will be raised. The pattern is the same: If one is an adult, one must have faith before receiving the rite of membership; if one is a child too young to have faith, one may be given the rite of membership in the knowledge that one will be raised in the faith. This is the basis of Paul’s reference to baptism as "the circumcision of Christ"—that is, the Christian equivalent of circumcision.

The Bible nowhere says baptism is to be restricted to adults. Naturally enough, the people whose baptisms we read about in Scripture (and few are individually identified) are adults, because they were converted as adults. This makes sense, because Christianity was just beginning—there were no "cradle Christians," people brought up from childhood in Christian homes.

Even in the books of the New Testament that were written later in the first century, during the time when children were raised in the first Christian homes, we never—not even once—find an example of a child raised in a Christian home who is baptized only upon making a "decision for Christ." Rather, it is always assumed that the children of Christian homes are already Christians, that they have already been "baptized into Christ" (Rom. 6:3). If infant baptism were not the rule, then we should have references to the children of Christian parents joining the Church only after they had come to the age of reason, and there are no such records in the Bible.

Yes, of course. All Christianity has done this since the very beginning. It has only in recent times fallen into disfavor with the newer forms of the protestants. Pax Christi

Beautiful church, beautiful homily. The good Padre is very Catholic, very accurate in his references, and quite wrong. But he does baptize infants, and that's what's important.