THE QUESTION OF INFANT BAPTISM

THE QUESTION OF INFANT BAPTISM

Does infant baptism find support in the Scriptures? No, baptizing babies is a man-made doctrine.

Mark 16:16 He who has believed and and been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.

Belief precedes baptism in water. Infants cannot believe nor can they disbelieve. Baptism is for those who have already believed.

John 6:24 'Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."

Jesus said unless you believe you will die in your sins. Infants cannot believe. Will they die in their sins? Of course not, babies are not guilty of any sins.  In any event, water baptism does not wash away sins of non-believers. If it did, why did Jesus not instruct us to baptized believers and non-believers alike? THERE IS NOT ONE CASE IN SCRIPTURE, WERE A NON-BELIEVER WAS IMMERSED IN WATER.

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you;.....

How would it be possible to teach infants all that Jesus commanded?

Acts 2:22-41.........41 So then, those who received his word were baptized.... 

On the Day of Pentecost the apostle Peter preached Jesus. The three thousand repented  and were baptized in water. They were not baptized before they received the word of Peter. Infants cannot believe nor do they have anything of which to repent. There is no Biblical doctrine that teaches that adults or infants should be baptized before they believe.

Faith (John 3:16) precedes water baptism. Babies have no faith.

Repentance (Acts 2:38) precede water baptism. Infant have not sinned; therefore, they do not need to repent. Babies cannot turn from sin and turn toward God. They are not sinners.

Confession  (Acts 8:35-37) precedes water baptism.

INFANTS ARE NOT GUILTY OF SIN

James 1:14-15 But each one is tempted when he is carried way and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

Do infants lust for fornication, are they thieves, do they get drunk, do they lie, are they swindlers? Babies are not guilty of sin.

Ezekiel 18:20 The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment of the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

Infants are not guilty of their fathers sins nor are they guilty of the, first man, Adam's sin.

Cain was not guilty of Adam's sin; he was guilty of  his own sin because he murdered his brother Abel.(Genesis 4:1-8)

All men die physically because Adam sinned. Men die spiritually because of the unforgiven sins they, themselves, commit.

INFANT BAPTISM?

1. Infants are not candidates for baptism because they are not guilty of sin.(Ezekiel 18:20)
2. Infants cannot be baptized because they are not capable of believing the gospel.(Mark 16:16, John 3:16)
3. Infants are not subjects for baptism because they cannot confess Jesus Christ. (Romans 10:9-10, Acts 8:35-37)
4. Infants are not candidates for baptism because they cannot repent nor do they have anything of which to repent. (Luke 24:47, Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19)

INFANT BAPTISM IS THE PRODUCT OF MAN-MADE CREED BOOKS.