Does The Bible Teach Infant Baptism
No, it does not. Christian baptism is for those old enough to understand and believe in the good news of the Kingdom of God. It is linked with hearing Gods word, accepting it, and repentingactions that an infant cannot take.Acts 2:22, 38, 41.
In addition, the Bible shows that God views the young children of Christians as being holy, or clean in his sight, because of the parents faithful course. If infant baptism were valid, those children would not need to have the merit of someone else extended to them.;*
What Is True Baptism Water Or Holy Spirit
by Spirit & Truth | Aug 3, 2013 | baptismbaptizecleanholy spiritsalvation
For the vast majority of Christians, the terms baptism and water are virtually inseparable. It is ironic, therefore, that throughout the centuries they have fought among themselves about this issue, sometimes violently. It is sad to say that Church history is rife with such disputes.
The sincere searcher for truth deserves to see a thorough biblical exposition of whatever issue he/she desires to know about. This brief FAQ is designed to pique your curiosity to the degree that you will read our free online booklet titled What is True Baptism?
When it comes to any spiritual matter, the question we must always ask, and then answer, is What does the Word of God say? To derive from Scripture the meaning originally intended by the Author, we must come to the Word without preconceived ideas. One such misconception is that baptism always refers to baptism in water.
The Greek word baptizo simply means to dip or to immerse. The word itself has absolutely nothing to do with the element into which something or someone is immersed. In other words, it is possible to be baptized into things other than water. Acts 1:5 is pivotal in the study of this subject, and we need to get a running start with the previous verse:
At this point you may be thinking: Hold it! You are saying that water baptism is passé, but then why did the early Christians do it? Good question! And Scripture has a good answer.
How Do We Get Water Baptised
The answer to this question may seem pretty obvious. Yes, water is involved and we have discussed the significance of the water in symbolizing the process of cleansing us despite having NO magical power in and of itself. However, the greatest confusion seems to lie in the question of whether we must be fully immersed in the water or simply >sprinkled>with it.
Without delving too deep into the difference between immersion and sprinkling, here are 3 brief reasons why we believe in baptism by full immersion:
Also Check: What Does The Bible Say About Guarding Your Heart
What Does Water Baptism By Immersion Represent
Baptism in water and by immersion is not only the single correct mode of baptism, but also, the only scriptural and spiritually correct form.
It is the sole mode of baptism that Jesus Christ and his Church practiced. It alone exemplifies his victory over death until the First Resurrection.
Today, everyone that believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God should experience water baptism by immersion invoking the name of Jesus Christ.
That has been the Churchs tradition since the Baptism of John.
To Identify With The Death And Resurrection Of Jesus
As you will see in the verses below, water baptism is also identifying and testifying to the death and resurrection of Jesus.
When we are being fully immersed into the water, we are identifying with Jesus physical death on the cross and His body going fully into the grave. When the pastor raises us up out of the full immersion, this is identifying with the full resurrection of Jesus from that grave.
The rite of water baptism by way of a full immersion is thus a perfect outward symbol act of both the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Read Also: What The Bible Says About Women
Brings The Commandments Into Remembrance
John 14:26
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Were told that the Spirit will brings into remembrance everything that the Messiahs has taught.
This is necessary, because believers often have trouble understanding the scriptures. The reason for this is, is always because they dont have the Holy Spirit.
Viii Various Translations Of Baptism Employed In Bible Versions
It is helpful to see what other Bible versions have done to solve the problem of how to translate baptism and baptize. We will offer only those solutions, which do not overly rely on the transliteration method. In some cases, these versions have coupled the word baptism with an equivalent expression. This is sometimes referred to by translators as crossing the bridge twice. Some see this technique as an advantage, because it allows one to keep the transliterated word coupled with a meaningful translation of the same that fits the context. The following is a sampling of various translations.30
Yakan Back Translation Matthew 3:11 I bathe you with water so that it can be seen that you regret and leave your sins. But somebody will come here after me, he is more powerful than I am. I am not even worthy to carry his shoes. That one will bathe you with something different. To some of you he will send the Holy Spirit and some he will bathe with fire.
YBT Matthew 28.19 Therefore go and tell all tribes so that they will also follow me. Bathe them as a sign that they now follow God and me, the Son of God and the Spirit of God.
YBT Luke 12.50 There are persecutions which I have to experience. I have difficulties/ am-made-heavy as long as it is not yet over/finished.
YBT Acts 22.16 Na, do not delay, Ananiyas said to me. Get up so you can be baptized, as a sign that you now belong to Isa. Pray to Isa the Lord so that/and he will forgive your sins.
Recommended Reading: What Does The Bible Say About Depression And Sadness
Benefits Of The Holy Spirit
You may wonder why we need the Holy Spirit? And this is a perfectly reasonable questions, so lets answer it using scripture.
If we continue where the Messiah left off. We know that the Holy Spirit is our comforter
But what does this mean?
When we look deeper, the Messiah explains, here is what the Spirit does for us
What Is Baptism Of The Holy Spirit
Roughly 40 days after His resurrection, Jesus Christ appeared to the apostles and told them that they would soon be baptized with the Holy Spirit;.
Jesus statement was fulfilled a few days later on the Day of Pentecost when they received the gift of the Holy Spirit: And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit . This was the fulfillment of what John the Baptist and Jesus had said would happen. This was the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Before this time, when people were baptized by a servant of God, they only were baptized for the forgiveness of sins. Beginning on the Day of Pentecost, a new element was added to Christian baptism, the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Later the book of Acts reveals that the baptism of the Holy Spirit takes place after a person is baptized in water for the forgiveness of sins through a ceremony called the laying on of hands.
We see an example of this process in Acts 19. When Paul was in Ephesus, he came across a group of disciples who, he discovered, had not experienced a full Christian baptism.
But after they learned the fullness of the gospel, Paul helped them take the next steps:
- First, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus . This was water baptism by immersion whereby they accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and received forgiveness of their sins.
- Second, Paul laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them . This completed the baptism process and provided them the Holy Spirit. This was baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Don’t Miss: What Is The Most Popular Bible Verse
At What Age Should People Get Baptized
Another area of debate among some of the different denominations is at what age should people go through the rite of water baptism.
Some denominations like the Catholics still like to baptize infants with water shortly after their births. Others will argue that water baptism should only be done when a person is old enough, ready enough, intelligent enough, and mature enough to make a public profession of faith to the Lord. In other words, when they are ready to make an eternal commitment to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.
With all of the above verses tying in water baptism to being saved and converted to the Lord, and that someone can only receive salvation if they have the actual knowledge and intelligence to be able to understand it all for the most part, we believe that water baptism should be confined to when people are old enough, intelligent enough, mature enough, and accountable enough to be able to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.
That age will vary depending on how well a child has been brought up in the Lord. Someone who has been brought up very early in the Lord and His Word can receive the gift of eternal salvation at a much younger age than someone else who has had very little upbringing in the knowledge and ways of our Lord.
What Does Full Immersion Baptism Symbolizes
It symbolizes the death of Christ. The submerging portrays the burial of him. Therefore, when he lifts the person up out of the water to an upright position this represents resurrection to a new life.
Therefore we are buried with by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life .
This is so, especially concerning the remission of sins and the new life. The details of which I cannot discuss now but I promise to do so later if the Lord wills.
Finally, get baptized today.
Identify a Church that utilizes water baptism by immersion calling on the name i.e., the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and that name is Jesus Christ.
Also Check: What Bible Do Jehovah Witnesses Use
The Meaning Of Baptism
The Bible compares baptism to burial. Water baptism symbolizes a persons dying to his past course of life and beginning a new one as a Christian dedicated to God. Baptism and the steps that lead up to it are Gods arrangement for a person to gain a clean conscience based on his faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Thus, Jesus taught that his disciples must get baptized.Matthew 28:19, 20.
Iv The View Of James W Dale
James W. Dale argued that baptism is not primarily modal nor necessarily associated with water, but that in all kindred baptisms, there is a declaration of controlling power exerted by a given influence over its object.16 In his view, the subjects of baptism, whether humans or vessels, such as pots and pans, do not control the baptism but they do limit its application.17 The baptism of John was not different in modality from the Jewish baptisms of the day, but in their character.18 One must add here that both Johns baptism and the baptism of converts to Judaism were focused on repentance, but Johns baptism uniquely focused on Jesus as the coming Messiah. Nevertheless, Dales principle holds true, for both baptisms were asking the baptized to acknowledge the controlling influence of Gods rule over their lives. The Qumran sectaries emphasized that true repentance recognized a submission to Gods rule. 1QS 3:4f. attests this:
a man who persists in the stubbornness of his heart cannot be cleared by mere ceremonies of atonement, nor cleansed by any waters of ablution, nor sanctified by immersion in lakes or rivers, nor purified by any bathUnclean, unclean, he remains so long as he rejects the government of God and refuses the discipline of communion with him.19
Then on June 1, 1985, The Watchtower magazine presented new questions to replace those used previously:
Read Also: How To Interpret The Bible For Yourself
Islamic Practice Of Wudu
Many Islamic scholars such as Shaikh Bawa Muhaiyaddeen have compared the Islamic practice of wudu to a baptism.Wudu is a practice that Muslims practice in order to go from ritual impurity to ritual purity. This is mandatory for a Muslim to do before each of the five daily prayers, as well as following sexual intercourse, using the restroom, and other acts.
Wudu, which is done at least five times a day, by practicing Muslims, results in the purification of a person and the removal of their sins.
In a famous hadith, the Prophet Muhammad says “Whenever a man performs his ablution intending to pray and he washes his hands, the sins of his hands fall down with the first drop. When he rinses his mouth and nose, the sins of his tongue and lips fall down with the first drop. When he washes his face, the sins of his hearing and sight fall down with the first drop. When he washes his arms to his elbows and his feet to his ankles, he is purified from every sin and fault like the day he was born from his mother. If he stands for prayer, Allah will raise his status by a degree. If he sits, he will sit in peace.
Baptism Means Identification Or Association Not Always Water Although Water Is Used In Some Of The Baptisms
WednesdayAugust 14, 2019
PHI 2 these verses may NOT sound to be courageous or fearless, however, it was a part of our Lords thinking that kept Him on the Cross to bear all the sins that were ever committed in human history.
That is what makes it even more powerful, when we rely on the very same power that Jesus Christ did;HEB 9:14.
HEB 9:14 It was through God the Holy Spirit that the Lord Jesus Christ offered Himself without blemish to God and also we could have our conscience cleansed from dead works so that we can; serve the living God?
JOH 15:2Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away ; and every that bears fruit , He prunes it , that it may bear more fruit .
This was one of the first times that the disciples heard a phrase like enamoi; which is correctly translated in me referring to the Doctrine of Positional Truth.
Every time the majority or the average believer hears the word baptism they automatically think water is involved in some way, and that is false.
There are eight different baptisms found in the Bible, Five Dry and Three Wet.a.; The Baptism of John the Baptist; MAR 1:4.b.; The Baptism of Moses .c.; The Baptism of; Jesus .d.; The Baptism of Fire .
Moses is considered a type of Christ.;
Also Check: What Is Unconditional Love In The Bible
Infant Baptism Vs Adult Baptism
What is the difference between infant and adult baptism? Let’s take a look at how infant baptism began and why it’s important for adults to take the symbolic step of baptism.
Infant baptism arose from the teachings of some early second and third-century church fathers that baptism washed away sin. This meant that if you died without being baptized then you died with your sins unforgiven and thus went to Hell . With the high infant mortality rate in the early centuries, the concept of baptizing babies as soon as possible came into vogue. Since it is not necessarily good to push baby heads underwater, the idea of sprinkling took hold.
Again, the word baptism does not mean sprinkle or pour. The Greek word “baptidzo” literally means to dip or to immerse.;
Throughout the years of the Church, baptism by immersion has taken several forms. Some baptize by dipping three times in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit”. Others use the Jewish model for baptizing Gentile converts into Judaism. The initiates wear white robes and are dipped three times forward and three times backward. The most common mode of baptism is once backward to portray the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
According to Romans 6:1-10, baptism pictures at least three things:
Being sprinkled or having water poured over your head when you were an infant, or too young to understand, missed the point of baptism on all three levels.