Why should all Christians have their baby baptised?

Answer 1

Baptism is a symbolic act that should accompany repentance of sins. Mark 1:4-5 gives an example of baptism, which was accompanied by repentance and confession of sins. Luke 3:3 begins another account of the same events, again mentioning repentance. There are many accounts of baptism throughout Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians and Galations. These accounts show baptism as the first step a new believer takes after they have confessed and repentented of their sin. The Bible does not teach that Christians need to have their babies baptised. Some people believe that baptism itself is what will get a believer to heaven, but the Bible does not agree. Romans 3:23 tells us "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Sin seperates us from God, because he is perfect and holy. Although the consequence of sin is separation from God, He has provided a way to pay our sins. Romans 6:23 tells us "The wages of sin is death, but the Gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord". Jesus paid the penalty for us and salvation is a gift given to us if we will only confess our sins, repent, and trust Jesus Christ as Lord. Baptism is the first step of faith we take immediately after. Titus 3:5 teaches there is nothing we can do to earn a place in Heaven. No act of man is sufficent to earn salvation. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast" Ephesians 2:8-9. That said, Jesus did command that we "...go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you..." Matthew 28:19-20. So baptism is important, but as a symbol of their acknowlegement of sin, repentance, and Jesus Christ as Lord in their lives. A baby would not be able to acknowlege such things, but a young child may. To learn more about baptism I would encourage you to read the New Testament to see how baptism is demonstrated.

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Additional answer

No one is to baptize infants as it is not Biblical.

Not only does the Holy Spirit not provide any manner of clear record of infant baptism (paedobaptism) - an absence that is hardly conceivable in the light of it being the primary means of entrance into the kingdom, according to Rome - but very critically, infants cannot fulfill the stated requirements for baptism, which is repentance (Acts 2:28) and whole hearted belief (Acts 8:36-38: and which mode also best indicates immersion, and which fits the meaning of the word).

The attempt to justify salvation by proxy faith by invoking Mark 2: 1-12 (the healing of the palsied man) fails, as this man's inability was only physical and not cognitive, and was obviously able to respond with heart faith to Christ. It would be a tremendous assumption to hold that this man did not desire healing or was unable to look to Christ for it. God can honor our faith in granting grace (affecting physical changes, or opening hearts and granting repentance), in response to our prayers and actions, but it is not salvifically effectual to them unless they respond.

(Rom 10:9-10) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. {10} For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

There are references to households being baptized, but in all cases one cannot say this included infants unless the text gave sufficient evidence, rather than the only information we have indicates the opposite.

Col. 2:11, 12 is invoked in an attempt to transfer the time of the O.T. practice of circumcision into the New Covenant. But while the baptism is inferred to correspond to circumcision, there are critical covenantal distinctions between the two, which prevent paedobaptism.

Circumcision was an external sign of the Abrahamic covenant that was commanded to be performed to all the household, servants included, but only for the males, and without a personal faith being a prerequisite (Gn. 17:10-14).

One the other hand, baptism is explicitly manifest as an external expression of inward effectual faith, for both males and females, in which one's own whole hearted personal faith is a prerequisite (Acts 2:38; 8:12, 36-38). While almighty God clearly commanded circumcision to be performed to all the household, without a personal faith requirement, His command to the church is to preach "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21; cf. Lk. 24:47), with this being a prerequisite for baptism. Nowhere do we see sanction for baptizing unbelieving souls.

Furthermore is the duplicity of paedobaotists who use Col. 2:11, 12, not only in that they would not baptized servants, but they refuse to allow infants to take part (by eating) in the the Lord's supper, whereas in the Passover it was for the whole family, male and female (Ex. 12:1-20). Christ is explicitly declared to be our Passover ((1 Cor. 5:7 - though perhaps the "Last Supper" was not a Passover meal) and the Passover manifests more correspondence to the Lord's supper than circumcision does to baptism, The reason why paedobaotists do not give it to infants is because the prime requirement for participation in this is that of self examination (1 Cor. 11:28), which an infant cannot do. Yet neither can an infant fulfill the stated requirements for baptism.

Rm. 4:11 is supposed to help paedobaptists, but it shows Abraham believed before he was circumcised, which would show baptism is not necessary for salvation, but infants cannot believe.

Another attempt is to use 1 Cor. 7:14, but this is about God having a holy regard for a family in this life due to the faith of one spouse, similar to God's regard for Israel due to Abraham's faith, but this did not confer salvation upon those who did not effectually believe as He did.

In addition, i might further contend, for those who hold that baptism removes original sin, that (in addition to personal penitent faith being that which appropriates justification) this is not necesary for infants, as God does not judicially punish the innocent for the sins of the guilty, such as infants for the sins of their fathers ((Dt. 24:16; 2 Chr. 25:4; Jer. 31:30; Ezek. 18:20). Though we all realize the temporal consequences of others actions to varying degrees (Ex. 34:7; Jn. 4:38), yet the great white throne judgment is distinctly declared to be "according to their works" (Rv. 20:12, 13) - not according to their fathers.

In conclusion, paedobaptism (which evidence indicates was a later development in church history) is Scripturally unwarranted, and to be Biblical a baptismal candidate must be able to fulfill to the prerequisites for baptism, that of repentance and whole hearted faith.

Rather than cicumsicsion=baptism being applicable to infants, the O.T. precedent of dedicating one's child to God is Biblical for a true believer (1 Sam. 1:11, 26-28), if you count the cost and mean it, as in rightly raising the child in the right ways of God and and letting the Lord have His will in his/her life.

Additional Comments:

Making a long answer short; Babies should not be baptized. Children should be baptized when they are old enough to think for themselves. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints children are not baptized until they turn 8 because we believe that is the age of accountability while some other Christians wait until 12-14, similar to a bar/bat mitzvah age in Judaism. As baptism includes making sacred covenants, it is obvious babies cant make covenants!

Answer 2

All Christian children are baptised as the holy spirit will be in them. Another opinion - Some believe that YOU cannot make make the choice (or difference, for that matter) concerning the CHILDS decision for Christ. You might consider a dedication ceremony which is to make a commitment before the Lord to submit a child to God's will and to raise that child according to God's Word and God's ways.

Answer 3

Babies should not be baptized. Children should be baptized when they are old enough to think for themselves. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints children are not baptized until they turn 8 because we believe that is the age of accountability. Baptism includes making sacred covenants. babies can't make covenants!

Answer 4

It is a sign you want them to follow the lord through their whole life even when they are young .

Answer 5

To make their children part of the Church

Answer 6

so that it is blessed by God