To enter into God’s kingdom one needs to be born again. Bible tells us to be born again one need to hear the gospel first, God brings the conviction of sin in that person’s heart, then he needs to repent from sin and turn to God. Then the person is ready for water baptism and he can receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38, Romans 6:4, Mark 16:16, I Peter 3:21, Acts 22:16).
So it is clear from the scripture that a person needs to believe the gospel, he needs to repent from his sins in order to get baptized in water. Water Baptism is meaningless without repentance. An infant cannot believe in the gospel neither he can repent from his sins. So an infant cannot be baptized.
The New Testament scripture does not support infant baptism. However some people try to justify the infant baptism with some strange arguments.
Argument 1: Some people comparing circumcision of Old Testament with infant baptism in New Testament.
They argue that the infant baptism in the new covenant is equivalent of circumcision in Old Testament. Just as circumcision joined a person to God’s covenants in the Old Testament, so in New Testament the baptism joins a person with Jesus Christ.
This view is unbiblical. Bible nowhere describes water baptism as the replacement for Old Covenant circumcision.
Water baptism is a step of faith to be done only after a person put his faith in Jesus Christ. Water Baptism itself does not save anyone. If the person has not first believed in the gospel and repented from his sins then the water baptism is meaningless and useless. Thus this argument is wrong.
Argument 2: Infant baptism is same as dedication of an infant to God by the parents.
This is a wrong understanding. Bible nowhere mentions that infant baptism is same as dedication of a child by the parents.
If the parents are willing to dedicate their infants to the Lord, then they can do that by prayer. However, even the infant who is dedicated to the Lord, when he will grow up he needs to make a personal decision to believe, repent and be baptized in Jesus Christ in order to be born again.
Argument 3: Non-baptized infants would go to hell, so they need to be baptized.
This is also an unbiblical understanding. Bible nowhere mentions that a non baptized infant will go to hell. Parents baptize their infants because of a wrong fear and a sense of false security.
Conclusion: Infant baptism is religious ritual, which has nothing to do with faith in Jesus Christ. The infants are baptized by the faith of the parents. Now faith in Jesus Christ is a matter of personal obedience (Hebrews 5:9). Faith in Jesus Christ cannot be imposed by one person on another. For born again experience one need to believe, repent from his sins then only he can be baptized in water and receive Holy spirit.
2 thoughts on “What about infant baptism?”
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