|
Fast Fact - Infant Baptism |
||
|
|
Defense of the baptism of infants |
|
|
|
The following texts demonstrate that infants can be incorporated into the New Covenant through baptism.. (The hyperlinks will open an online NASB to the chapter referenced) Major Texts Acts 2:38-39 – "Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.’"
Household Baptisms – Acts 10:47-48; 16:15, 33; 1 Cor. 1:16 Colossians 2:11-12 – "…and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. (Infant Circumcision – Genesis 17:12, Leviticus 12:3, Acts 7:8, Phil. 3:5) Minor Texts Mark 10:14 – "But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, ‘Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’" (Also Luke 18:15) "And many, both men and women, who have been Christ's disciples from childhood, remain pure and at the age of sixty or seventy years..." (Justin Martyr, First Apology, 15:6 written ca. AD 165). "And when a child has been born to one of them, they give thanks to God [baptism]; and if moreover it happen to die in childhood, they give thanks to God the more, as for one who as passed through the world without sins" (Aristides, Apology, 15 written AD 140). "Polycarp declared, 'Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and Saviour?" (Polycarp, Martyrdom of Polycarp, 9 written ca. AD 132-156).
"For He came to save all through means of Himself--all, I say, who through Him are born again to God--infants, and children, and boys, and youths, and old men." (Irenaeus of Lyon, Against Heresies, 2.22.4 written AD 180).
"I, therefore, brethren, who have lived sixty-five years in the Lord" (Polycrates, Fragment in Eusebius' Church History, 5.24.7 written ca. AD 190) "For this reason, moreover, the Church received from the apostles the tradition of baptizing infants too" (Origen, Homily on Romans, 5.9 written AD 244). "Baptism is given for the remission of sins; and according to the usage of the Church, Baptism is given even to infants. And indeed if there were nothing in infants which required a remission of sins and nothing in them pertinent to forgiveness, the grace of baptism would seem superfluous" (Origen, Homily on Leviticus, 8:3 ca. AD 244). "But in respect of the case of the infants, which you say ought not to be baptized within the second or third day after their birth, and that the law of ancient circumcision should be regarded, so that you think one who is just born should not be baptized and sanctified within the eighth day...And therefore, dearest brother, this was our opinion in council, that by us no one ought to be hindered from baptism...we think is to be even more observed in respect of infants and newly-born persons…" (Cyprian, Letter 58(64) 2, 6 written AD 251). In the Old Testament children and infants were allowed to enter into the Old Covenant through circumcision. Adults converts were circumcised and children of Jewish parents were circumcised as infants. The New Testament avows that baptism is the "circumcision of Christ." Therefore, adult coverts (or believers) are baptized as well as the infants of Christian families. At the heart of opposition to Infant Baptism is a misunderstanding of the role of faith and works in salvation. I highly recommend that the roles of faith and works be addressed first before discussing infant baptism.
|
|
|
www.HandsOnApologetics.com |
||