Baby Baptism (Jesus Christ, Earth, Kingdom, tradition, doctrine)

[Bishka]

I would like to know where on earth this came from? And how at all it is scriptual, when Jesus Christ was not baptized at his infancy but in his later years?!?!

[James the Persian]

Originally Posted by beckysoup61

I would like to know where on earth this came from? And how at all it is scriptual, when Jesus Christ was not baptized at his infancy but in his later years?!?!

I'd like to know the reverse. By what authority did anyone decide it was wrong to baptise infants? It is the ancient practice of the Church to do so and nobody stopped doing it until very late. As for Scripture, it's clear that baptism is the Christian replacement for Old Covenant circumcision (which is done in infancy) and we have talk of whole households being baptised, which would mean infants as well. Christ said that we should suffer little children to come to Him. The whole concept of an 'age of reason' is also very late, medieval in fact. In the east, not only have infants always been baptised but they have always been communed. Even in the west this was practiced until after the Great Schism.

James

[James the Persian]

Is nobody willing to debate this at all? I'd have thought that either the OP or my counter question would have attracted some response by now.

James

[michel]

I'm in two minds on the subject (especially since the baptismal thread recently); I am looking for it now.

[michel]

Originally Posted by michel

I'm in two minds on the subject (especially since the baptismal thread recently); I am looking for it now.

Born of water...
Religious Education / Religious Topics / Religious Debates / Biblical Debates Born of water...
Certainly, the Roman Catholic Church regards it as a necessary sacrement;
An extract from :- http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0321.htm

CHAPTER 1
Introduction. Origin of the treatise.

Happy is our sacrament of water, in that, by washing away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free and admitted into eternal life! A treatise on this matter will not be superfluous; instructing not only such as are just becoming formed (in the faith), but them who, content with having simply believed, without full examination of the grounds of the traditions, carry (in mind), through ignorance, an untried though probable faith. The consequence is, that a viper of the Cainite heresy, lately conversant in this quarter, has carried away a great number with her most venomous doctrine, making it her first aim to destroy baptism. Which is quite in accordance with nature; for vipers and asps and basilisks themselves generally do affect arid and waterless places. But we, little fishes, after the example of our ICHTHYS Jesus Christ, are born in water, nor have we safety in any other way than by permanently abiding in water; so that most monstrous creature, who had no right to teach even sound doctrine, knew full well how to kill the little fishes, by taking them away from the water!

[Mystic-als]

Explain to me where you get this statement from

Originally Posted by JamesThePersian

it's clear that baptism is the Christian replacement for Old Covenant circumcision

Because this is the first I've heard of that. Not that it's wrong just I need you to expound. Again the more little words the better

[Scuba Pete]

Originally Posted by JamesThePersian

By what authority did anyone decide it was wrong to baptise infants?

As long as they repent, God has no problems with infants being baptised. How do they appeal for a clean conscience when they are already clean?

Originally Posted by JamesThePersian

It is the ancient practice of the Church to do so and nobody stopped doing it until very late.

No, there is no indication in the NT that any babies were baptised. I think this came about in the 2nd or 3rd century which shows you how fast apostasy can occur. They were even trying to baptise dead people before the ink dried on the NT.

Originally Posted by JamesThePersian

As for Scripture, it's clear that baptism is the Christian replacement for Old Covenant circumcision (which is done in infancy)

There are MANY, MANY ways the law of death written on tablets of stone is inferior to the law of life written on tablets of human hearts. A relationship to God stopped being corporate and became a personal decision.

Originally Posted by JamesThePersian

and we have talk of whole households being baptised, which would mean infants as well.

Only if one assumes it. My household has no infants in it at the moment.

Originally Posted by JamesThePersian

Christ said that we should suffer little children to come to Him.

Why? Because they were ALREADY saved...

Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." NIV

Until someone sins, there is simply no need for baptism. Babies are incapable of sin.