Godly parents are rightly concerned for the spiritual wellbeing of their children. Given the widespread practice of infant baptism, the question naturally arises: “Should we have our baby baptized?” We must look to sacred Scripture for the answer, not to human traditions, church manuals, bylaws, or creeds.
Infant baptism began when people mistakenly thought infants were tainted with the sin of Adam. However, Scripture says we do not inherit sin from others; we are individually responsible for our own behavior (Ezekiel 18:20; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
Most advocates of infant baptism admit there is no New Testament example of it. If the apostles taught it and the first-century church practiced it, why is it never mentioned? Why didn’t Peter tell the crowd on Pentecost (Acts 2) to have their babies baptized too?
Some insist that the households of Lydia and the Philippian jailer (Acts 16) must have included infants, but they offer no proof. Scripture doesn’t indicate whether either of these people were married, much less that they had children, much less if those children were infants. Paul spoke the word of the Lord to the jailer’s household (16:32); they were all baptized in the middle of the night (16:33); they rejoiced greatly (16:34); they believed in God (16:34). Now, does anybody preach to infants? Of course not! And when is the last time an infant was baptized in the middle of the night? And do baptized infants rejoice greatly? No, most of them protest rather loudly! And they don’t believe in God, for they lack the mental capacity to believe. So, to claim that the jailer’s household or Lydia’s must have included infants is presumptuous and contrary to all evidence.
Baptism is for those who have believed the gospel (Mark 16:16), repented of sin (Acts 2:38), and confessed that they believe Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 8:37). Infants are not subjects for baptism as taught in the New Testament. They have no sin of which to repent and be forgiven. Let us diligently teach the truth regarding baptism and urge everyone to comply with it!
–Joe Slater
