Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

I have attended churches that practiced the baptism of infants or children, as well as ones that did not. In the churches where infants were baptized, baptized children customarily subsequently underwent a course of doctrinal instruction starting at approximately age 11, leading them to be "confirmed" (where they personally reaffirmed the vows made on their behalf by their parents or godparents at the time of their baptisms), and accepted into full communicant membership in the congregation at age thirteen or fourteen.

Churches that baptized infants or children also cited passages such as Jesus' words about the necessity of receiving the kingdom of God in the manner of a little child (Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17), and Peter's words in his Pentecost sermon in Acts 2:38-39, where he said, "Repent and be baptized EVERY ONE OF YOU in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you AND YOUR CHILDREN and for all who are far off -- for all whom the Lord our God will call." (emphases added).

I can understand the position of churches or denominations that do not baptize infants or children, but, in my opinion, a person who was baptized as an infant does not have to subsequently be re-baptized as an adult from a standpoint of general Christian doctrine.

However, I would also say that if an individual wants to join a particular Christian congregation or denomination that does not recognize the validity of the baptism of infants or children, and that would require such a person to be re-baptized in accordance with its beliefs in order to be accepted into membership, then the person should conform to that denomination's or congregation's practices.

March 29 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report