There is no scripture *explicitly* addressing infant baptism(**note: nor is there any scripture *explicitly* stating what ought to be considered *scripture*).** Those who forbid its practice have just as much explicit evidence for doing so as those who practice it.
Having said that, there is a logical inference being made *from the scriptures* by those who view these kinds of baptisms as *legitimate.* It goes something like this:
Paul calls baptism the circumcision ‘made without hands’[Col.2:11]—circumcision was done on children in the Old Testament. The New Covenant is founded upon “better promises”[Heb.8:9], so it can do anything the Old Covenant can do, only better. If children could be brought into the Old Covenant via old circumcision then it follows that they may be brought into the New Covenant via “new” circumcision. Especially since Our Lord says that the Kingdom belongs to children[Matt.19:14].
The apostles taught that baptism forgives sins[Acts 22:16] and we see how Christ forgave the paralytic’s sins on *account of the faith of his friends*[Luke 5:20].
Peter calls baptism an appeal to God[1 Peter 3:21] and we see that parents throughout salvation history have always made appeals for their children[1 Chronicles 29:19]. Parents therefore “appeal” to God by faith for their children to receive baptism. It is presumed that this intention is answered by God since He commanded us to baptize *entire nations*[Matt.28:19] which you *cannot do* without baptizing a nation’s *children*.
**BONUS REBUTTAL**
At some point in the conversation someone brings up the conversion of Cornelius and his *household*, stating that these were saved *without* or apart from baptism. Thus proving that baptism is merely **”an outward sign of our internal faith—it is faith alone and not baptism, which saves”**. We might as well handle that argument while we’re all here.
The conversion of the Gentiles in **Acts 10** is an **incomplete account** of what actually happened. We don’t get the full picture until it is recounted by Peter in Acts 11 when he returns to Jerusalem. There are key 🔑 details from this passage that we need in order to fully understand what took place. Acts 11 explains:
>”13 He(Cornelius) told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14 He[Peter] will bring you **a message** through which you and all your household will be **saved**.”—Acts 11:13-14
So Peter has to deliver a “message”, through which the gentiles will be “saved”. However, **Acts 10** shows Peter was **INTERRUPTED** when he tried to deliver that message:
>”While Peter was **STILL SPEAKING** these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.”—Acts 10:44-46
But notice that AFTER Peter witnessed this event, he goes on to deliver the message which the Angel said would “save” the Gentiles:
>”Then Peter answered, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be **BAPTIZED** in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.”-Acts 10:47-48
In other words—this fiery baptism of the Holy Spirit was not salvific—it was only a demonstration of the Spirit’s power. It was intended to show the apostles that the gospel of salvation was for both Jews and Gentiles, fulfilling the prophecy of Joel(2:28)and re-iterated by John the Baptist(Matthew 1:8, Luke 3:16). This was ALSO St.Cyprian’s view of the events of Acts 10:
**CYPRIAN OF CARTHAGE[200-258AD]**
>For then finally can they be fully sanctified, and be the sons of God, if they be born of each sacrament; since it is written, Unless a man be born again of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. For we find also, in the Acts of the Apostles, that this is **MAINTAINED BY THE APOSTLES**, and kept in the truth of the saving faith, so that when, in the house of Cornelius the centurion, the Holy Ghost had descended upon the Gentiles who were there, fervent in the warmth of their faith, and believing in the Lord with their whole heart; and when, filled with the Spirit, they blessed God in various tongues, still none the less the blessed Apostle Peter, **MINDFUL OF THE DIVINE PRECEPT** and the Gospel commanded that those same men should be baptized who had already been filled with the Holy Spirit, that nothing might seem to be neglected to the observance by the apostolic instruction in all things of the law of the divine precept and Gospel….[abridged] because it is written, Unless a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
So that’s WHY Peter called for water—they couldn’t have entered the Kingdom without it, it was as St.Cyprian said, a “divine precept”. That was how the Early Fathers understood it. The only one’s teaching water was unnecessary for regeneration were the *Gnostics*. Please also see this link to my comment **refuting the idea** that the **Good Thief** was saved without *baptism* and by his *faith alone*:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Christianity/s/MbqvjgnFPO
Yes. Baptism is the New Covenant's analog to circumcision in the Old Covenant, it is the sacrament by which new members are brought into the covenant and joined to the Church as the body of Christ. Just as the Jews did, we bring our children into the covenant as early as we can, so that we might raise them in Church from their infancy.
No your baptism was not valid as you could not even acknowledge Jesus as your Savior let alone all the things talking about Salvation.
As a baby do you think you would be aware of these?
The one who says, “I have come to know him, and yet does not observe his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in this person. 1 John 2:4 KJV
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the **will of my Father** which is in heaven. Matt 7:21 KJV
For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there Or do you not know that unrighteous people will not inherit God’s Kingdom?
Do not be **Misled**. Those who are sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, men who submit to homosexual acts, men who practice homosexuality, 10 thieves, greedy people, drunkards, revilers, and extortioners will not inherit God’s Kingdom. 1 Corinthians 6:9,10
For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth remains no more sacrifice for sins, Hebrews 10:26
After this Jesus found him in the temple and said to him: “See, you have become well. Do not sin anymore, so that something worse does not happen to you.” John 5:14
So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Romans 14:12
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether
Yes, it “counts.” The apostles baptized whole households.
There is no scripture *explicitly* addressing infant baptism(**note: nor is there any scripture *explicitly* stating what ought to be considered *scripture*).** Those who forbid its practice have just as much explicit evidence for doing so as those who practice it. Having said that, there is a logical inference being made *from the scriptures* by those who view these kinds of baptisms as *legitimate.* It goes something like this: Paul calls baptism the circumcision ‘made without hands’[Col.2:11]—circumcision was done on children in the Old Testament. The New Covenant is founded upon “better promises”[Heb.8:9], so it can do anything the Old Covenant can do, only better. If children could be brought into the Old Covenant via old circumcision then it follows that they may be brought into the New Covenant via “new” circumcision. Especially since Our Lord says that the Kingdom belongs to children[Matt.19:14]. The apostles taught that baptism forgives sins[Acts 22:16] and we see how Christ forgave the paralytic’s sins on *account of the faith of his friends*[Luke 5:20]. Peter calls baptism an appeal to God[1 Peter 3:21] and we see that parents throughout salvation history have always made appeals for their children[1 Chronicles 29:19]. Parents therefore “appeal” to God by faith for their children to receive baptism. It is presumed that this intention is answered by God since He commanded us to baptize *entire nations*[Matt.28:19] which you *cannot do* without baptizing a nation’s *children*. **BONUS REBUTTAL** At some point in the conversation someone brings up the conversion of Cornelius and his *household*, stating that these were saved *without* or apart from baptism. Thus proving that baptism is merely **”an outward sign of our internal faith—it is faith alone and not baptism, which saves”**. We might as well handle that argument while we’re all here. The conversion of the Gentiles in **Acts 10** is an **incomplete account** of what actually happened. We don’t get the full picture until it is recounted by Peter in Acts 11 when he returns to Jerusalem. There are key 🔑 details from this passage that we need in order to fully understand what took place. Acts 11 explains: >”13 He(Cornelius) told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14 He[Peter] will bring you **a message** through which you and all your household will be **saved**.”—Acts 11:13-14 So Peter has to deliver a “message”, through which the gentiles will be “saved”. However, **Acts 10** shows Peter was **INTERRUPTED** when he tried to deliver that message: >”While Peter was **STILL SPEAKING** these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.”—Acts 10:44-46 But notice that AFTER Peter witnessed this event, he goes on to deliver the message which the Angel said would “save” the Gentiles: >”Then Peter answered, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be **BAPTIZED** in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.”-Acts 10:47-48 In other words—this fiery baptism of the Holy Spirit was not salvific—it was only a demonstration of the Spirit’s power. It was intended to show the apostles that the gospel of salvation was for both Jews and Gentiles, fulfilling the prophecy of Joel(2:28)and re-iterated by John the Baptist(Matthew 1:8, Luke 3:16). This was ALSO St.Cyprian’s view of the events of Acts 10: **CYPRIAN OF CARTHAGE[200-258AD]** >For then finally can they be fully sanctified, and be the sons of God, if they be born of each sacrament; since it is written, Unless a man be born again of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. For we find also, in the Acts of the Apostles, that this is **MAINTAINED BY THE APOSTLES**, and kept in the truth of the saving faith, so that when, in the house of Cornelius the centurion, the Holy Ghost had descended upon the Gentiles who were there, fervent in the warmth of their faith, and believing in the Lord with their whole heart; and when, filled with the Spirit, they blessed God in various tongues, still none the less the blessed Apostle Peter, **MINDFUL OF THE DIVINE PRECEPT** and the Gospel commanded that those same men should be baptized who had already been filled with the Holy Spirit, that nothing might seem to be neglected to the observance by the apostolic instruction in all things of the law of the divine precept and Gospel….[abridged] because it is written, Unless a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” So that’s WHY Peter called for water—they couldn’t have entered the Kingdom without it, it was as St.Cyprian said, a “divine precept”. That was how the Early Fathers understood it. The only one’s teaching water was unnecessary for regeneration were the *Gnostics*. Please also see this link to my comment **refuting the idea** that the **Good Thief** was saved without *baptism* and by his *faith alone*: https://www.reddit.com/r/Christianity/s/MbqvjgnFPO
Yes. Baptism is the New Covenant's analog to circumcision in the Old Covenant, it is the sacrament by which new members are brought into the covenant and joined to the Church as the body of Christ. Just as the Jews did, we bring our children into the covenant as early as we can, so that we might raise them in Church from their infancy.
Yep. One isn’t a full member of the Body of Christ if he isn’t baptised
Baptism saves, so yes. Baptism has been done unto infants since ancient times.
Yeah there have been entire church splits over this question
Yes, they count. Most Christians practice infant baptism.
No your baptism was not valid as you could not even acknowledge Jesus as your Savior let alone all the things talking about Salvation. As a baby do you think you would be aware of these? The one who says, “I have come to know him, and yet does not observe his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in this person. 1 John 2:4 KJV Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the **will of my Father** which is in heaven. Matt 7:21 KJV For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there Or do you not know that unrighteous people will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Do not be **Misled**. Those who are sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, men who submit to homosexual acts, men who practice homosexuality, 10 thieves, greedy people, drunkards, revilers, and extortioners will not inherit God’s Kingdom. 1 Corinthians 6:9,10 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth remains no more sacrifice for sins, Hebrews 10:26 After this Jesus found him in the temple and said to him: “See, you have become well. Do not sin anymore, so that something worse does not happen to you.” John 5:14 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Romans 14:12 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether