Chapter
Eight
THE BAPTISM OF
INFANTS
"Baptism shall
be given to all those who have learned repentance and
amendment of life, and who believe truly that their sins
are taken away by Christ, and to all those who walk in
the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and wish to be buried
with Him in death, so that they may be resurrected with
Him and to all those who with this significance request
it (baptism) of us and demand it for themselves. This
excludes all infant baptism, the highest and chief
abomination of the Pope. In this you have the foundation
and testimony of the apostles. Matt. 28, Mark 16, Acts 2,
8, 16, 19. This we wish to hold simply, yet firmly and
with assurance." (Anabaptists)
These were the
basic convictions of the Swiss Brethren and of the
Hutterian Brethren of Moravia, as well as of the Dutch
Obbenites ( Mennonites). These groups were known as
Anabaptists and were the forerunners of the modern
Baptist and Pentecostal movement.. "Infants are not
able to hear the Word of God, they are not capable of
Holy Spirit conviction, they cannot repent and exercise
faith in Jesus Christ. They cannot make the appeal of a
good conscience with God, they cannot promise to renounce
sin and live a life of faithful discipleship to Christ."
. It is therefore condemned by those who profess "believer’s
baptism" as a tradition of men.
Infant Baptism is not found in
the Bible
One of the basic
arguments against Infant Baptism is that it is never
found in the Bible. Basically these people assume that
every teaching of the early Apostles and of Christ are
found in the Bible. This assumption is essentially wrong.
This is a wrong understanding of Sola Scriptora. I have
elsewhere written on the meaning of this phrase. Not all
things taught and done by Christ are given to us through
the scriptures. This is clearly stated in the conclusion
of John’s Gospel. (John 20:30; 21:25; 2 John 12; 3
John 13-14). There were many things the living witnesses
knew and which were embedded in the church rituals,
practices, traditions and activities which are not
written down. These traditions carry weight as long as
they do not contradict the scripture. When these
practices were carried over from the previous convenant,
it was superfluous to reiterate them. Infant baptism is
one of them. It is not the absence of scriptural support
but contradiction that matters..
Baptism is a Covenant Symbol
First let us remind ourselves that
Baptism is a covenant symbol. Like the circumcision it
was to be borne by all who are of the household of Israel
- the true Israel being Christians. There is only one
people of God, throughout the ages, both in the old and
in the new dispensation: the true Israel, the seed of
Abraham. The plan and purposes of God remained constant
through out history, through differing covenants. In each
dispensation God did use different methods and different
covenant symbols. Though they differ in form, their
purpose, meaning and efficacy remain the same.
Rom. 9: 6-8: "Not as though the
word of God had taken none effect. For they are not all
Israel which are of Israel. Neither because they are the
seed of Abraham, are they all children; but in Isaac
shall thy seed be called. That is, they which are the
children of the flesh these are not the children of God;
but the children of the promise are counted for the seed."
Rom. 4:11-16: "And he (Abraham)
received the sign of circumcision a seal of the
righteousness of the faith ………. that
righteousness might be imputed unto them also
……….. For the promise that he should be
the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed,
through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
……. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be
by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the
seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that
also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father
of us all."
What Paul is stating clearly is that
- Circumcision is a seal of the
righteousness of faith. It was a sign of the
circumcision of heart- cutting away of the old
man
- This promise is not to Abraham
alone, but to his seed, through the law and also
to all seed which includes us all.
- Even though the infants were not
able to distinguish between right and wrong, Lord
insisted that all infants should receive the sign.
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