Question 3: Infant Baptism

This question is going to be very difficult. This is probably one of the most discussed and argued points across all of Christianity. The person who asked me this question made the statement that on the basis of Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” then at what time do we no longer need a savior. So, in an attempt to answer this question, please bear with me.

• Baptism is not salvation. You are being dunked in water that is most of the time poured out of a faucet. Some times you might be dunked in a creek/river/lake/sea/ocean. You might get sprinkled with water out of a bottle. I heard a pastor friend of mine say that if there was no water and someone wanted to be baptized the pastor would just spit on them. The baptism is not an act of salvation and I stand firm on this notion. It is a sign, an outward announcement of the salvation the prior took place.  In Romans 10:9, it tells us to profess with out mouths and believe in our hearts… never said get dunked in a pool.
• Salvation is not only an act of asking Jesus into one’s heart, but also an understanding and repentance from sin. I work for an organization that brings the gospel to kids. I believe that kids can understand the idea of being a sinner, and repenting of the sin that they have committed. This concept of repentance is a necessary part of the sanctification process. we can be justified by Christ, but need to pursue the sanctification of the Holy Spirit in our lives understanding that it is not a comfortable feeling.
  • The hard part here is asking one’s self “can a baby truly accept and repent?” The cooperate mentality of worship was established in the scripture when Christ or Paul made the statement that “You and your whole house shall be saved.” These statements happen many times in scripture. With this mentality we must take up the idea of the culture. It was the idea that in a patriarchal society, if the father believed one thing the house believed it too. In a matriarchal society, if the mother believes it the whole house does as well. Does this apply to infants who do not have the mental conditioning to understand complex ideas? The salvation process to me seems very personal. It is designed for a person/ individual to make a choice on their own behalf.
  • So, does this mean babies can’t go to heaven? This is where the fire comes in and I do ask that y’all figure this out. I believe in an age of accountability. I believe that until one comes to the knowledge of sin one is not accountable to it. I take the idea from Romans 7:7-9 where Paul talked about how sin comes through the knowledge of the Law. This concept of knowledge before condemnation is something I hold dear to.
  • In summary, babies do not need the same construct of salvation that those who understand the concept of sin and are able to comprehend the Law if they do not comprehend the Law or sin. However, it is our job as Christians to share the law and truth with others so that they may be held accountable for their sin. This isn’t the idea of ignorance being the way to salvation, but rather those incapable of comprehending still having a merciful God.

This topic is not an easy one to tackle. It was one of the first I was asked to touch on, and I hope that my insights are helpful to those who read it. I understand that other denominations, religions, or Christians may disagree with me; however, I call that if you disagree leave a comment, leave me a message, or email me. I would love to discuss this topic further.