Questions About Baptism (Part 2)
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10,000 Reasons
10,000 Reasons
Blessed Be Your Name
Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me
All Creatures Of Our God and King
5. Who should get baptized?
1. Who should get baptized?
Last week, I mentioned about how Christians should be baptized. We baptized people by immersion, but there are some Christians who baptize for sprinkling or affusion.
Similarly, the question of who should get baptized gets into some disputes. This question raises two sides of the debate:
Infant Baptism vs. Believers’ Baptism
If you want technical words, it is called:
Paedobaptism vs. Credobaptism
In Greek, paedo means “child.”
In Latin, credo means “I believe.” That’s where we get the word, “creed.” (Not Assassin’s Creed).
Let’s talk about each of these positions.
a. Infant Baptism
The Christians who usually practice infant baptism come from Presbyterian, Lutheran and Anglican churches.
There are probably at least three reasons why they baptize babies.
First, they argue that infants were circumcised in the Old Testament.
If you know your Bible story in , God made a covenant or promise with this man called Abraham. In summary, God told Abraham that every male shall be circumcised. After the baby boy is borned, he is to be circumcized when he’s 8 days old.
(Do they know what circumcision is?)
Circumcision was an outward symbol of entering into a community of God’s people.
What does circumcision have to do with baptism though? They’re not exactly the same, right? Of course they’re not the same. Even those who argue for it also knows it very clearly that baptism does not equal to circumcision. But…and this leads me to the 2nd reason:
Second, baptism is parallel to circumcision.
Paul seems to be doing that in:
Colossians 2:
Baptism carries a similar function to circumcision. Just as circumcision is an outward symbol of entering into a community of God’s people, baptism means that we enter into the body of Jesus Christ.
11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
Baptism carries a similar function to circumcision. Just as circumcision is an outward symbol of entering into a community of God’s people, baptism means that we enter into the body of Jesus Christ.
3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
The body of Christ is another imagery to talk about the church. Christ is the head of the body, but we are members of His body. Paul gives the illustration that we are either a nose, an eye, a ear, a thumb or a finger and etc. And the point he’s making is that we need each other in order to function as a body. We need each other to compliment one another in our strengths and weaknesses. Anyways...
Third reason is the household argument or household baptism.
In the book of Acts and in Paul’s letters, there seems to be a report of household or family of a person becoming Christians and baptized.
15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)
Perhaps the reason why a family household becomes Christian is because the gospel promise is for the adults and children and everyone. When it talks about household, it includes children and infants.
39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
I think reason #3 is a strong argument for Paedobaptism. If it is a household, then it might include everyone from babies, children, youth, young adults, adults (mom and dad) and senior adults.
We practice this belief called “Believers’ Baptism.”
However, the weakness with reason #3 is that you have make an inference or you have to imply that household also includes infants. There is not enough weight of evidence to suggest that there were babies in the household of the family. (it’s possible, but not always the case)
In , those who were baptized were the ones who received the preaching of Peter’s sermon. They’re the ones who made the decision to believe in Jesus.
Babies do not have the cognition or the knowledge to make decisions. Those who received the his word implies that they understood something about the sermon. Babies do not have the capacity to understand many things (I know because I have one).
33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
Again, the family household are the ones who had believed in God. They must be able to have the knowledge and capacity to believe. Infants can’t do that. So, it seems that those who were baptized were also the ones who believed in God.
It seems that 100% of the time we see that people who were baptized were the ones who made the decision to follow Jesus.
Unlike circumcision in the Old Testament, we do not see explicitly babies getting baptized in the New Testament. You’re encouraged to read through it and see if I made a mistake.
b. Believers’ Baptism
According to the teachings of the Bible, the people who should get baptized are believers.
Only those who personally profess repentance toward God and faith in and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ can participate in baptism.
36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
Only those who personally profess repentance toward God and faith in and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ can participate in this ordinance.
Only those who personally profess repentance toward God and faith in and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ can participate in this ordinance.
41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
Acts 8:36–37, 2:41, 8:12, 18:8
12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.
2. How old am I allowed to get baptized?
2. How old am I allowed to get baptized?
This is probably a difficult question to respond because the Bible does not clearly give a command. Unlike circumcision where it is explitly says that boys are circumcised when he’s 8-day old, there is not explicit verse that says a believer has to be “this old” to get baptized.
There were some young people in the past who wanted to get baptized, but their parents did not allow them because they were still too young and that they should wait until they’re much older (such as graduating from high school). But, there were some young people in the past got baptized (I remember seeing a little girl at around 10 years old getting baptized at another church).
I think it requires wisdom and prudence to address this issue that is not settled directly by the Bible.
The answer would vary from church to church, from child to child, from culture to culture, and from conscience to conscience.
I think there are principles that could help guide us (not necessarily give us answers).
Under the direction of the parents:
The answer seems to differ from churches with different ethnic backgrounds.
The answer seems to differ from churches with different ethnic backgrounds.
The answer seems to differ from churches with different ethnic backgrounds.
a. This person should have the basic understanding of the gospel and is able to explain it.
b. This person should have a good understanding of what it means to trust Jesus and follow Jesus.
b.
c. This person should have evidence of genuine spiritual life at church, at school and at home (e.g. reading the Bible, praying, loving and obeying Jesus, repentance of sins, and sharing the gospel).
There is wisdom for children to get baptized until they’re more mature and older in age and in their faith. Sometimes, a child is not old enough to make a credible profession of faith.
Now, some people think by delaying a child’s baptism, the church is dismissing the child’s faith as invalid. But, delaying the child’s baptism does not necessarily negate the possibility that the child’s faith is genuine. It is quite possible that God has genuinely saved this child and this child genuinely believes, but sometimes it is good to wait to see if this child’s faith is substantially credible and believable.
Sometimes, a child is not old enough to make a credible profession of faith.
Regardless, the answer would vary from church to church, from child to child, from culture to culture, and from conscience to conscience. The child is under the authority and decision of his/her parents and the church leaders (pastors and elders) to see if it is appropriate for this child to be baptized.
Even if a person is an adult, he/she still needs have the basic understanding of the gospel and is able to explain it, have a good understanding of what it means to trust Jesus and follow Jesus, and have evidence of genuine spiritual life at church, at school and at home (e.g. reading the Bible, praying, loving and obeying Jesus, repentance of sins, and sharing the gospel).
b. This person should have a good understanding of what it means to trust Jesus and follow Jesus.
c. This person should have evidence of genuine spiritual life at church, at school and at home (e.g. reading the Bible, praying, loving and obeying Jesus, repentance of sins, and sharing the gospel).
That is why we have baptism classes so that you would understand what baptism is, the theology behind baptism and the implications of it.
And so, we come to the final question:
3. Is baptism optional?
2. Is baptism optional?
Answering this question wrongly would affect your theology and the way you view salvation.
So, what’s the answer? Yes…And No…
Yes
The short reasoning is because the thief who died on the cross beside Jesus never got baptized. He believed in Jesus while dying and Jesus told him, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” He died and went to be with Christ without getting baptized.
There are palliative patients, who are in the last stage of life, come to place their trust in Jesus Christ. In that given circumstance, baptism might be optional for them. If they truly want and desire to get baptized as way to obey Christ, then perhaps instead of immersion, they can receive baptism by sprinkling or pouring.
There are new Christians who are heavily persecuted for their faith in other countries. They’ve been locked up in jail, so it’s might not be possible for them to get baptized by a pastor.
In those given situations, I think baptism could be optional.
No
Now, even if you’re not in those given situations, some Christians think that baptism is optional and they have the freedom to choose when to get baptized in the future. They argue that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. As we covered last week, baptism does not give you access to heaven and baptism does not save you.
Now, some Christians think baptism is optional and they have the freedom to choose when to get baptized in the future. They argue that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. As we covered last week, baptism does not give you access to heaven and baptism does not save you.
Some Christians use the thief as a reason not to get baptized. My response is this: do you want to commit crime, be crucified and hung on the cross in Jerusalem so that you can be an exception to the rules? If they use the thief as an argument then they should have to go to that extreme.
For Christians who say that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as a way to argue that baptism is optional…let me ask questions:
Whenever people make the argument of salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ
Is going to church optional?
Is reading the Bible optional?
Is telling others about Jesus optional?
Is honouring your parents optional?
Is telling the truth always optional?
Is living in holiness optional?
Is loving your neighbours optional?
Is loving your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength optional?
I hope you get my point. All those questions that I asked are COMMANDMENTS from Scripture.
Baptism is a commandment given by Jesus Christ to followers of Jesus. “Be baptized” is commandment to Christians.
Baptism is not optional for the majority of those who profess Christ.
When you read the book of Acts, you see that those who come to faith in Jesus Christ get baptized immediately; they do not delay their baptism. They runderstood the gospel, they repented of their sins, they trusted in Christ for salvation, and they got baptized.
If Christians in the 21st century say that baptism is optional to the 1st century Christians, then it would be a total shock to the early Christians. The early church clearly understood that being a follower of Jesus means to obey Him completely without reservations. The early church also understood that baptism was a community celebration because the individual getting baptized was also becoming a member of a church community.
Baptism is an important step of obedience that every Christian should take because baptism is a demonstration of your faith in Christ.
Baptism is a demonstration of your faith in Christ.
When God saved you and you became a Christian, He did not simply just give you a ticket to heaven and that’s it.
They argue that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. As we covered last week, baptism does not give you access to heaven and baptism does not save you.
When God saved you and you became a Christian, He did not simply just give you a ticket to heaven and that’s it.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Baptism is a demonstration of your faith in Christ.
We like to quote verses 8 - 9 a lot, but we also need to read verse 10 as well. By His grace, God did not only save us FROM our sins and from the wrath to God, but He saved us FOR His people and His glory and that is He saved us to do HIS good works which He prepared for Christians. We are not saved BY works (as the text tells us); we are saved FOR good works.
I believe that baptism is one of the good works that God prepared for Christians to walk in.
If you’re a follower of Christ, then I strongly encourage you to consider baptism (if your parents allow). Please come talk to me about it. We do have baptism class on September 21st if you’re interested in learning more about it. As I mentioned, going to baptism class does not mean that you are making the commitment to get baptized.