Hey Andy, what’s your take on infant baptism?
Hi, Infant baptism, huh? Well, after I came to know the Lord, I came to the understanding of only believer’s baptism. So, having been baptized as an infant, I got baptized again as an adult. It wasn’t until I took a class on teaching confirmation that I changed my views. Here’s why:
When the Israelites crossed the Jordan river into the promised land, many were carrying children, too. When John the Baptist baptized, it’s said that he did so in the same place where the Israelites crossed over. So children coming over through the Jordan sort of symbolized infant baptism. But also, when a child in the Old Testament was taken into the Promised Land with God’s people, he was brought up in the (Jewish) religion (under the Torah). This teaching would be the responsibility of not just both the parents, but also the Israelite community. And once he was old enough to take the responsibility of himself, he went through the Bar Mitzvah-like ceremony, entering into manhood, and taking the responsibilities of the Torah upon himself.
We need to remember that Christianity is the fulfillment of Judaism. Therefore, our practices shouldn’t be much different from their tradition. So in the same way, as Christians, when an infant is baptized, the parents VOW to bring up their children knowing Jesus and the faith. And with them, the whole congregation also VOWS to bring the child up spiritually, thus including the full Body of Christ in the vow (I believe).
So baptizing with water can symbolize crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land, for in each case, one of the big events that happens is a new identity in the promised land, an initiation (if you will) into the Body of Christ (or community of believers), for it’s in the waters of baptism that we’re united.
So either way, the child is brought up as a child of God. And when the child is old enough to personally accept the responsibility/relationship with the Lord, then he/she would go through “confirmation”, which is actually the second part of infant baptism.
But now if the parents see baptism as a means of salvation, then they’ve missed the point, and if I was a asked to baptize their infant , then I would deny the baptism of until they (the parents) were educated on its true meaning and purpose, the need for confirmation later in life, and dedicated themselves to serving the vow that they will make at the baptism.
Now, I do also believe in believer’s baptism, but only for those who were not baptized before (for instance, as infants). If somebody wants to rededicate themselves to the Lord, then that’s one thing, but baptism is a one-time event. (Ephesians 4:4-6)
Something interesting also about some denominations is that the Sr. Pastor will actually sign something upon coming into service at a church, saying that regardless of what he/she believes about baptism, he/she will still perform either, but only upon educating the person or parents on what baptism is about.
I hope that helps.
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