Why don’t we recognize infant baptism?

Let me begin answering this question with the clear statement that we DO recognize infant baptism. While we DON’T recognize it as believer’s confessional baptism, we DO recognize it as something......something very meaningful. I can’t say I’ve always felt this way. In fact, for years I thought the notion of sprinkling infants was ridiculous.......that’s because I didn’t understand it. After walking with a Presbyterian brother, Greg Fields, I’ve come to have GREAT appreciation for what it is and what it represents. Those who sprinkle infants, called paedo-baptists, consider the infant baptism as the New Covenant version of circumcision. They have a great reason to consider this valid. Look at Colossians 2:11-12 “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, 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.” If you’re paying attention, you’ll see that Paul seems to replace Old Covenant circumcision (physical) with circumcision of the heart (spiritual) and the ordinance of baptism. It indeed appears to be a sort of replacement as the covenant symbol.

So the question is now refined from “what is it” to “when is it to be done?” Proper paedo-baptists (who know what and why they’re doing it) consider the infant born into a believing family to be “ready” for this rite by nature of their relationship to their believing family and covenant people. It makes complete sense if you see a direct connection between circumcision and baptism. As circumcision marked the entrance into the covenant people Israel, baptism marks the entrance into the covenant people, the New Israel. They didn’t wait for the little Jewish boy to declare His allegiance to God and to His people before they circumcised him. So the paedo-baptist isn’t waiting until kids are able to declare or confess their faith before baptizing. Really if you look at it with an open mind, IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

While we don’t recognize paedo-baptism as fulfilling the commission to baptize all peoples, we really do recognize it as something important. In fact, examining the practice it has helped us understand what it means for a child to be born into the people of God. It’s added a whole new meaning to our baby dedications. They’re no longer a few minutes of cute babies and funny videos. Now we present infants and toddlers to the covenant people as ours to raise and teach and minister to and walk with for the glory of God. We consider them to be part of the covenant people until they prove otherwise (as in Hebrews 6:4-8). YET we wait until they can actually acknowledge and confess their faith in Christ BEFORE we baptize them. Here are a few passages to consider:

• Mark 16:16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
• Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
• Acts 2:41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
• Acts 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.
• Acts 9:18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized

These are just a few passages that show some things that go along with baptism.....belief.....repentance......receiving the word.......spiritual sight. We are confessional Baptists because we believe one must believe, confess, repent and “see” in order to be baptized. We believe baptism is RESTRICTED to those who can/do these things by the sovereign work of God in their hearts. While we recognize infant baptism as a VERY meaningful presentation to the covenant people, we do not recognize it as fulfilling this believing, repenting, receiving, “seeing” sort of baptism.

There are other passages to consider when gnawing on this question. Consider these:

• Acts 16:15 And after she (Lydia) 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.
• Acts 18:8 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.

The peado-baptist might suggest these are examples of whole households (infants included) being baptized into the covenant people.....or they may be examples of families with members who believed, repented, received the word and “saw” the truth of the gospel and were baptized.

Wherever you might land as you read this, I want to clearly communicate GREAT respect for our paedo-baptist brothers/sisters. They embrace the FULL counsel of God’s word and the FULL sweep of His covenant work among His covenant people. I hope we are doing the same as we present children to the covenant people in dedication and baptize them by immersion when they believe, repent, receive the word and “see” Christ as Savior and Lord. While we require confessional baptism by immersion for membership, WE DO NOT want to EVER communicate that your infant baptism meant nothing. Our high view of confessional baptism does NOT negate the importance of that event in your early life.......we believe it builds on that important covenant ceremony.

Ben McGraw
Teaching Pastor
Crosspoint Fellowship