Explaining our practice of infant baptism

In the August 2015 “Light for our Path” column in Forward in Christ I addressed that question.

From Forward in Christ: When Jesus instituted Baptism in Matthew 28:19,20, he did not limit Baptism to adults. He said “all nations” were to be instructed in his Word and baptized. Think of all the people who comprise a nation. Think of who is counted as a citizen of a nation when a census occurs. All people are counted. If infants were to be excluded from Baptism, Jesus’ words in Matthew 28 would have been an appropriate place to indicate that. Because in every sense infants are included in “all nations,” they are to be the recipients of Baptism.

More than being people who are part of a nation, infants are to be baptized because they have a need for the forgiveness of sins. The Bible does not speak of any age of innocence or any time in life when infants and children are not sinners and not responsible for their sins. Just the opposite, Scripture speaks of people being conceived and born in sin. King David spoke for the entire human race when he confessed, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5). Jesus reiterated that truth when he informed Nicodemus that “flesh gives birth to flesh” (John 3:6). In other words, sinful parents have sinful children.

A final reason for baptizing infants is that the Bible reveals to us that children and infants can believe. Passages like Matthew 18:6; Luke 18:15-17; and 2 Timothy 3:15 provide proof of that.

So rather than a single verse addressing infant Baptism, it is the case of numerous Bible passages demonstrating why little ones too are to be baptized.

Read more of the Forward in Christ article.

God bless your discussions of infant baptism with your girlfriend. Do speak with your pastor if you have follow up questions.