What is conveyed to an infant at baptism?

What is conveyed to an infant at his baptism? From one of our Ask R.C. events, R.C. Sproul expresses what it means—and what it doesn’t mean—when our children receive this sign of the covenant.

[ImCarolB]

My answer: the best intentions of the parents. It is a wonderful moment, precious in the sight of the Lord, but not a baptism. All my children were dedicated to the Lord in church as infants, and thank God, they all grew up to be believers and were baptised.

[OldMovieRob]

Love my Presbyterian friends but just dont agree on this issue.

[arisainaramorsolo]

I got baptized as an infant in the RC church. It did not save me, and I even became an agnostic growing up. But the one thing it did for me, is that growing up seeing babies getting baptized, I thought that maybe… it is a sign that we are called to a promise, to a life that is different from the secular. If I were to be blessed with children, I would get them baptized as a sign of dedication that these children will grow up in the truth, and pray that they will encounter the Lord in their own life, and have their saving faith in Him. You should teach your children how to live in truth even without getting baptized as an infant, but… it’s one of those unnecessary things you do out of love, as I have observed in my culture. I think RC is right in the way he explained it.

[lawrencestanley]

Infant Baptism conveys the promise that God will save all who believe... Who is it conveying this promise to? And where is this in scripture?

[kerriholston]

We live in such a self centered society judging by the comments people can't bear the fact that even infants of believers can re eive the sign of the promise.ITS ABOUT CHRISTS HE IS THE ONE WHO SAVES!!! I know that's super complicated

[theSword-]

But the promise to all who believe is there anyway.
Baptising infants does nothing but make the parents feel good.

[verntoews]

Baptism is based on a personal commitment to serve god. This is beyond an infants understanding

[robmarshall]

Amen 🙏 infant baptised, confirmed at 16 and saved a miserable wretch like me at 43. Blessed beyond measure.

[victoryfellowshipbaptistch]

What does God teach about baptizing babies? Nothing, which is the answer to Dr. Sproul’s question, a man’s ministry I greatly appreciate.

[Theranchhouse]

I can understand 'dedicating' your child to the LORD but when infant baptism is so easily misunderstood....its best not to even use the term...It should be ...a dedication nowhere in the Bible does the Lord say believers children 'will' be saved..it is an independant act from God on the we certainly do not need a symbol to KNOW when we are born again that we have a promise the Spirit of God will provide all we need to accept Him when He calls us to repentance...This is the only place I differ with him and have learned so much from him...!

[samuelcarvalho]

Wow I'm quite surprised someone as wise as Mr Sproul got this wrong

[fredrolinners]

The use of "household."

Acts 11:14
and he shall speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household. (NASB)
All those of the household who had 'believed' in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 15:7; cf. 11:17) were water baptized (Acts 10:48). It requires belief to be water baptized. Infants cannot believe in the Lord Jesus Christ so therefore they should not be water baptized.

If one still insists that infants were included here, then that would also mean that these infants "received the Holy Spirit" (Acts 10:47) before their water baptism without demonstrating any belief - and yet Ephesians 1:13 teaches belief is required in order to receive the Holy Spirit.

[Arkeo]

Infant baptism (or calling a baptism what amounts to a dedication of a baby born to believing parents to be brought up in the church) is the ONLY issue I have with orthodox Presbyterian church teaching. I was baptized as an infant in a solid Bible-preaching Presbyterian church, which I then followed by making a public statement of my faith, being catechized and accepted as a member in my early teens, but when as an adult I attended a Baptist church I decided to be baptized via emersion as an adult believer making a public statement of faith. Now I am at odds as to what to do if when my child is born. I want to raise him in a Presbyterian church, but unsure as to how to proceed when the pastor asks about the baby's baptism.

[gabrielnaranjo]

My always beloved and father of my faith Dr. R.C. Sproul this is the only theological area I would never see eye to eye with him. He did however made great arguments in its favor but not quite to sway me to it.

[Ayotundejerry]

Can an infant believe and repent of sins?

[joshhigdon]

The one thing Sproul got wrong. Thankfully it's a nonessential doctrine and I will get to meet and learn from him one day in eternity!

[reformedcatholic]

Those who are against infant baptism would you guys be against circumcision in the old covenant? The infant couldn't make the choice, it was done for him.

[Jennifer-qokz]

Then one would have to get baptized twice?
No disrespect to Dr Sproul but it makes no sense to me for a baby to get baptized.
Not one instance of infant baptism in Holy Scriptures.
They can have to say in it so why not wait til they make their own decision about it?

[tabithadominguez]

What we should be asking ourselves is this: “Do I believe God and His promises?”


Eph. 6:1-4

If children and infants are not part of the covenant God has made with believers, why does Paul give instructions to children and parents? Children are told to honor their parents, and it is their responsibility to be disciples of Christ. Parents also, are told to train, correct, teach and nurture their children; that is their responsibility. There is no indication or age range given for when discipleship starts or ends.
If children are seen as unbelievers, how can parents disciple them?
But because children are part of God’s covenant, Paul can tell children to be disciples and tell parents to disciple their offspring.
If not, how has the church continued today? By a simple “profession” of faith? Or a possession of faith?
By individual baptism only? Or by infant baptism also?

We live in a society that is focused on the individual’s “profession” of faith that we forget it’s about possession of faith. God puts the faith in us to regenerate us, and that choice is up to Him.
Whether it happens as an adult, teen, child, or infant is also up to Him.

But as believers, when we have children, do we exclude them from the church? Paul sure doesn’t—because Paul understands covenants—and of course he does! He’s a Jew! 😆 He knew when God sets apart His people, He includes entire households, men, women, teens, children, infants, young and old, servant and free. Just like with adults we don’t get to determine who is saved, it’s the same with children and infants.

All who come into the church covenant should be baptized—not because we profess faith—but because we possess the faith God gives us and entrust for Him to work the same in our children. Because we know not all who profess faith are saved—not all who are baptized are saved but all we do it do as Jesus commanded in His Great Commission: go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:18-20).

God does it all—are we willing to let go of our golden calf of profession of faith? 😱 Or will we continue to build our ego and individualism instead of taking care of those God has given us to disciple first: our infants and children?

None of us really think our offspring are outside the church 😅—we catechize them, teach them worship songs, raise them in the church. 🤗

But this is why we should baptize them: they’re part of the visible covenant community. God establishes the covenant and those who are saved out of that. If they reject God, they receive the curse of the covenant. That’s how it was in the Old Covenant—that’s how it is in the New as well. We put our faith in God, baptize our babies as He commanded and train them up in the way they should go, and God does the rest (Prov. 22:6)

Do we have faith Him to do that?

Acts 2:38-39
Acts 16:31-33
Matt. 19:14
Matt. 18:6
2 Sam. 12:22-23
Luke 1:39-45
1 Cor. 1:16
Gen. 17:7
1 Cor. 7:14

And if you’d like a brief, simple overview, check out this book!

“Jesus Loves the Little Children: Why we baptize children” by Daniel R. Hyde

[thomasnorton]

Nothing. No explicit example of infant baptism or explicit command to baptise infants in the Bible. I was baptised as an infant with my cousin, he is now an ardent atheist. Ongoing Reformation