Is Infant Baptism Biblical?

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[axie_grinder]

There is also not one command or example of a woman receiving Communion yet it is obvious they should by implication. The command of Christ in Matthew 28 is to make disciples and baptize them. All serious Christians treat and regard their children as disciples even from the beginning. The "dedication" that brother Brown mentioned is also never mentioned, commanded or practiced in the Bible yet he promotes it.

[signposts]

The Bible doesn't need to have a doctrine of "infant baptism" as if children are a separate category of people in the church. The children of Christian parents are regarded as holy and as belonging to God (see 1 Corinthians 7:14; Ephesians 6:1). This is why there are commands specifically directed at children and instructions about their being brought up in the fear of the Lord towards parents, which is tantamount to discipling them (Ephesians 6:1-4, Colossians 3:20-21). The reality is children in the church are part of the church community. Ergo, baptizing them shouldn't be denied to them on the flimsy pretext that they can't repent or believe when the Bible says they can come to Jesus, are regarded as holy and may be discipled a la Matthew 28:19 by their being brought up with the discipline and instruction that comes from God.

The simple truth is that the idea that little children can't repent or believe and therefore shouldn't be baptized has no biblical support whatsoever. In fact the Bible teaches the opposite. Jesus made it clear that "anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:15). In other words "unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 18:3-4). Again, Jesus taught that children could as surely fall into sin as they can turn from their sins provided they're taught to. This is the most explicit reference to the idea that kids can repent and believe like grown ups do seeing as adults are being encouraged to be like kids who turn from their sins by Christ Himself. After all, Christ did also say, "And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea." (Matthew 18:5-6).

Jesus already opened up the kingdom of Heaven to little kids when He said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” (Matthew 19:14 NLT). These words make one thing clear. The fact that children can and should be brought to Jesus because the kingdom of heaven also belongs to them. Keep in mind that Jesus is talking about the same kingdom of heaven He told Nicodemus no one can see or enter unless they're born again of water and the spirit (see John 3:3-6). He here also commands that no one stop children from being brought to Him. And sorry He just ain't talking about so-called baby dedication here. He's rather talking about salvation. There's just so much more on the side of baptizing children of Christians no matter their age than the side that exempts little children from participating fully in the commonwealth of believers. The errors of "libertarian freedom" are the only reason most Christians rend up reading unwarranted notions that exempt little kids from being fully afforded the grace and privileges of baptism.

[thomasglass]

I really like Dr. Brown apologetics about answering jewish objections to Jesus but when I listen him in other topics, it reinforces my belief in reformed theology.

[ByGracethroughFaithEph..]

As we read the true and inspiring word of God we see that eight-day-old children are included in the covenant in the Old testament.
It is easy to argue against
Dr. Brown because nowhere in the scriptures does it say 8 day old children are excluded from God's blessing and covenant promises, we need to look at Rom9:4 it says the lseralities received adoption, covenants and promises and this included 8 day old babies.
We also see that belonging to God's Holy covanant peaple and recieving a sign of God's promises was never eternal life according to 1Cor10:1-7
We need to understand that a ordinance points to the work of God and his promises, covenants and adoption.
We are adopted into God's family and receive a sign of God's promises by Baptism including 8 day old babies but the Lord also requires circumcision of the heart which is internal life and this is to love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind and the second is like it, you shall love your neighbour as yourself. I cannot find anywhere in the scriptures where it says that if you recieve the sign of Baptism you have eternal life.
The Bible is clear, you need circumcision of the heart according to Rom2:29.

[JohnA-viqs]

a tough call saying it isn`t, but I do agree that when one comes to repentance and is saved, then go ahead and be baptised as a believer.

[carlosrivadeneira]

I am a Christian Catholic, baptized as a baby, for that same reason I have lived by the faith every day of my life. I have been reading and analyzing the bible since I was five, not as an obligation but as an act of love. I'm almost 40 yo and even to this day I'm surprised as how many new things and wonders I discover every day, as if it is a miracle. Sometimes my tears come out from the joy this brings me, I have no doubt that the Spirit of Truth gives me some new knowledge, a little bit at a time, just enough so I can keep my sanity. Is just, that the secret on reading the bible is not just to read it but understand where it came from and where it's going, the word needs to be felt, needs to be loved for her to open up on us and please read in between lines as there the real message hides awaiting for us to discover it.

As Catholics we do not go around rebuking our Christian brothers and sisters from different ideology, we follow Christ's main commandments, to love God above all things and to love your neighbors as yourself. For us any real "Christian" is with us not against us. Note I say real Christians as these are easy to identify; a real Christian will never go around talking bad, reproaching, hating their brothers as this totally oposes our saviour's message.
I know this might be hurtful but is the truth, give a 10yo atheist kid the bible to read and tell him to give you the synopsis and he will say, love God above all things, love your brothers and sisters and be "ONE BODY" in Christ.

Dr. Brown is a respectful and loving Christian and is doing a fantastic job on bringing back our Jewish brothers but we have to remember he just gives his opinion about subjects as we all do, as he is a fantastic scholar there is thousand more that would firmly opose what he mentions in the video. He speaks correctly when he says Catholics believe in the authority of the bible but we also believe in Sacred Tradition. We do not believe the bible should be interpreted as anybody would want to do it, as this would obviously result in the rupture of church unity. Imagine all the millions of heresies that would come up from a wild idea like this, there would be no Christianity anymore.

For the same reason we trust in our love for God and all the studies of the Sacred Scripture done by our Church fathers from the beginning of Christianity until the present time. Is highly unlikely that you will find something in the bible that hasn't been analyzed by thousands of knowledgeable dedicated to God people.
This does not mean you have to read a synopsis of the bible from them, we are encouraged to read, study, analyze and bring the fullness of faith to reality by ourselves, I still do it to the present day and it brings me to life every time a Catholic Church teaching comes to life through the Scriptures.

To comment a little on the baptism of infants, there are many things that we look on favor of it, when Paul and Silas were thrown in Jail, the Jailer asked him what he needed to do to be saved and Paul said believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved and then it goes to say the jailer was baptized with all his family, well families have children and if this is the case they were also baptized.
Also it would be good to mention that the families of Lydia and Stephanas were also baptized, that makes up for three separate families with all their members baptized, highly unlike that there were no childrens, is just common sense.

Some people will say, children can't be baptized as they cannot believe in Christ, well this is a bit problematic as Jesus himself said "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it" This after people was taking infants for him that he might touch them. According to Jesus children not only can believe but can have faith superior to adults.

There are many places in the bible that make reference of this but like I said the Scripture must be understood as it is not a book to memorize or to textually quote, as the true messages are hidden within.

Then there is also all the Circumcision belief that for us is very important as Paul himself mentions about it. I do not think anybody will read all the way down here but it is very beautiful, if someone is interested just reply and I will gladly explain our way of thinking regardings infant baptism and circumcision which is a beautiful approach, it would help anyone understand what us Christian Catholics believe.

[pelopidassumfora]

Baptism is a gift of the Holy Spirit just like grace is given freely. One does need to accept the gift of grace and work out their salvation in this life. But baptism is purely a gift of the spirit. A human adult who is unbaptized needs to repent and be baptized. A child can be baptized receiving the gift of the spirit and then ushered into the faith by his family. The fact that the Protestant tradition rejects this and claims it to be unbiblical is problematic for your community. Why wouldn’t you want your children to be blessed by and sealed by the Holy Spirit

[keithstahley]

There is also not a single example or reference of a child growing up in the faith, and being baptized. I think there is a correlation, since children in the Old Covenant were circumcised just as the adult converts were. The children were accepted on their parents faith, and would later take up this faith as their own when they were old enough. God forbid they turn away.

[FRN]

"Church fathers!"
* facepalm *
Who are the so-called church fathers? Who gets to define what a church father is? What date do you cut off membership so that those who came later are not 'fathers'?
They disagree with each other. Their writings are not God's Word. God's Word says repent and be baptized, which in Greek is a word that means submerged.
Baptism symbolizes death, burial (going under water), and being raised to new life (coming up).

[AD-endq]

since Catholics & Orthodox see baptism as having salvific value it would be wrong not to baptism a child asap I also think its entirely possible that the household the families would have had children I think its a tougher sell to suggest they were all above the 'age of reason' and capable of acknowledging their sin in totality... my current perspective is that traditionally whole families following their Parents would be baptized so its not a anti-biblical teaching thats why I personally have come to believe you dont have to rebaptize which according to the other 2 branches of Christianity would be sacrilegious so if you were baptized and came to a more protestant failth I would think it safe not to baptize yourself again...

[CookInTech]

So for 1, 500 years they were a bunch of heretics, got it wrong... Seriously? Then Johnny come latelies got it right? 😂😂😂

[gsp]

I only want to do what the Bible commands, thats why i don't let my wife and daughter take communion. No where in scripture is there an example or explicit commant for women to do

[RohanNavgire]

What about Acts 2:39? It says that the promise is for you and your CHILDREN. I don't think children here means their children when they grow up.
Were there infants among those who were baptised that day when Peter preached?

[cherylcallahan]

🌻ASKDrBrown guest🌻always appreciate your videos 🌟Listening from Mass USA🌟Hello🌟 everyone🌷

[stevennimocks]

Infant baptism is not biblical. Period.

[FRN]

Children _can_ be baptized, BTW, if they're old enough to repent by faith.

[DennisNedryisStillAlive]

I dare say this, when people are baptized as infants it leads them to believe that when they are Born-Again they don’t need to be baptized again! I was baptized as an infant in the Catholic faith, but it literally means nothing to me because I had no participation in it nor can I remember it. Jesus was baptized when he was about 30 years old!

[glennrobinson]

Even full immersion has nothing to do with salvation. This ritual is simply the answer of a good conscience before God that we identify with Christ in his death and burial and rising with him to new life. Which is the essence of what true worship is of the old life/man dying with our Lord Jesus.

[Mygoalwogel]

_Why do Christians baptize?_
[Jesus] said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:15-16

_Why do Christians baptize infants?_
Infants are included in “the whole creation.”

_But we are only to baptize “whoever believes”! Can infants believe?_
Indeed, they can. John the Baptist had and demonstrated faith from his mother’s womb.“And of the Holy Spirit he shall be filled even from the womb of his mother. ... And it happened that as [Elizabeth] heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb.” Luke 1:15, 41.
A psalmist had faith from birth. “For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; You are my trust from my youth. I have *relied upon you from my birth;* You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb.” Psalm 71:5-6.
Timothy had faith in the Gospel from infancy. “From infancy you have known the holy writings.” 2 Timothy 3:15.
David had faith from birth. “You have made me to trust while on the breasts of my mother. I have relied on you since birth; from the time I came out of my mother’s womb you have been my God.” Psalm 22:9.
David and Jesus do not find it incredible that nursing infants can praise God in faith. “And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘ Out of the mouth of babies and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?” Matthew 21:16.

_But surely those infants were special cases. How can infants believe today?_
Jesus commands us not to hinder those who wish to bring their infants to him. In fact, he calls them to himself, and says not that they are brought, but that they come to him. “Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to himself, saying, ‘Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.’” Luke 18:15-17.

_But Jesus did not baptize the children. He put his hands on them or held them. Is that the same?_
“For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.” 1 Corintians 12:15. There is no way to be closer to Jesus than this!

[kevwarriner]

K my story I was baptized at 3 years old I couldn't talk or comprehend who Jesus Christ was I was a child I would think you would have to understand and acknowledge what Jesus did and who was he and understand the scripture as well as our sins before getting baptized in Jesus name Amen to repent and walk away from our fleshy sins and walk in the spirit of the Lord I see baptism at a young age as a form of protection from evil spirits that pray on children like Lilith