"What's your thoughts on Baptism?"
I have a good friend who asked me the following question: "What's your thoughts on Baptism?"
Well to start, ... I believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior. That He came into this world to be a living sacrifice and provide us heavenly salvation and forgiveness for our sins. Jesus, who was without sin, went to the cross, taking on our sin, was crucified and put to death. Jesus died, but three days later was raised from the dead and is now seated in heaven with God the Father.
So then ... How can we be saved?
**Mark 16: 15-16: He (Jesus) said to them (disciples), “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
I believe scripture outlines that we first need to hear the gospel message of Jesus and everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of their sins through His name. We need to proclaim it to be true, and we need to repent and be baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is through our individual faith in Jesus Christ that we receive our salvation.
As I read the scriptures, I find the topic of baptism continually comes back to it being an individuals own decision. It's not one that can be made by a parent on behalf of a child. Nor by the head of the house on behalf of his/her own household. Nor is the fact that one member of a family or household believes any guarantee that the rest of the family or household will also believe. In fact, Jesus himself states that the bible will cause household division. **Matthew 10:34-36 reads: “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.' "
This brings me to household and infant baptism. When it comes to the belief in household and/or infant baptism, I have found there are three main passages of scripture that are often used as a reference for this:
The conversion of Lydia and her household (Acts 16: 13-15)
13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
The conversion the Jailer and his household (Acts 16: 25-34)
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.
Salvation through marriage with a believing spouse (1 Corinthians 7: 12-16)
12 ... If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Response
Again, as I read these passages, they continue to confirm for me that salvation is an individual decision. One that is made after hearing the gospel message. With the household, it only takes one member to hear the message, to believe it, and to take to the rest of the household to hear.
-- Lydia and her household were in a place to hear the gospel message from Paul. After which, Lydia and the members of her household were baptized. It wasn't until after she and her household were baptized that Lydia invited Paul and his companions to come and stay at her home.
-- Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to the jailer and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.
-- A member of the family can hear the word of the Lord and believe. This will most definitely help increase the chances that all the members of that family will at some point hear the gospel message, but it in no way guarantees that the rest of the members of that family will believe and be saved.
Conclusion
I do not know whether or not salvation can be reached through infant or household baptism. I can only speak for myself. I was raised in a Catholic home. I was baptized as an infant, and as a child I heard/was taught the gospel message and I believed it. However, as a young adult, as part of a bible study, I studied the scriptures and they outlined to me that salvation is an individual decision made by a person after they have heard the gospel message for themselves. Because my baptism took place when I was an infant, before I could hear the gospel message for myself, and before I could make the decision to believe and be baptized for myself ... I decided I would be baptized again as an adult, for I have heard the gospel message, and I do believe it, ... I did not want to have a grey area in regards to my salvation. It's a decision I cherish every single day!
So that's my thoughts on Baptism.
God Bless
Well to start, ... I believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior. That He came into this world to be a living sacrifice and provide us heavenly salvation and forgiveness for our sins. Jesus, who was without sin, went to the cross, taking on our sin, was crucified and put to death. Jesus died, but three days later was raised from the dead and is now seated in heaven with God the Father.
So then ... How can we be saved?
**Mark 16: 15-16: He (Jesus) said to them (disciples), “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
I believe scripture outlines that we first need to hear the gospel message of Jesus and everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of their sins through His name. We need to proclaim it to be true, and we need to repent and be baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is through our individual faith in Jesus Christ that we receive our salvation.
As I read the scriptures, I find the topic of baptism continually comes back to it being an individuals own decision. It's not one that can be made by a parent on behalf of a child. Nor by the head of the house on behalf of his/her own household. Nor is the fact that one member of a family or household believes any guarantee that the rest of the family or household will also believe. In fact, Jesus himself states that the bible will cause household division. **Matthew 10:34-36 reads: “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.' "
This brings me to household and infant baptism. When it comes to the belief in household and/or infant baptism, I have found there are three main passages of scripture that are often used as a reference for this:
The conversion of Lydia and her household (Acts 16: 13-15)
13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
The conversion the Jailer and his household (Acts 16: 25-34)
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.
Salvation through marriage with a believing spouse (1 Corinthians 7: 12-16)
12 ... If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Response
Again, as I read these passages, they continue to confirm for me that salvation is an individual decision. One that is made after hearing the gospel message. With the household, it only takes one member to hear the message, to believe it, and to take to the rest of the household to hear.
-- Lydia and her household were in a place to hear the gospel message from Paul. After which, Lydia and the members of her household were baptized. It wasn't until after she and her household were baptized that Lydia invited Paul and his companions to come and stay at her home.
-- Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to the jailer and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.
-- A member of the family can hear the word of the Lord and believe. This will most definitely help increase the chances that all the members of that family will at some point hear the gospel message, but it in no way guarantees that the rest of the members of that family will believe and be saved.
Conclusion
I do not know whether or not salvation can be reached through infant or household baptism. I can only speak for myself. I was raised in a Catholic home. I was baptized as an infant, and as a child I heard/was taught the gospel message and I believed it. However, as a young adult, as part of a bible study, I studied the scriptures and they outlined to me that salvation is an individual decision made by a person after they have heard the gospel message for themselves. Because my baptism took place when I was an infant, before I could hear the gospel message for myself, and before I could make the decision to believe and be baptized for myself ... I decided I would be baptized again as an adult, for I have heard the gospel message, and I do believe it, ... I did not want to have a grey area in regards to my salvation. It's a decision I cherish every single day!
So that's my thoughts on Baptism.
God Bless
posted by Harley McCarville at 10:36 pm
