Welcome to the
Cape Coral Church of Christ
Should little children and babies be baptized?
Why doesn't the church of Christ baptize babies and little children?
No person is a proper subject for baptism who does not believe. Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16). Thus before one may be baptized, he must believe. One might ask, "Believe what?" Again, Jesus said, "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins" (John 8:24). From this one sees that faith involves believing that "I am he," that is, that Jesus is the Son of God, the Christ. There is an age or level of development before which children are not able to believe (
Isa. 7:16). Such children are not sufficiently mature enough to respond to this requirement.
When people pleaded to know what to do to be saved, Peter replied, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38). From this one sees that repentance precedes baptism. Repentance entails sorrow for sin and reformation of life (
2 Cor. 7:10;
Matt. 3:8). These things are not within the capacity of little children (
Isa. 7:16). Additionally, baptism is "for remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). Little children are not guilty of sin, for Jesus said, "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18:3; 19:14). Sin is the transgression of the law (
1 John 3:4). However, we know that little children are not able to understand, let alone transgress the law. Therefore little children have no need of baptism and we adults have no authority to impose it on them.
S. T. E.
"For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings."
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.