Should Babies Be Baptized?

Infant baptism is an unauthorized practice

The practice of infant baptism is most ancient. Its history can be traced all the way back to the end of the second century, but no further. Therein lies the problem with infant baptism: it is a practice, which is not authorized by the Scriptures. Nowhere in the New Testament may we read of anyone who was ever baptized at a preadolescent age; much less at infancy. That is why, whenever I am asked if babies ought to be baptized, I always say, “No!”

There is no Scriptural authority for the practice of baptizing babies

Advocates of infant baptism sometimes point to passages like Matthew 19:14 and Acts 16:15, as proof of their assertion that the practice is Biblical, but these verses offer them no support, at all.

• In Matthew 19:14, Jesus did say that little children should be allowed to come to Him, for every Christian ought to emulate the desirable characteristics of a little child (Matthew 18:3), but He did not ever teach that infants ought to be baptized.
• As for Acts 16:15, it does tell of Lydia and her entire household being baptized for the remission of their sins, but it is the height of presumption to say that her household included babies or little children.

If one goes strictly by the Bible, then one must admit that there is no Scriptural authority for the practice of baptizing babies.

People who are old enough to know that they must be saved need to be baptized

In the minds of many people tradition outweighs the authority of the Bible. But, God is not going to judge us based upon whether or not we kept with tradition, but whether or not we obeyed His Word (Mark 7:9; John 12:48). Infants do not need to be baptized, but people who are old enough to know that they must be baptized to be saved do.

“Then Peter said unto them, 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