The Tradition
B. The Tradition:
By use of the word "infant," we are referring to babies and all children who have not reached the age of accountability. Their baptism is administered by the rite of sprinkling; with the idea that this suits the baby for acceptance into Heaven by the Lord. As religious and appealing to the flesh as this ceremony is; one can search the bible through; but will come up empty handed when looking for Scripture to support such an ordinance or practice.
After a person has reached the age of accountability (This varies with the child.); they are responsible for their own destiny of Heaven or Hell by their acceptance, or rejection, of Christ as their Savior. Since a baby is incapable of making that decision, it is asinine to think God would leave the eternal destiny of an infant in the hands of its parents. If that were true, some babies would go to Hell because of unbelieving parents. Our Lord disclaims any responsibility for such a thought. Only to religious tradition can such a damnable claim be accredited.
Again, we emphasize that nowhere in God's Word do we find that babies are to be—or ever were—baptized. As we find in Scripture, the prerequisite for baptism is always belief or faith in Christ as Savior; a baby is incapable of doing this. In Romans, we find that baptism is a testimony of a Christian's new LIFE and WALK with Christ.
"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into (unto) Jesus Christ were baptized into (unto) his death?" - Romans 6:3 In baptism, by being placed under the water, we show symbolically, a public testimony of our personal, living faith in Christ's death as payment for our sins.
"...that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father..." - Romans 6:4
Therefore, coming up out of the water of baptism is one's testimony of his faith in Christ's Resurrection. This is the Gospel that must be believed to have eternal life; the death, burial, and Resurrection of our Savior.
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the GOSPEL which I preached unto you ...(1) ...how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (3) and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures." - 1 Corinthians 15:1; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Then, we are instructed in Romans 6:4, "...even so we also should walk in newness of life." as a continuance of our testimony for Him. My question is: Since baptism is a testimony and declaration to walk in newness of life, how does a baby do this? Of course—this is impossible! Should we press this tradition to a conclusion; babies that are born and die within a few months after birth would then be condemned, having no opportunity to be baptized. The late Dr. Harry Ironsides once related that a writer endorsing "household baptism" stated that "Parents who brought unbaptized children to him in prayer for blessing, were only bringing Cain's offering!"; i.e., unbaptized children were the children of Satan; since Cain was of that Wicked One, Satan, ( 1 John 3:12). Can one imagine the mental agony and depression parents experience when abused with this kind of philosophical tradition, void of scriptural truth?