Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!usc!apple!sun-barr!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: farkas@eng.sun.com (Frank Farkas) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Infant Baptism, and a Few Oddments Message-ID: Date: 29 Nov 90 05:10:36 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 83 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu >[Again, let me point out that for many who practice infant baptism, >the issue is not that baptism has some sort of mystical effect on a >person, but that it is a sign commanded by God to mark their entrance >into the Christian community. In most Protestant churches emergency >baptism is specifically prohibited in order to make it clear what is >going on. The question of whether baptisms of the whole family in the >NT included children is one that I think will never be settled (in >this life). I suspect that God will accept both those who believe >they are honoring his commandment by baptizing infants and those who >believe they are doing so by baptizing only adults. > I would like to respectfully disagree with the Moderator. First of all, there were many who claimed that in fact baptism did have some special mystical effect on the infant. My response was to them, and not to the Moderator's belief. An infant can't make a decision if it wants to enter into the Christian community, or not. Such decision must be made by a person who has reached the age of accountability, and can decide for her or himself. I believe that there is a contradiction in saying on one hand that infant baptism is not really a requirement, and on the other hand to say that it is a commandment of God. >By the way, it seems a failure of Christian charity to use the >inflammatory label "teachings of men" for practices that have a >reasonable argument for being Biblical -- even if you don't agree with >the argument. Since rites such as baptism do not seem to be >essentials for salvation, perhaps we should practice the sort of >tolerance suggested in Rom 14: 1-6 towards those who believe they are >called to do things differently than we do. > >--clh] I know that we live in a world today when all things are ok to do. It doesn't really matter what one person does or doesn't do, since if that person believes it, it must be ok. Again, I would like to respectfully disagree with the Moderator that baptism is not essential to salvation. Here are just a few passages which says otherwise: John 3:5 ======== "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto the, Except a man be born of the water and of the spirit, he can't enter into the kingdom of God." Mark 16:16 ---------- "He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Acts 2:37-38 ============ "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and bretheren, what shall we 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." The bottom line is that there is more then reasonable indication that baptism is in fact a requirement for entry into the kingdom of God. I apologize if my statement regarding the "teachings of man" was inflammatory. I have not ment it that way at all, however, I will not argue with your judgement. My remarks that infant baptism was a teachings of man was ment to be a challenge for those who have excepted traditions to reevaluate their believes in view of the Bible, and not what some other person said about it, who claimed no special revelation on this subject at all. We are all entitled to our own opinions, however, they are not necessarily the revealed word of God. The fact is that none of us can claim that we have a pure knowledge of God and his laws. All of our beliefs have been distorted to some greater or smaller extent by the philosophies of man. Without us recognizing this fact, there is no hope at all that we can grow in our understanding. In fact, such attitude will be a major stumbling block which will prevent our progress. With brotherly love, Frank