Question from a Site Viewer
Will God accept my infant baptism? Does it even count?
I was baptized as an infant in the Lutheran Church, should I be baptized again as an adult or will God accept my infant baptism?
Tim’s Answer
We do not find the Bible ever teaching baptism before belief. Those who received the word were baptized in Acts 2:41. Those who believed were baptized in Acts 8:12-13. Those who received the Holy Spirit were baptized in Acts 9:48. Many of the Corinthians believed and were baptized (Acts 18:8). We know that there are churches, including the Lutheran churches, who believe and practice infant baptism. We find no Scriptural support for this practice. Statements such as those with Cornelius, with Lydia, and with the Philippian jailor concerning the household being baptized do not, for us, support infant baptism without some evidence that there were infants in those households.
In some groups, infant baptism is deemed to be efficacious for salvation. In other groups it is not. In any event, infant baptism was not practiced by our Lord and is not the example set for us in Scripture. Thus, we teach that one should be baptized after salvation. We would see the infant baptism more like a dedication of the parents to raise their child in the faith, and like the believers at Ephesus (Acts 19:1-7), a subsequent baptism would be needed by those who come to faith in Christ.
Nevertheless, we know many whom we would would count to be brothers and sisters in Christ who disagree with this Anabaptist position. We do not seek to condemn their beliefs, only to assert how we read Scripture.
I trust this is helpful.
Nice reply, Tim. From the guy you met on the United Airlines flight.
Always on point Tim. thanks for sharing.
Greetings.
To the point? He did not even answer the question. It was a simple one, will God accept his infant baptism? Its a yes or no or I don’t know question. Its okay to add comments about your answer, but in the end you must give an definitive answer to a simple question.
I thought we made it clear in the article that we do not view infant baptism as efficacious before God. But lest you have any doubt, our answer is: “No, God will not accept infant baptism.” We find no support in Scripture for the practice and we believe the baptism God accepts is the one that comes after belief in Christ. To baptize an unwilling infant or even a willing adult who has not believed in Christ is not Biblical baptism in our view.
Greetings.
Whether for salvation or not, baptism is commanded. His question has two parts, a) Is his first baptism biblical and b) if not should he be baptized as an adult? You have now answered part a, now answer part b. The person writing this question is like many people who have been told by their parents that they were baptized in the church and now is having second thoughts about if he should be baptized as a adult believer. Many people in this position want to be baptized but do not want to upset their family. They worry that their family will see the second baptism as a rejection of their upbringing. If baptism is not important they would rather not cause any unnecessary distress. If its no big deal why worry, he looking for a clear answer. Also, could you explain what you mean by your comment “we know many whom we would count to be brothers and sisters in Christ who disagree with this Anabaptist position.”
“God will not accept infant baptism”?
God works covenantly. Baptism is a covenant. Infants were circumcised & entered into covenant relationship with God in the OT(Gen.12-17) circumcision did not save the child. The Abrahamic covenant under which the infants were circumcised is still valid (Gal. 3:8, 4) the Abrahamic covenant, which is still valid & which is the Gospel, included infants, therefore, infants should still be included in the same covenant. We see evidence of whole households being baptized in Acts 16:15. Since baptism is not necessary for salvation, and God works covenantly, why would He not accept his infant baptism?