Posted on 06/15/2014 12:52:19 PM PDT by Laissez-faire capitalist
1.) An infant is baptized, is raised by believing parents and later when older turns from the faith.
2.) An infant is baptized, has no believing parents to be raised by, and when older doesn't turn from the faith.
Given that the antithesis exists for 1 & 2, wouldn't it be prudent for the priest to baptize the fortunate infant as well as the unfortunate, as either could remain faithful when older, show perseverance against high odds, and no priest knows the future - only God Almighty?
Given that only God knows the future, perhaps withholding baptism isn't an option at all for the priest. If the priest is unsure about 1, 2 or the antithesis for both, should they let God do their baptizing for them if they lack faith?
Just wait until these guys have an announcement from the Vatican that they discovered “ET” and he is the “messiah”.
In our ritual in the Methodist church, the caveat is “until he shall accept it for himself at an accountable age” or words to that effect as you go from worship book to worship book over the years.
That seems misplaced, considering that the majority of Protestants (Luther and Calvin included) baptize infants. Anabaptists, Southern Baptists and other descendants of the Radical Reformation do not speak for us.
Baptism is the outward evidence of an inward acceptance of Christ as their savior. A baby cannot gain salvation (or anyone else) by being baptized.
Baptism by WATER is not required for salvation.
The thief on the cross is an example of baptism by desire.
Good explanation. Thx!
the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.
Is that where a priest typically hangs out?
It serves a purpose fir the parents. It’s a covenant to raise them up in the church.
The haters have no idea who is buried there, how many or when they were buried. They do not know who buried them nor ANY details, but they hate the Catholic Church enough to blame the Church. Odd, but haters gotta hate.
Acts 2:38-39
Peter (said) to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.”
The New Testament speaks of the baptism of “whole households” which in the normal Greek usage of the time included children.
1 Cor 1:16
I (Paul) baptized the household of Stephanas also ...
Acts 11:13-14
He related to us how he had seen (the) angel standing in his house, saying, ‘Send someone to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter, who will speak words to you by which you and all your household will be saved.’
Acts 16:15
After she (Lydia of Thyatira) and her household had been baptized, she offered us an invitation...
Acts 16:30-32
Then he (the jailer) brought them (Paul and Silas) out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved.” So they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.
Acts 18:8
Crispus, the synagogue official, came to believe in the Lord along with his entire household.
To the Colossians, Paul paralleled baptism and circumcision. Circumcision was normally administered to children eight days after birth.
Col 2:11-12
In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not administered by hand, by stripping off the carnal body, with the circumcision of Christ. You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
To the Corinthians, Paul recalled that just as all the Jews of the Exodus (including children) were baptized into Moses by passing through the Red Sea, they were actually being blessed by Christ.
1 Cor 10:1-4
I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, and all of them were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. All ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was the Christ.
In Mark’s Gospel, we have Jesus’ own teaching on children.
Mk 10:13-16
And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” ... Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
The Roman Catholic Church teaches that baptism is necessary for salvation after the promulgation of the Gospel for everyone, both children and adults.
Jn 3:5
Jesus answered (Nicodemus), “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.”
It is frequently asked by non-believers how an infant is capable of making an act of faith in order to receive baptism. The response of the Catholic Church is to follow the Biblical example of Christ. Jesus accepted the faith of others as an occasion of salvation, forgiveness and healing of another. The Church has always done likewise. In infant baptism, the faith of parents and sponsors is required.
Mk 2:1-5
When Jesus returned to Capernaum ... They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.”
Mt 8:5-13
When he entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.” ... When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.” ... And Jesus said to the centurion, “You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.” And at that very hour (his) servant was healed.
In the Catholic Church, the godparents would say the promises for the baby. When the child grows up they will still be a Catholic.
There are three different kinds of Baptism.
Water and the Spirit — we are most familiar with this one.
Baptism of Desire — in a person’s dying breath they convert.
Baptism of Blood — quite obvious, they die giving their blood for Christ.
The Good thief had both the Baptism of Desire and the Baptism of Blood.
Actually, it is the baptism done BY JESUS - the baptism of the Holy Spirit - that saves us and gives us new life. It is by the baptism of the Spirit that we are placed “In Christ”, and we are only saved in Christ:
“12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” - 1 Corinth 12
Sorry, but I believe you are wrong. Here is a quote from Jesus. Do you believe it?
“Unless you are born of water and the spirit, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.” John 3:5
http://biblehub.com/john/3-5.htm
Exactly. It’s the Holy Spirit that baptizes, not the water. The thief on the cross WAS baptized.
Okay, whatever.
In answer to your question about Baptism, the short answer is that its all about grace.
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