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WHY WE BAPTIZE BABIES

Genesis 17:1-11; Acts 16:13-15, 25-34
First Presbyterian Church of Georgetown, Texas
Dr. Michael A. Roberts June 24, 1990

In 1988 the Presbyterian Church in United States baptized 47,978 babies. 47,978.
This figure represents a significant group of children, parents, and congregations.
Why do we do it? Why do we baptize babies?

I don't know about you but my Christian experience has not always been in
churches which practice infant baptism. I have been in churches which only have
believer baptism- usually adults but also older children. I went to a seminary which
had a significant group of Christians which believed that infant baptism was not
biblical or helpful.

In my Christian journey I have had to think through what I believe about this
sacrament instituted by Christ. This reflection led me to baptize Jonathan 3 1/2
years ago and to baptize Timothy today. I thought it would be enjoyable for me and
perhaps you as well to take a week and elucidate why we baptize babies. Who is
the we? The we I refer to means Protestants in general and Presbyterians in
particular. Other Protestant groups practice baptism but some groups have a
slightly different view of what happens in baptism. In particular I will seek to
explain the Reformed interpretation of the scriptures. This group includes all
Presbyterian and Congregational churches worldwide.

As I preach this morning I want you to think of the baptisms that you have
witnessed in your life. Perhaps the child was yours or a grandchild, or a child of
the church family or even your own baptism. Think of those baptisms and reflect
with me on why we baptize babies.

First, we baptize babies because baptism is the entrance into the covenant
community. God's covenant with us is God's relationship with us. This
relationship is based on an agreement, a promise, a hope. In Genesis 17 we have
the covenant with Abraham. God was doing something new by entering into this
relationship with a particular people, a specific person, Abraham. The sign of this
covenant was circumcision. Here was a physical, visible sign. The New Testament
makes very clear however that circumcision alone did not count for anything- the
meaning of being in covenant with God was what really counted. If a Jew did not
obey God's laws, circumcision mattered little. It was always a visible sign with an
inner meaning.
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But here's the point- this covenant was never for just adults, it always included the
children of believers. The covenant community in the Old Testament included
adults who believed in the true God and their children. Circumcision was the
entrance into this community-in this admittedly patriarchal society. Eight days
after birth boys were circumcised as a sign that they were part of the community.
Later on when they were 12 or so they became an adult in that community and
accepted the authority of the law over their lives.

To use another example, in the first century if a person decided to be a Jew, they
would undergo proselyte baptism. This baptism symbolized the cleansing of sin. It
is the forerunner of Christian baptism. And we know for a fact that this baptism
was practiced on young children in the family.

Early Christians began to substitute baptism for circumcision at an early date as

they moved into the Gentile world. What is most radical in the early missionary
travels was the abandonment of circumcision and the adoption of baptism- an
entrance ceremony for both males and females. In Colossians 2:11-12 there is an
attempt to link baptism with circumcision. Paul says the following to Gentile
Christians: "In him you also were circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful
nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with a circumcision
done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him
through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead." You were
not circumcised like of old but by God's power- a sign of which is baptism.

Imagine that you are parents of young children on the day of Pentecost long ago.
You have heard about Jesus of Nazareth and his supposed resurrection. Now you
hear Peter's stirring sermon which is recorded in Acts 2. The sermon ends with
these words: "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus,
whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." When the people heard this they were
cut to the heart and wondered what to do. Peter replied: "Repent and be baptized,
every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins...The
promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off- for all whom the
Lord our God will call."

Now here is the question. Would a first century Jew who was schooled in the
covenant community, circumcision, the importance of family, and proselyte
baptism- would such a person withhold baptism from their children. I, along with
many others, do not think so.

It is interesting that even those who practice only believer baptism recognize the
value of the covenant community and want their children to be a part of it. In most
Baptist churches for example, they still practice infant dedication. The scriptural
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support for this is often found in 1 Samuel 1 where Hannah dedicates Samuel to
the Lord. I would note only that this is a dedication to service not for salvation.
Samuel goes to live in a monastery-like situation as an apprentice to Eli. Samuel
would have already become part of the covenant community through circumcision
not dedication.

Baptism is the entrance into the covenant community. To this day in many
Presbyterian churches you will find the baptismal font at the entrance to the church
as a symbol of entrance into the Christian journey.

Second, we baptize babies because in the early church there are household
baptisms. The complaint I have often heard about infant baptism is that it is found
nowhere in the Bible. This is not exactly true. For one thing there are very few
baptisms recorded- only 12. It is true that there are no infant baptisms described
but then there are no adult baptisms recorded of those who had Christian parents
either.

You see there is much we do not know about the practices of the early church. And
this lack of knowledge has caused many of the controversies concerning the
sacraments. It is true we don't see infant baptism but for that matter we don't see
women ever taking communion either. There are a number of things we infer from
the biblical passages. We do not have infant baptisms described but what we do
have described are the baptism of households. In 1 Corinthians 1 Paul is having a
hard time remembering who he baptized in that church. He says: "I did not baptize
any of you except Crispus and Gaius... Yes, I also baptized the household of
Stephanus." In Acts 16 we find two stories about Lydia and Philippian jailer both
of whom believed in Christ. Lydia was a businesswomen who opened her heart to
the message. We discover that she and her household were baptized. We find no
note of the household's belief just their baptism. The jailer has a dramatic
experience and immediately believes and is baptized-and his household.

The data in the New Testament on baptism is not crystal clear either way but what
is clear is that baptism was often by households which more than likely included
children. This household baptism was a logical extension of children entering the
covenant community. Moreever, although we see no direct command to baptize
infants, we see no direct prohibition which you might expect if there is a radical
change from the Jewish understanding of covenant and circumcision.

Third, we practice infant baptism because it is a wonderful symbol of God's

grace in salvation. John Calvin used to say that a sacrament is a visible sign of an
invisible grace. if so, what is the invisible grace? Today, people talk of sacraments
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as being visible sermons. If so, what is the sacrament trying to say? What are we to
reflect on, learn about?

In communion most of us would immediately say that we are remembering the

death of Christ and celebrating the presence of God. What is baptism saying to us?
We believe that infant baptism is saying that all of us including this child are
dependent on God's grace. We stand in awe of God's great initiative in salvation.
God's love claims people before they are able to respond in faith.

Scripture is clear that the act of salvation is from the first- God's act, God's
initiative. It is a great human tendency to claim the credit, to say we have achieved
this certain spiritual stature. I have to admit that those who practice believer
baptism only can succumb (as we all do) at times to spiritual pride. "I have made
the choice. I have made the right decision. I have done it." At times there is a lack
of humility and perspective. But God's grace gives us not only salvation but even
gives us the initial interest in God, gives us the faith to believe. To quote
Ephesians 2: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your
own doing, it is a gift of God- not because of works, lest anyone should boast." No
one can boast in an infant baptism. Here is a child who is helpless, dependent.
This child has done nothing to earn God's favor-no tithing, no committee work, no
serving as an elder or deacon, no praying, no studying the scriptures, no mission
work, no obedience to any commandments- nothing. And God still accepts him.
God makes the initiative and gives grace.

The message of infant baptism, whenever a child is baptized, is that God accepts
us, loves us, cares for us, reaches out to us without our response. Infant baptism
reminds us with a startling symbol that we are all saved by grace.

Fourth, we baptize babies because we believe that parents and congregations

should nurture the child towards faith. This is where we part company with
many sincere Christians who practice infant baptism. For those in the Reformed
tradition do not believe that anything magical happens in baptism. Presbyterians do
not believe baptism removes original sin or that the child is regenerated because of
the act. Our Timothy or any child is not a Christian because they have been
baptized. Baptism does not confer salvation. It is only the beginning of the
process.

We believe that a parent begins the process but does not make the Christian
commitment for the child. That child must grow in their understanding to come to
the place where they can responsibly make a profession of faith in Christ on their
own. In our church we call that confirmation- when a child confirms what her
parents promised so long ago. They say: "Yes, this is for me!" Baptism without
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confirmation is incomplete. We baptize with the ultimate goal that this baby will
one day follow Jesus Christ. I admit that one of my more enjoyable tasks is helping
young people to understand and make this commitment. Most 6th graders have
already been baptized 12 years before and now they are coming to a time of
decision-making, of affirming what her parents hoped and prayed about for so
long.

In many parts of Europe and North America baptism has taken on a cultural, even
sentimental cast. For many people there is concern about having the child "done".
Little attention is given to the meaning or the promises made. Thousands of little
children are baptized in the church and then the family doesn't darken the door of
the church, they don't attend Sunday School, or pray in their homes. Reformed
Christians want to link baptism with responsible nurture. It makes no sense to a
true Presbyterian to baptize a child that will not be nurtured in the faith. That is
grossly inadequate.

For that reason our constitution is clear that only those who can be responsibly
nurtured will be baptized. Any child can be baptized in a Presbyterian church as
long as one of the parents are active in a local congregation. They don't even have
to be Presbyterian but they have to be able to nurture the child. That is why we ask
questions of the parents. Parents promise to reaffirm their own faith, to claim
God's covenant promises, to set an example of the new life in Christ, to pray with
and for the child.

Parents carry a tremendous responsibility for that nurture. Those who take these
promises seriously will exhibit a Christian life, a life mixed with joy and
commitment. Those parents will pray, teach the faith, and bring up the big issues
of life. But they are not to do this alone. The congregation also carries a
responsibility. Congregations promise to undertake with the parents the nurture of
the child and by example and fellowship strengthen the baby's ties with the family
of God. Congregations which take this vow seriously will always provide
programs and classes and fellowship groups to help the young and their parents to
nurture their faith. They will accept the child in the context of worship. They will
consider requests to teach and lead seriously. They will make sacrificial
commitments personally and as a congregation in order to bring that child to faith.
It is my belief that the Presbyterian church nationwide needs a recommitment to
nurturing baptized children towards faith in Jesus Christ.

Fifth and finally, we baptize babies because we recognize the value of both
types of baptism. I have not spent any time on the mode of baptism whether
sprinkling, pouring, or immersion for history has shown that this is not the critical
issue. The fact is that Presbyterians can and do practice all modes of baptism. The
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key issue is whether we practice infant baptism or believer baptism. We practice

both.

I hope you don't leave here and tell someone that Mike said Presbyterians only
baptize babies. We do not. We recognize the value of believer baptism. Few
things are as exciting in a congregation than when an adult through searching and
prayer comes to the point of making this commitment. Adult baptism reminds us
all of the radical decision to follow Christ. That people become Christians through
decisions and reflection not automatically as if by osmosis. We recognize the value
in both types of baptism. The fact is that the same year when Presbyterians were
baptized 47,978 infants, they were also baptizing 14,300 adults.

Let's recap. We baptize babies because we believe that baptism is the sign of
entrance into the covenant community. The child enters the family of God through
this experience. We find that in the New Testament that entire households most
likely including children were baptized. The children of believers are children of
promise. Infant baptism is a wonderful symbol of God's grace. It reminds every
person who witnesses the event that God loved us first. We only baptize fully
realizing that parents and churches must joyfully nurture children to the point
where they can say-"Yes, I too want to follow Jesus Christ". Baptism of babies
carries no special magic but is a seed that must be nurtured towards fruition. And
let's admit that we baptize babies fully recognizing that both infant and believer
baptism enrich the church's life. We celebrate both types of baptism as the
beginning of a journey with the true and living God.