How Scripture answers "Is baptism for infants or children?"
Baptism is not for infants or children; several important facts exist in Scripture regarding the eligibility of someone to be baptized “in the name of Jesus Christ”2:
- The person must be old enough to understand right from wrong – understanding what sin is. The specific age may vary, but Scripture is clear and consistent that at some point in a person’s maturation, their conscience knows of their own ability to choose between right and wrong.67810
- The person must be at an age where they could have personally sinned and are no longer “innocent”.4 Since baptism is “for the forgiveness of sins”2, the individual understands that their own sin separates them from God and that the reconciliation that exists through baptism is available.
- The person must have heard the gospel message – able to process it, comprehend it, and acknowledge it as a new calling or walk, contrary to their current behavior/walk.12369
- The person must be able to then declare their own personal commitment to this new calling – confessing with their mouth and, with their actions, turning to God.1258
If you are reading this, then you are likely accountable to God for your saved condition! Have you heard the gospel message and believed?39 Have you been “cut to the heart”?2 You too can, indeed must, be baptized “in the name of Jesus Christ”29 to be reconciled to Him.
Answer built on scripture-blocks below
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Go out and make followers of all the people, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and teach them to abide by all that I [Jesus] have commanded. Behold, I will remain with you to the end of this age.
The very close of Matthew’s account of Jesus’ life on earth. This address was made to the eleven apostles (vs 16) and similar accounts are given at the end of the accounts from Mark (16:15-16) and Luke (24:45-47).
Applying Matthew 28:19-20 to this question...
Jesus’ instructions to the apostles are to go out and baptize and teach individuals. The need for baptism (forgiveness of sins) was for individuals old enough to be taught obedience to God’s law.
Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brothers, what shall we do? And 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 for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.
When they heard the preaching of Peter and the rest of the apostles, they were convicted by them and asked what they should do [to be saved]. Peter told them that they each should repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ so that they could receive the remission of their sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. This “gift” was the promise made for all Jews, but also all Gentiles — everyone whom God calls to himself.
Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost where he recalled several prophetic statements from Joel and David (vss 16-36). By divine inspiration, Peter interpreted these statements to apply their fulfillment to Jesus and the ushering in of the “last days”.
He also specifically refers to the “promise of the Holy Spirit” earlier – given by the Father to the Son (vs 33). More were continuing to be saved, and they began meeting together as the Lord’s church (vss 41-47).
Applying Acts 2:37-39 to this question...
Individuals who heard the gospel and asked what they needed to do were told by Peter to be baptized “in the name of Jesus Christ” for their salvation — comprised of “forgiveness of sins” and the promised “gift of the Holy Spirit”.
We see here people who are at an age where they can be “cut to the heart” by the message that Peter just gave (the gospel of Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection). They are at an age where they can recognize their accountability and respond accordingly.
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!
Someone doesn’t “call on” someone they don’t believe, and they don’t believe unless they’ve heard, and they don’t hear unless someone preaches, and preachers are sent. Those that preach the good news are beautiful.
Paul’s letter is the case for Gentiles being “grafted in” to God’s plan of salvation and here is summarizing the process for one responding to His call. Fundamentally, the gospel (“good news”) is preached and those that “call on him” hear and believe and are saved.
Applying Romans 10:14-15 to this question...
Salvation occurs when someone believes after hearing the gospel (“good news”) presented.
Because the people have forsaken me and have profaned this place by making offerings in it to other gods whom neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have known; and because they have filled this place with the blood of innocents, and have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or decree, nor did it come into my mind—
Because the people [of Judah] have rejected me [God] and profaned this place [Jerusalem] by sacrificing to foreign gods unknown by their forefathers and kings, filling it with the blood of children. Not only that, but they built the high places of Baal to sacrifice their sons which I never commanded and is so profane it never entered into my mind to command it.
Jeremiah is preaching the “word of the Lord” to the “kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem.” (vs 3) God has told Jeremiah to get a flask of pottery (vs 1) and break it before the people (vs 10) to demonstrate how God will break Judah/Jerusalem.
Applying Jeremiah 19:4-5 to this question...
God is acknowledging that children are innocent.
And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
He called a child to Him and said that unless people repent and become like children, they will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus’ response to the disciples after asking Him who was the greatest in the kingdom. His point is that they become humble and innocent as children, going on to warn them not to cause “one of these little ones who believe in me to sin” (vs 6).
Applying Matthew 18:2-3 to this question...
Jesus, much like God’s words from Jeremiah,4 acknowledges the innocence of children as a general truth.
So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month.
Ezra gathers all people that could understand to hear the reading of the law.
The people have returned to the land after seventy years of captivity in Babylon. Ezra the Priest is presenting (reading) and teaching (with other men) in the town square.
Applying Nehemiah 8:2 to this question...
There is obviously an age (not stated specifically) at which someone can understand what is being read. The law was being read, and the clear intent of the people was that they wanted to hear it and understand it better to be accountable to it.
And as for your little ones, who you said would become a prey, and your children, who today have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in there. And to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.
The little ones/children whom the parents feared would be taken captive have no knowledge of good or evil today. God will give them the land; they will enter and possess it.
Moses is conveying God’s instruction that the people will wander in the desert for forty years instead of entering the Promised Land. Their generation will die there. However, their children (the next generation) are innocent and will inherit the Land.
Applying Deuteronomy 1:39 to this question...
A generational divide is made between those who bear guilt (are accountable) and those who are innocent (are not accountable).
He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted.
He (the boy) will eat curds and honey when he knows to distinguish between good and evil, and before that time/age, the land of the two kings you fear will be deserted.
There was a crisis in the land of Judah because “Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it.” (vs 1)
Applying Isaiah 7:15-16 to this question...
The boy will reach a point where he refuses evil and chooses good (free will).
Then he brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household. And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
Answering a direct question about what he [the jailor] must do to be saved, the answer is to believe in Jesus. They then spoke the word of the Lord [the Gospel] to them and in the same hour they were baptized.
Paul and Silas are in prison and miraculously set free, but after witnessing their praise and confidence in God the jailor is convicted to obey the Gospel.
Applying Acts 16:30-33 to this question...
When Paul baptized the Philippian jailer and “all his family,” they had first been taught “the word of the Lord.” Therefore, they had to be old enough to be taught.
You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.
You were innocent in your actions from birth until you began to walk in unrighteousness.
God, through Ezekiel, is pronouncing judgment upon the leader of Tyre.
Applying Ezekiel 28:15 to this question...
We are innocent at birth, until at some point, we learn to practice sinning.
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