A8.4 – WHO SHOULD BE WATER-BAPTISED?

1) Those not Qualified for Baptism

1. Children are not qualified for water baptism:

Some denominations of Christian churches use to baptize infants and children. A few of these Churches limit baptism of infants to the children whose parents are believers using the following as Biblical support

a) Matthew 18:6 – Children have faith but unconscious of their faith.

b) Luke 1:15-17 – John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit while still in the womb

c) Acts 16:15, 33 – Paul baptized the Jailor and his household

d) Mark 10:13-16 – Jesus commanded the disciples not to deny children from coming to Him.

e) Deuteronomy 29:10-13 – Abrahamic covenant was conferred on infants in the Old Testament,

f) Jer. 31:34 – Some churches believe that baptizing infants would remit their sins so that the infants can enter Heaven,

g) 1 John 2:13 – Faith of the parents used for their children.

2. Those who have died are not qualified for water baptism:

a) Some Christian denominations use to administer water baptism for corpses of the dead. Lev 21:1

b) A few other Churches use to baptize their converts in the name of dead persons who they consider as their sacred ancestors. Lev 19:28

c) Yet, some Churches have strange practices in which a person is baptized in the stead of others who had died before being baptized, to whom, it is hoped, will benefits from that rite, Eccl 9:5

d) These they do using 1 Cor. 15:13-30 as their Biblical support. But obviously these were some of the erroneous customs which Paul went to Corinth to “set in order.” 1 Cor 11:34

e) According to 1 Cor. 15:13-30, Paul was only contending the fact of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Some Corinthian Christians then did not believe that Jesus resurrected. Thus, Paul was correcting the belief that if Christ did not resurrect, then it means they were being baptized in the name of a dead person. This would render water baptism of no effect. But since Jesus Christ rose from the dead, water baptism is of great significance as it is being carried out in the name of the Living

f) The dead does not know anything neither can the dead have faith. Therefore, baptism must be conducted for a dead person or in the name of the dead or instead of the dead, Eccl 9:5

2) Those Qualified for Water Baptism

Only those who have come to a personal, conscious decision of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are qualified to be baptized.

1. Those to be baptized must demonstrate personal faith as evidence of salvation before they are baptized. Infants do not have personal faith. They are not self-conscious and don’t have any reasoning ability. The dead also are not qualified for baptism because they are not conscious, Acts 2:37-41

2. Those baptized in the New Testament, whose names were mentioned were only adults who professed their personal, conscious faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 8:12

3. In all cases of baptism, it was baptism preceded by repentance and faith, Acts 10:47

4. In each of the occasions where believers were baptized with their ‘households’, there was no specific mention of infants being baptized, Acts 16:33-34

5. There was no mention of baptism, either explicitly or implicitly, when Jesus Christ blessed the Children, Mark 10:13-16

6. Water baptism should only be administered on those who have personal testimony of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and have evidence of repentance towards God, Acts 2:38

7. Some New Testament examples of believers that were water baptized are

a) Saul of Tarsus, Acts 9:18

b) Ephesians disciples, Acts 19:4-5

c) Believers in Corinth, Acts 18:8

d) Ethiopian Eunuch, Acts 8:38

e) Lydia of Thyatira, Acts 16:15

f) Converts in Samaria, Acts 8:12

g) Believers at Pentecost, Acts 2:41

h) Philippian Jailor and his household, Acts 16:27-33

8. Jesus pointed out that adult believers should emulate and demonstrate the simplicity and trust that children exhibit; and not that children should be water baptized as the adult believers, Matt 18:2-7