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Is a Baby Dedication (or Infant Baptism) biblical?

Angel in the Waters Let's briefly look at some passages in the New Testament that involve baptism. Let's start off with an unusual one that gets little attention: "and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also-not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge[ 3:21 Or response] of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" 1 Peter 3:20-22

Here, Peter is asserting that baptism does indeed save us. How? By the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul, in his letter to the Colossians says that Baptism replaces circumcision ("In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the 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." Col. 2:11-12). Children were circumcised shortly after birth. Take a look at the following scriptures passages:

"Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 19:14).

"Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, 'Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God'" (Luke 18:15-16).

"the same hour of the night . . . he was baptized, with all his family" (Acts 16:33)

"I did baptize also the household of Stephen's" (1 Cor. 1:16).

"She was baptized, with her household" (Acts 16:15)

So we can conclude that:
1. It is fitting and proper to baptize or dedicate infants since Jesus wants them to come to Him.
2. One may ask: "If Baptism saves me, and I am baptized in a situation where I, as an infant, don't give my consent, where does "Confessing Jesus Christ as Lord & Savior" fit into things? It surly fits into this same paradigm. Probably almost all Christians would say that salvation is a free gift from God. I would say that no where is this more clearly shown than when an infant receives the saving grace of Jesus Christ in baptism. The baby has done absolutely nothing to receive this gift. The infant hasn't even asked for or consented to the gift of salvation. It is God's completely free gratuitous gift given through the baby's parents. As we mature and come to understand more about the Christian faith, we have the opportunity to consciously confess Jesus Christ - to continue to accept and affirm the gift of salvation we've received as infants. I would say that we need to re-commit to Jesus Christ every day in some way.



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