Water baptism is an act of obedience to the commandment of the Lord as stated in Matthew 28:18-20. Baptism in water is also identification with Christ’s work: His death, burial and resurrection according to Romans 6:4. It can be a statement of faith; that the old life has been buried and new life in Christ has begun. The prerequisite for water baptism is that a person has made the decision to accept Christ as Lord, repent from his/her sins and to be a disciple. So, it is important that a person reaches an age of discretion and accountability before he/she is baptized. Young children (who have yet to grasp the significance of this act) and infants (who definitely cannot understand the whole matter) are incapable of this step of faith.
However, some denominations and church groups like the Roman Catholics, Lutheran and Anglicans baptize infants because of their belief that water baptism is required for salvation. Since it regenerates a person spiritually, everyone from adults to infants go through baptism. Some parents have their children baptized as an act of introduction into the church family and announcing that they will bring up their children in the ways of the Lord. Other denominations like the Assemblies of God on the other hand, do not baptize babies because they hold to the stand that water baptism has no saving power and is an ordinance whereby a believer gets to witness to the world.
Notes:
Matthew 28:18-20: Then Jesus came to them and said… go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…
Romans 6:4: We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Sources consulted:
Systematic Theology (Louis Berkof), Christian Theology (Millard Erickson), Assemblies of God USA website
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25 comments:
"Age of discretion and accountability" has a wide and ambiguous range,what would be the age then? Who determine the age? How would be be able to ascertain they level of understanding?
What if a 30 years old down syndrome come to you and says like his brother who is baptized he also want to be baptized? Do you think a down syndrome is of dicretional age and accountable?
hey, thanks for giving us a comprehensive understanding of water baptism. However, i do have a question in mind.
As you have said, "The prerequisite for water baptism is that a person has made the decision to accept Christ as Lord, repent from his/her sins and to be a disciple."
If a youth decided to be baptized. However, he or she still indulges in sin. Do we need to wait for this person to get rid or totally been set free from sin, then only go for water baptism?
thanks!
dear alwin, the prerequisite that is stated is enough to show the maturity of the believer. GB.
Hi Alwin,
Good explaination, by the way how long do you think a young believer should wait for water baptism after his/her salvation?
GB
Good explaination Alwin, however with different denomination coming up with ways of water Baptism how can we explain to someone who come up and ask why Christians belief they're one in body and united, accept Jesus as head over them still have differences in this area and some even go extra length in arguing over it? Thanks.
I have a huge thought that I can't reconcile.
Can we actually ever understand the full significance of water baptism?
I mean sure we have 'some' understanding. So when you say understanding how much understanding does one require?
I thought our faith was simple. Faith in Jesus Christ. Isn't the faith of the child sufficient to enter the kingdom of God? Then why do we make it so complicated for a child who at 7 year old experiences the power of God in their life and has no understanding of the huge vast concepts adn symbolism of christianity to get baptised?
Hi Curious Mind...
I agree that that the "age of discretion" could have a wide and ambiguous range. That is why the church has a hard time till today to pin-point exactly what age that could be. I do not think we can ever be 100 percent certain on that. This is because the development of the mind and maturity growth rate varies between individuals, and only God knows when that is specifically. But what Sunday School teachers, pastors and parents can do is to carefully find out whether the child has reached a level of understanding of the truths (explained in a manner that a child would understand that is). If the leaders feel that he/she has a grasp of the simple bible truth, that should give sufficient reason for water baptism.
On the case of the down-syndrome, i think that those who has the experience of handling these people with learning disabilities would have to go through the process of verifying, albeit in a unique way, how much he understands the significance of this act. If he in his own special way has accepted the Lord, and in his own simple mind says he undertands what it is all about, i don't see why he shouldn't be baptized. I'm sure God will have a special blessing for this special guy.
Hi Mun Chung.
Human beings including Christians will continue to struggle with sin because we are all imperfect. However there is a difference between having the propensity to sin and living a life of sin. Christians from time to time fall short of God's mark. However when we realise that we have fouled up, we ask God for forgiveness and decide to not purposefully repeat the sin. But there are some who knows that what they are doing is wrong, and yet they are persisting in this wrong lifestyle without wanting to stop, they are living in sin. So, if your youth is unrepentant, my advise is to wait until he/she is willing to change to be baptized. Because if not, the meaning of water baptism would be watered down. It will serve no purpose at all going through the motions, which is what it would be when one is unrepentant of their sins. Those who go through this sacrament flippenly without gripping its full significance and sacredness are comitting a serious error.
Hi Eunice.
I feel that a Christian can be baptized as soon as the person understands the purpose and significance of water baptism. Different churches have different syllabus for baptismal candidates to go through with the purpose of them understanding what they are about to do. Some courses are more elaborate and comprehensive than others, but i believe all are good. The churches are trying their best to prepare their members to have a meaningful baptism. There are also cases in the bible and even in our time where a person is baptized as soon as he/she gets saved (maybe due to certain limitations, sense of urgency, etc). The result: genuine life-change and transformation. No complains from me...
Hi Leon. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
We have a duty to study to the best of our god-given ability the subject of water baptism and its significance.
The power of the sacrament is the meaning that is associated with it. When we detach the meaning from the symbol, it has lost its significance thus relegating it to a mere ritual. Rituals are empty shells. They do not affect our spirit, mind, emotions and resolve.
Let me share an example of my own baptism experience. I decided to get baptized when i was 17. In my church, those who are under 18years of age are required to get their parents to sign the registration form. This was a challenge for me because my parents were non-Christians then. So, after sitting through the required lesson (it was much easier then :p ), the time has come for me to get my parents to sign the form. I remember going down on my knees for many days praying really hard for their favor, pleading to God to soften their hearts because I knew they would not be happy that I'm taking this step. When I felt the Holy Spirit giving me boldness, i plucked up my courage and confronted my parents despite anticipating the persecution that was to come. Well, when i actually went through the water baptism process, it was a faith-building, joyful and wonderful experience because of what I had to go through; having to pay the price and stand up for what I believed in. Whereas to a 7 year old, maybe a simple "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so" is enough to connect him/her to a precious spiritual experience. He/she has already fully grasped the meaning of water baptism...
Thanks for your sharing view. I agreed with you that if children or younger of age could not comprehend the meaning of water baptism, it is irrelevant to baptize them. Afterall,our AG stand is that though it is important and holds symbolic meaning but it is not criteria for salvation. What would think of some AG churches believing the ripe age for baptism is 12 since Jews culture stipulated that reaching that age is considered an adult?
Raymond says.....
then what age do you think should be set for water baptism in AOG circles.As some Pastors in AOG were too quick to give water baptism to sunday school children of 10 to twelve do you think they have to be rebaptized at a latter age since they might not have understood the significance of being born again.
hey, Alwin, thanks for your explanation! I agree with your thought. When a person has decided to go through water baptism, he or she would have the conviction and desire to live for Jesus (to live a life that is according to the teaching of the Bible). This is indeed the work of the Holy Spirit.
Hi Raymond.
I do not think that there is a need to re-baptize a person because he/she has been baptized at an earlier age. I'm sure at that time, based on his/her understanding is good enough. Just like we do not need to ask a person to pray the sinner's prayer all over again because he/she had accepted Christ in younger days. The issue is not about the full 'understanding' perse, but more of the attitude and conviction of the heart on top of the knowledge of the subject matter.
Hi Freddie.
I am fine with churches who want to set a minimal age for water baptism. But they shouldn't quote the bible or say that it is the age limit that all Christians must adhere to. Quoting the bible would be errorneous because the bible is unclear on this. And this simplistic answer would not satisfy all Church traditions as well.
Hi Alwin!
Thanks for sharing your testimony of your own baptism experience. I too come from a non-Christian family and my parents would not allow me to get baptised until I turned 21. In my opinion, not all youths are as blessed to have parents who are as understanding as ours.
You mentioned that one of the purposes of baptism is so that the believer gets to witness to the world. What would you say then to the youth who wants his/her parents to witness his baptism, but the parents absolutely will not allow it?
Hi,
Well said, I beleive that each individual should take baptism as a unique experience. No matter what their age is as different individual have different maturity level. Taking the bold step to follow Jesus is the most important thing. I had to wait till I am 21 to take my baptism Like Donny as my parents were not beleivers. But the experience was so wonderful.
God bless.
Yup, I agree that we should allow a child who reaches the age of discretion and accountability to be baptized. We have Pan En who says that he accepted Christ at the age of 3, will your church let him be baptised when he comes to your church at that age? Or how should we respond to him?
the matter of age may not be highly concern to me, but the maturity and understanding of the person towards the significant act of obedient towards water baptism is highly regarded.
I,m sure the candidates will go through certain lessons about the meaning of water baptism before he/she be allow to proceed. At that time the person will truly understand the meaning and will have the liberty to pursuit with it or not.
Hi Alwin,
I agreed too that no one should qoute the Bible as reference for age-limit as that is none whatsovever stated there. However there is one matter i would like to know your view - In my experience, I do realized that it is quite common that when someone accepted Christ, usually the church would like to see this person baptized the soonest possible. They may condsuct some baptism class lessons, then advised the person to be baptized. But sorry to say, some of these people later dropped of from church. Can it be the church a little bit quick to judge that the person is ready for baptism? What do you think? My personal opinion is that why not give a new believer some time to fully comprehend the issue on assurance of salvation before encouraging the person to be baptized and rather lose the meaning of what baptism is all about.
Dear Alwin thanks for your reply but I still feel children who have taken water baptism without really understanding its true significance must be rebaptised at a later date when they have come of age to understand what it is to be born again.
Hi there, agreed that it is important that a person reaches an age of discretion and accountability before he/she is baptized, what age is that I wonder.12? 14? 18?
Wow! Several thorny theological questions here ya? But like the rest, there is no definitive age of accountability for children...hence no definite minimal age for water baptism.
But I would use a practical principle...Even if a child is "accepted" for water baptism, as a responsible adult and spiritual leader, we might want to ensure that the child would remember this an a significant spiritual rite of passage in his or her adult life. You know... the importance of creating spiritual altars and memories of spiritual milestones. Many 2nd or 3rd generations Christians do not have very clear memories of their faith decisions..
I have a similar experience as Alwin concerning facing the risks of parental persecution in seeking for their permission to be water-baptized. That's a loooong time ago.
But that was the turning point of my Christian life. A year later, I responded to bible school training and have been a fulltime minister ever since. I was hardly 2 years in the Lord then.
I've read in all the other blogs about water baptism being just symbolical and obedience. But there's more to that... otherwise why would our non-Christian parents allow us to go to church as long as we are not baptized?
They too understand the spiritual implications... would be great if one of you would-be theologians would take it from here and do a thorough research? I want to learn from you guys too!
Enjoy your research!
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