Why We Baptize Babies
Methodist Doctrine
Introduction
Throughout my years of ministry, I’ve often had folks from the churches I’ve served ask me why we baptize babies. Frequently these are members who grew up in the Baptist tradition, or in the last ten or fifteen years, nondenominational churches, which often operate according to doctrine which is similar to Baptist theology. Additionally, there have been those in churches I’ve served who have asked to be baptized again as teenagers or adults because they do not remember being baptized when they were children and they want to have an experience they will remember, based on a decision they made for themselves, (not one their parents made for them). Therefore, I thought it might be helpful to explain why Methodists practice infant baptism and to serve as a guide for members (and perspective members) of the church I serve, as well as anyone else who may be wrestling with these and related issues. I believe it’s a subject worth thinking deeply about for it carries profound theological significance and has practical implications for our daily walk with Christ.
The Gift of God’s Covenant: The Divine Initiative
At the heart of infant baptism lies the concept of covenant – God’s sovereign decision to enter into a relationship with his people. This isn’t a new idea in the New Testament; it’s deeply rooted in the Old Testament narrative.
In Genesis 17, we see God establishing his covenant with Abraham. God commands that male infants be circumcised on the eighth day as a sign of this covenant (Genesis 17:12). It’s crucial to note that this sign was applied before the child could understand or respond. This wasn’t based on the infant’s choice or comprehension, but on God’s promise and the parents’ faith.
The prophet Jeremiah speaks of a new covenant that God will make: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jeremiah 31:33). This new covenant, fulfilled in Christ, doesn’t abolish the principle of including children; rather, it deepens and expands it.
In the New Testament, we see baptism taking the place of circumcision as the sign of God’s covenant. The Apostle Paul makes this connection explicit in Colossians 2:11-12: “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.”
The Apostle Peter, on the day of Pentecost, reaffirms this covenantal principle: “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” (Acts 2:39). This echoes the covenant language of the Old Testament, showing that God’s promises extend to believers and their children. As one theologian put it, if you accept that the circumcision of infants is the sign of God’s covenant in the Old Testament, in principle, then in order to reject infant baptism, you must explain why, in principle, baptism cannot be God’s sign of his covenant offered to infants in the New.
A Covenant Community: The Household Principle
Infant baptism underscores a crucial biblical truth: faith is not just an individual matter, but a communal reality. Throughout Scripture, we see God dealing not just with isolated individuals, but with families and communities.
Consider Noah. God didn’t just save Noah, but his entire household (Genesis 7:1). The Abrahamic covenant wasn’t just for Abraham, but for his descendants (Genesis 17:7). This principle carries through to the New Testament.
In Acts, we find several instances of “household baptisms.” When Lydia comes to faith, “she was baptized, and her household as well” (Acts 16:15). The Philippian jailer “and all his family were baptized” (Acts 16:33). Paul mentions baptizing “the household of Stephanas” (1 Corinthians 1:16).
While these passages don’t explicitly mention infants, they reflect a principle of familial inclusion in God’s covenant community. The early church understood baptism not just as an individual act of faith, but as incorporation into the body of Christ - the church. Furthermore, it appears the view that infants should be included as part of God’s household through the sign of his covenant continued into the first few centuries of the church.
In 180 AD, Irenaeus wrote, “He [Jesus] came to save all through himself; all, I say, who through him are reborn in God: infants, and children, and youths, and old men. Therefore he passed through every age, becoming an infant for infants, sanctifying infants; a child for children, sanctifying those who are of that age...” Hippolytus later put it this way, “Baptize first the children, and if they can speak for themselves let them do so. Otherwise, let their parents or other relatives speak for them.” Origen said in 248 AD, “The Church has received the tradition from the apostles to give baptism even to little children.”
Others could be added, but let me finish with this longer quotation by Cyprian, (c. 250 AD): “But in respect of the case of the infants, which you say ought not to be baptized within the second or third day after their birth, and that the law of ancient circumcision should be regarded, so that you think that one who is just born should not be baptized and sanctified within the eighth day, we all thought very differently in our council. For in this course which you thought was to be taken, no one agreed; but we all rather judge that the mercy and grace of God is not to be refused to any one born of man.”
These quotations demonstrate that infant baptism was practiced and defended by several prominent early church fathers in the 2nd-4th centuries AD. The practice appears to have been widely accepted, though there was some debate over the ideal timing. When, not if, infants should be baptized appears to be the only theological debate mentioned by the early church fathers. Thus, there seems to be the recognition that by baptizing infants, we’re affirming that they belong to the community of faith from the very beginning. They’re not outsiders who need to wait until they more fully understand, but beloved children welcomed into God’s covenant family.
Grace Precedes Faith: The Primacy of Divine Love and Action
One of the most beautiful aspects of infant baptism is how it illustrates the precedence of God’s grace. Just as we don’t choose to be born into our earthly families, we don’t choose to be born into God’s family. It’s a gift of grace.
The Reformer John Calvin emphasized this point: “If, by baptism, Christ intends to attest the ablution by which he cleanses his Church, it would seem not equitable to deny this attestation to infants, who are justly deemed part of the Church, seeing they are called heirs of the heavenly kingdom.”
This doesn’t mean that personal faith is unimportant. Rather, it means that our faith is always a response to God’s prior action. As the Apostle John reminds us, “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
Infant baptism powerfully demonstrates this reality. The infant doesn’t choose baptism any more than they chose to be born. Instead, baptism is a visible sign of God’s invisible grace at work even before we can respond in faith.
The early church father Augustine put it this way: “The sacrament of baptism is undoubtedly the sacrament of regeneration.” This doesn’t mean that the water itself has magical properties, but that baptism is a means by which God’s grace is conveyed to us.
Embracing Your Baptismal Identity: Living in Grace
I understand that for some of you who were baptized as infants, there might be a sense of disconnect. You might feel pressure to be “rebaptized” because you don’t remember your original baptism. I want to assure you that the power of baptism doesn’t lie in your memory of the event, but in God’s faithful promises. As I sometimes say to folks, “Your baptism took the first time.”
Your baptism, whether you remember it or not, was a moment when God claimed you as his own. It was a visible sign of his invisible grace at work in your life, even before you understood what was happening. As you’ve grown in faith, you’re not moving away from your baptism, but growing into it. When you give your life more fully to Christ as you get older, you give evidence of God keeping his promise to you; that he saves all who repent, call out to him, and believe the Gospel.
Martin Luther, when faced with doubt or temptation, would often declare, “I am baptized!” He wasn’t referring to a memory, but to an objective reality – that he belonged to Christ. Luther wrote, “To be baptized in God’s name is to be baptized not by men, but by God himself. Therefore, although it is performed by human hands, it is still truly God’s own work.”
Living Out Your Baptism: A Call to Discipleship
So how do we live in light of our baptism? Here are some practical steps:
1. Remember your baptism daily. Each morning, as you wash your face, let the water remind you of God’s cleansing grace. Thank God for his grace and the fact that he claimed you before you could claim him.
2. Become more active in your church community. Your baptism incorporated you into the body of Christ. Embrace that belonging by actively participating in worship, service, and fellowship with your church family.
3. Grow in your faith. While baptism is a beginning, it calls us to a lifetime of discipleship. Engage in regular Bible study, prayer, and spiritual disciplines to deepen your relationship with Christ.
4. Share the good news. Your baptism is a testament to God’s grace. Let that motivate you to share that grace with others, both in word and deed.
5. Live in assurance. When doubts arise, remember that your salvation doesn’t depend on the strength of your faith, but on the faithfulness of God who has claimed you in baptism.
Conclusion: The Ongoing Reality of Baptismal Grace
Infant baptism is not a mere tradition, but a vital expression of God’s covenant love, communal faith, and prevenient grace. It’s a practice deeply rooted in Scripture and church history, reflecting the heart of the gospel - that we are saved by grace through faith, and this is not our own doing; it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9).
As we reflect on our baptisms, whether we remember them or not, let’s be reminded of God’s faithfulness. He has called us, claimed us, and continues to work in us. May we live each day in the joy and assurance of that reality, growing ever deeper into our baptismal identity as children of God and members of Christ’s body.
In the words of the Apostle Paul, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Your baptism is a sign and seal of this new creation. Embrace it, live it, rejoice in it.
Your brother in Christ,
Dale
P.S. If you’re a member of Southside and you’d like to discuss this further or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m always here to talk, pray, and explore God’s Word together. Remember, our understanding of baptism, like all theological matters, should lead us to deeper worship, stronger community, and more faithful discipleship.