Why Church of Christ don't Practice Infant Baptism

WHY THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO DON’T BAPTIZE INFANTS OR BABIES?

“My sister told me that babies are not baptized in your Church. Infant baptism is a practice in the Catholic Church and many protestant churches. Can you please explain to me why in your church babies are not baptized?

ALL THE DOCTRINES and practices of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) are based on the teachings of the Bible. We don’t baptized infants or babies because if we examined carefully the teachings of the Bible regarding those who should be baptized we can see that the Bible doesn’t conform with infant baptism. Who should be baptized according to the Bible?

“Peter replied, ‘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.” (Acts 2:38, NIV)

The Bible clearly tells us that a person to be baptized must first repent his sins. Take note that “baptism” is for the “forgiveness of sins.” Thus, one to be baptized must first REPENT his sins and baptism is for the FORGIVENESS of sins COMMITTED. What is sin and how a person sinned? This is what the Bible says in I John 3:4:

“Whoever sins is guilty of breaking God's law, because sin is a breaking of the law.” (I John 3:4, TEV)

According to the Bible, “sin” is the “breaking of the law” and one sinned through “breaking God’s law.” Thus, a person to be baptized must first repent for breaking God’s law, and baptism is for the forgiveness of the breaking of God’s law. In the light of this fact we can conclude that indeed the Bible doesn’t conform with baptizing babies and infants. Baptism is not for infants or children who have not yet reached the age of discretion.

Instead of baptizing the children, we follow what the Lord Jesus Christ did to children brought to Him. Matthew 19:13-14:

“Some people brought children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and to pray for them, but the disciples scolded the people. 14Jesus said, "Let the children come to me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:13-14, TEV)

When the children of the members of the Church of Christ have reached the age of discretion, the doctrines of the Bible are taught to them, and after they prove they faith in the Gospel preached to them, only then they will receive baptism (cf. Mark 16:15-16).

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