The Church from the beginning has practiced the Baptism of children. The reasons are very clear in Scriptures.
(Joh 3:5 DRB) Jesus answered: Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
To the first Christians that baptized their children it was understood by them that Baptism is the doorway to salvation. St. Peter said the following:
(1Pe 3:18 DRB) Because Christ also died once for our sins, the just for the unjust: that he might offer us to God, being put to death indeed in the flesh, but enlivened in the spirit,
(1Pe 3:19 DRB) In which also coming he preached to those spirits that were in prison:
(1Pe 3:20 DRB) Which had been some time incredulous, when they waited for the patience of God in the days of Noe, when the ark was a building: wherein a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water.
(1Pe 3:21 DRB) Whereunto baptism, being of the like form, now saveth you also: not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but, the examination of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The effects of Baptism are the regeneration of the soul (born again), eradication of original sin and actual sin and its effects on the soul. A baby does not have actual sin but does have original sin. Through Baptism we become members of the Body of Christ, of which St. Paul says the following:
(2Co 5:17 DRB) If then any be in Christ a new creature, the old things are passed away. Behold all things are made new.
(1Co 3:16 DRB) Know you not that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
Baptism is the sacramental doorway into the Church:
(Mat 28:19 DRB) Going therefore, teach ye all nations: baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.
The Bible teaches that everyone should be Baptized:
(Act 2:38 DRB) But Peter said to them: Do penance: and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins. And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
(Act 2:39 DRB) For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, whomsoever the Lord our God shall call.
(Act 2:40 DRB) And with very many other words did he testify and exhort them, saying: Save yourselves from this perverse generation.
(Act 2:41 DRB) They therefore that received his word were baptized: and there were added in that day about three thousand souls.
(Act 2:42 DRB) And they were persevering in the doctrine of the apostles and in the communication of the breaking of bread and in prayers.
St. Peter at Pentecost said to the adults to repent but did not exclude children from Baptism, instead saying that everyone should receive the Holy Spirit not just those of age to repent. He said it is “to you and to your children”. That is why people in the early Church brought even their smallest children to be baptized as do parents today. Continued here on my blog:
You're right about a baby not being able to sin. Baptism takes away Original Sin. The earliest Christians baptized babies. Read the early church fathers.
@ Marielle The Catholic Church does not teach that unbaptized babies go to Hell. What the church says is it doesn't know where unbaptized babies wind up. A Catholic apologist said this on the radio less than a year ago. I think it was Patrick Madrid. Andrew did address baptizing babies, he just didn't didn't draw a picture for you. Read his response again, this time with a little more discernment. I mean no offense.
The existence of Limbo has never been an official church teaching. It's a pious belief that just organically came about because people care about babies -- sort of like folk lore. If you're not sure where unbaptized babies go, baptize them as soon as possible.
As a Child, Parents make decisions for you. The decide what you eat, where you live, what time you go to bed. God gave them the authority to make important decisions in your life and that includes baptism.
Baptizing Babies
Historotically Christians have always baptized babies. The Bible supports the Christian Churches tradition of baptizing children as well as adults.
While the bible doesnt come right out and say "I command thee to baptize babies" it does demonstrate that babies and children were and should be baptized.
Jesus said in Matthew 19:14 but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Well since the sacrament of Baptism is required by Jesus to enter the kingdom of heaven (being born again) Catholics do not prevent children from coming to him, we baptize them.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.
In many places in the bible entire families and house holds were baptized, no one was left out no matter the age.
1Corinthains 1:16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanus; besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
Acts 16:15 After she and her household had been baptized, she offered us an invitation, "If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my home," and she prevailed on us.
So, Christians baptize babies and do not prevent Children from coming to Jesus. Maybe we should be asking Non-Catholics why they dont baptize babies?
Many of the things the Catholic church does are totally against scripture.
#1) Jesus said not to say the same prayer over and over again...the rosary...repetitious prayers...Hail Mary and Our Father over and over again!!! Jesus wants us to talk to him like we would a friend. Say the Our Father just once and then tell him you love him, praise him, tell him what you need, pray for others, pray for yourself, ask him to renew your mind and heart, invite him into your heart, ask him to mold you into the child he has always desired you to become, be willing to do whatever he wants for your life, talk to him like a friend! He created you to fellowship with him! Ask Jesus to be on the throne of your life guiding your every step. Be willing to turn from all your sin...Live for him and he will give you everlasting life!
#2) Jesus NEVER instructed us to pray to Mary!!!!!!! In fact he said not to! He says to pray to God ALONE and Jesus ALONE can intercede to the throne of God. We pray to the Father through Jesus. We end our prayers "In Jesus name" Mary cannot hear our prayers. She does not have the ability too. She is in heaven and can only hear one person at a time. And there are no tears in heaven. She NEVER is upset and NEVER cries. We can pray WITH people in earth but all our prayers can go only to God the TRINITY! We can pray for people to GOD alone.
#3) Jesus says in his word Mary is NOT the eternal virgin. God says in his word Mary was ONLY a virgin until Jesus was born. After Jesus was born Mary began having sex with Joseph and had other children.
#4) Infant baptism is unbiblical. Jesus said REPENT and be baptized. We have to be baptized when we are at the age to make the decision too. Babies that die go to heaven. They are innocent.
#5) Purgatory is made up. It is unbiblical and it is NOT written in the Bible. Jesus said to the thief on the cross "Today you will be with me in paradise" The word also says " To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." It is the Holy Spirit that cleanses us daily. When we enter heaven we will immediately be transformed and be perfect. We do not need to burned before. Jesus saved us from this. That is the purpose of the cross.
#6) To bow in front of a statue to pray is breaking one of the ten commandments. Jesus said to even MAKE a graven image is condemned!!
#7) Jesus said not to abstain from marriage or from certain foods.
#8) Jesus said not to call anyone father on earth yet priests call themselves "Fathers."
#9) The Bible says anyone who is saved and has the Holy Spirit living in them is a Saint. The Catholic church only declares certain people a saint. This is totally against what Jesus says in his word.
#10) We can not get to heaven by being a good person and doing good works. Even if a Buddhist spends his whole life helping the poor if someone witnessed Jesus to him and he rejected the message he has no salvation. LOVE false religions enough to tell them the truth! People say they don't want to hurt their feelings. I would rather tell them the truth if the truth will get them a ticket to heaven for all eternity!
#11) The Catholic church no longer swears by the Bible. But Jesus says, "Heaven and earth will pass away but my word will NEVER!" THAT is how important it is!
Catholic doctrine says that if a child dies unbaptized, s/he will never get to see god. Don't know if they still believe in Limbo, but that's where unbaptized babies went if they died before the baptism was performed. Limbo is described as just like heaven, but without god.
Comments
The Church from the beginning has practiced the Baptism of children. The reasons are very clear in Scriptures.
(Joh 3:5 DRB) Jesus answered: Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
To the first Christians that baptized their children it was understood by them that Baptism is the doorway to salvation. St. Peter said the following:
(1Pe 3:18 DRB) Because Christ also died once for our sins, the just for the unjust: that he might offer us to God, being put to death indeed in the flesh, but enlivened in the spirit,
(1Pe 3:19 DRB) In which also coming he preached to those spirits that were in prison:
(1Pe 3:20 DRB) Which had been some time incredulous, when they waited for the patience of God in the days of Noe, when the ark was a building: wherein a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water.
(1Pe 3:21 DRB) Whereunto baptism, being of the like form, now saveth you also: not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but, the examination of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The effects of Baptism are the regeneration of the soul (born again), eradication of original sin and actual sin and its effects on the soul. A baby does not have actual sin but does have original sin. Through Baptism we become members of the Body of Christ, of which St. Paul says the following:
(2Co 5:17 DRB) If then any be in Christ a new creature, the old things are passed away. Behold all things are made new.
(1Co 3:16 DRB) Know you not that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
Baptism is the sacramental doorway into the Church:
(Mat 28:19 DRB) Going therefore, teach ye all nations: baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.
The Bible teaches that everyone should be Baptized:
(Act 2:38 DRB) But Peter said to them: Do penance: and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins. And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
(Act 2:39 DRB) For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, whomsoever the Lord our God shall call.
(Act 2:40 DRB) And with very many other words did he testify and exhort them, saying: Save yourselves from this perverse generation.
(Act 2:41 DRB) They therefore that received his word were baptized: and there were added in that day about three thousand souls.
(Act 2:42 DRB) And they were persevering in the doctrine of the apostles and in the communication of the breaking of bread and in prayers.
St. Peter at Pentecost said to the adults to repent but did not exclude children from Baptism, instead saying that everyone should receive the Holy Spirit not just those of age to repent. He said it is “to you and to your children”. That is why people in the early Church brought even their smallest children to be baptized as do parents today. Continued here on my blog:
http://fiatvolvntastua.blogspot.com/2009/06/is-inf...
In Christ
Fr. Joseph
You're right about a baby not being able to sin. Baptism takes away Original Sin. The earliest Christians baptized babies. Read the early church fathers.
@ Marielle The Catholic Church does not teach that unbaptized babies go to Hell. What the church says is it doesn't know where unbaptized babies wind up. A Catholic apologist said this on the radio less than a year ago. I think it was Patrick Madrid. Andrew did address baptizing babies, he just didn't didn't draw a picture for you. Read his response again, this time with a little more discernment. I mean no offense.
The existence of Limbo has never been an official church teaching. It's a pious belief that just organically came about because people care about babies -- sort of like folk lore. If you're not sure where unbaptized babies go, baptize them as soon as possible.
Baptism is an initiation into the Christian community. I like my children to become Christians as soon as possible. Sad you don't feel that way.
The Church does NOT teach that if a baby dies unbaptized, it will never see God. That's ridiculous!
As a Child, Parents make decisions for you. The decide what you eat, where you live, what time you go to bed. God gave them the authority to make important decisions in your life and that includes baptism.
Baptizing Babies
Historotically Christians have always baptized babies. The Bible supports the Christian Churches tradition of baptizing children as well as adults.
While the bible doesnt come right out and say "I command thee to baptize babies" it does demonstrate that babies and children were and should be baptized.
Jesus said in Matthew 19:14 but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Well since the sacrament of Baptism is required by Jesus to enter the kingdom of heaven (being born again) Catholics do not prevent children from coming to him, we baptize them.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.
In many places in the bible entire families and house holds were baptized, no one was left out no matter the age.
1Corinthains 1:16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanus; besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
Acts 16:15 After she and her household had been baptized, she offered us an invitation, "If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my home," and she prevailed on us.
So, Christians baptize babies and do not prevent Children from coming to Jesus. Maybe we should be asking Non-Catholics why they dont baptize babies?
Peace be with your spirit
<<<Devout Catholic>>>
http://catholicmyths.blogspot.com/
See #4..
Many of the things the Catholic church does are totally against scripture.
#1) Jesus said not to say the same prayer over and over again...the rosary...repetitious prayers...Hail Mary and Our Father over and over again!!! Jesus wants us to talk to him like we would a friend. Say the Our Father just once and then tell him you love him, praise him, tell him what you need, pray for others, pray for yourself, ask him to renew your mind and heart, invite him into your heart, ask him to mold you into the child he has always desired you to become, be willing to do whatever he wants for your life, talk to him like a friend! He created you to fellowship with him! Ask Jesus to be on the throne of your life guiding your every step. Be willing to turn from all your sin...Live for him and he will give you everlasting life!
#2) Jesus NEVER instructed us to pray to Mary!!!!!!! In fact he said not to! He says to pray to God ALONE and Jesus ALONE can intercede to the throne of God. We pray to the Father through Jesus. We end our prayers "In Jesus name" Mary cannot hear our prayers. She does not have the ability too. She is in heaven and can only hear one person at a time. And there are no tears in heaven. She NEVER is upset and NEVER cries. We can pray WITH people in earth but all our prayers can go only to God the TRINITY! We can pray for people to GOD alone.
#3) Jesus says in his word Mary is NOT the eternal virgin. God says in his word Mary was ONLY a virgin until Jesus was born. After Jesus was born Mary began having sex with Joseph and had other children.
#4) Infant baptism is unbiblical. Jesus said REPENT and be baptized. We have to be baptized when we are at the age to make the decision too. Babies that die go to heaven. They are innocent.
#5) Purgatory is made up. It is unbiblical and it is NOT written in the Bible. Jesus said to the thief on the cross "Today you will be with me in paradise" The word also says " To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." It is the Holy Spirit that cleanses us daily. When we enter heaven we will immediately be transformed and be perfect. We do not need to burned before. Jesus saved us from this. That is the purpose of the cross.
#6) To bow in front of a statue to pray is breaking one of the ten commandments. Jesus said to even MAKE a graven image is condemned!!
#7) Jesus said not to abstain from marriage or from certain foods.
#8) Jesus said not to call anyone father on earth yet priests call themselves "Fathers."
#9) The Bible says anyone who is saved and has the Holy Spirit living in them is a Saint. The Catholic church only declares certain people a saint. This is totally against what Jesus says in his word.
#10) We can not get to heaven by being a good person and doing good works. Even if a Buddhist spends his whole life helping the poor if someone witnessed Jesus to him and he rejected the message he has no salvation. LOVE false religions enough to tell them the truth! People say they don't want to hurt their feelings. I would rather tell them the truth if the truth will get them a ticket to heaven for all eternity!
#11) The Catholic church no longer swears by the Bible. But Jesus says, "Heaven and earth will pass away but my word will NEVER!" THAT is how important it is!
Infant Baptism in the Bible
http://www.scripturecatholic.com/baptism.html#bapt...
Catholic doctrine says that if a child dies unbaptized, s/he will never get to see god. Don't know if they still believe in Limbo, but that's where unbaptized babies went if they died before the baptism was performed. Limbo is described as just like heaven, but without god.
That's like asking what's the point of religion? as God doesn't exist?
Same answer:
Because they can/are stupid.
They think they can cheat it into salvation.