The basic teaching of the Bible and Christianity is that all adults and children are
sinners born under the curse of the law and death, and need to be saved from eternal
damnation in hell. That is why the Bible says in Matthew 18:11 For the Son of man is
come to save that which was lost. Christ came to save all, adults and children,
from eternal hell fires to eternal life in paradise. Without His sacrifice on the cross
everyone would be lost, but through faith in Him we have eternal life.
The entire purpose of baptism is that through it God promises to save everyone who is
baptized from hell to heaven. Any other view of Christianity would make Christ’s
death on the cross for our sins utterly ridiculous.
After Peter preached to a large crowd of Jews and told them they were guilty of
crucifying the Messiah, they asked Peter what they should do to be saved.
In Acts. 2:38 Peter responded Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost.
When people speak about "getting saved" they often mislead others to the
opinion that there is something they did to save themselves. That is why the Bible says in
Eph. 2:8 By grace are you saved through faith and that not of your selves. It is a
gift of God not of works lest any man should boast.
Saving faith in Christ is given and sealed through baptism. The jailer at Philippi
asked Paul in Acts 16:30-31,33 "...Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they
said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. ...And he
took them the same hour of the night, and washed [their] stripes; and was baptized, he and
all his, straightway.
When the jailer realized how important baptism was to escape hell and have eternal
life, he didn’t waste any time. This kind of coverage is free and a little bit more
important than health insurance. Notice that when it says the "jailer and all his
were baptized" it means the jailer’s entire family, which would necessarily
include infants. Also, notice that there was no mention of being immersed under water in
the baptism. Where would they find that much water in the dark, before street lights, in
50 AD, unless the jailer’s house had an indoor swimming pool, which we seriously
doubt.
In the account of the Ethiopian eunuch baptized by Philip, notice that after just one
conversation with Philip the Ethiopian figured out that the sooner he was baptized, the
better. We never know how much time we have Acts 8:36-7 And as they went on [their]
way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, [here is] water; what doth
hinder me to be baptized? And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down
both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him..
In this account it says that both Philip and the Ethiopian went down into
the water and in verse 38 they both came up out of the water. Surely, Philip was not
immersed and rebaptized with the Ethiopian. In other words, going "down into"
and coming "up out of" the water has nothing to do with being immersed. Nowhere
in the Bible is it necessary to be completely covered by water in order to have a proper
baptism. It just says that baptism saves us. 1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto
[even] baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but
the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
There is always the question of why little children need to be baptized. Well, they
didn’t do anything wrong, they were simply born sinful and under the wrath of God.
The Bible says Psalm 51:5 In sin did my mother conceive me and Romans
3:23 All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
Therefore, little children are just as much subject to death and eternal damnation as any
adult.
Those who refuse to baptize infants are really saying there is no way for children to
get to heaven. They are falsely teaching that children don’t need faith to get to
heaven or else that all children are born with faith in Christ from the womb, which means
there is no need for the church, pastors, and missionaries. Saying that children are not
sinful is utterly opposed to Scripture. If children have no sin they would not be subject
to illness, deformity, and death, or be stillborn.
Naturally there is not one place in the Bible where a baby requests baptism. How can
they? But Peter, speaking about baptism to Jews in Acts 2:38, also adds in verse 39, The
Promise is unto you and your children.
All adults and children get to heaven the same way, through baptism. In Acts, chapter
9, Paul is told his sight will return and he will receive the Holy Ghost. The problem with
sight was unique to him but he received the Holy Ghost and eternal life the same way God
gives it to every man, woman, and baby, through baptism.
Acts 9:17 ...that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy
Ghost.
Acts 9:18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he
received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
In 325 AD, the same men who decided which books should go into the Bible also wrote the
Nicene Creed. It says "I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins"
Those who believe what the Bible says and wish to practice the Christian religion are
baptized and see to it that their children are baptized as soon as possible. Acts
22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling
on the name of the Lord.