Should we baptize babies or grownups?

1. Religion vs. Relationship 

Are we in a space in our heads where we are willing to give up our culture, rituals and religion to replace it with relationship and the raw truth of what God's Word so clearly asks of us?

Did you know that I found exactly 50 verses on Baptism in my Bible? One would think that with so many references one would not have any problem understanding the topic.

The general "rule of thumb" in theology is that if you find something in the Word 2x it is a doctrine - if you see something 1x it could be a mistranslation - a linguistic error, or even a lack of understanding the dialect and historic context in which it was first written. Knowing this it baffles me (to no end), that there is so much confusion around the topic of baptism specifically the age at which it is appropriate to get baptized...

2. Why must I get baptised?

Firstly - Because Jesus was baptised and He left an example for us to follow in His steps.

Matthew 3:13-17 

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him.

14 But John protested strenuously, having in mind to prevent Him, saying, It is I who have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?

15 But Jesus replied to him, Permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for [both of] us to fulfil all righteousness [that is, to perform completely whatever is right]. Then he permitted Him.

16 And when Jesus was baptized, He went up at once out of the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he [John] saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on Him.

17 And behold, a voice from heaven said, This is My Son, My Beloved, in Whom I delight!”

3. What does the word baptism mean?

Our English word Baptism comes from the Greek word Baptizo, which means to dip, immerse or whelm, that is, to cover wholly with fluid.

4. Did Baptism replace the act of Circumcision?

No it didn't. Although the two ceremonies both symbolised "leaving behind an Old sinful self", Jesus was circumcised as a baby and baptised as a grownup.

• Circumcision - was the rebirth of the Jewish nation to become God's people because of their genetic heritage. In other words it was a physical criteria to become a child of God because of a physical heritage.

• Baptism - in water is a spiritual rebirth and symbolises the Circumcision of the heart because of a spiritual heritage.

It was not only Jesus, but al God's people in the Old Testament that where Circumcised and Baptised.

5. Old Testament types of water baptism?

I will give you 2 Old Testament types that refer to water baptism.

i.         The children of Israel coming out of Egypt (the world) and going through the Red Sea into Israel (the land of God’s promises).

When the Red Sea closed behind them, there was no consideration of going back to the world, but only of pressing forward to follow and obey God.  They had burned their bridges.

1 Corinthians 10:1-2 

1 For I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, that our forefathers were all under and protected by the cloud [in which God’s Presence went before them], and every one of them passed safely through the [Red] Sea,

2 And each one of them [allowed himself also] to be baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea [they were thus brought under obligation to the Law, to Moses, and to the covenant, consecrated and set apart to the service of God];

 ii.           Noah and his family - they where preserved through the flood by obeying God in building and entering into the ark. The ark symbolises our faith in Jesus to avoid the coming judgement.

They passed out of a "sinful world" and 9 months later grounded on Mount Ararat to live an entirely new life for God.

The old had passed away – the new had begun.

There was no opportunity for returning to the past life of sin and decadence (moral decay).

1 Peter 3:20-21 

20 [The souls of those] who long before in the days of Noah had been disobedient, when God’s patience waited during the building of the ark in which a few [people], actually eight in number, were saved through water.

21 And baptism, which is a figure [of their deliverance], does now also save you [from inward questionings and fears], not by the removing of outward body filth [bathing], but by [providing you with] the answer of a good and clear conscience (inward cleanness and peace) before God [because you are demonstrating what you believe to be yours] through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Colossians 2:11-12 

11 In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, but in a [spiritual] circumcision [performed by] Christ by stripping off the body of the flesh (the whole corrupt, carnal nature with its passions and lusts).

12 [Thus you were circumcised when] you were buried with Him in [your] baptism, in which you were also raised with Him [to a new life] through [your] faith in the working of God [as displayed] when He raised Him up from the dead.

Baptism symbolises that we come out of one state or experience of bondage to sin, into a brand new experience of living a holy victorious life dedicated to Jesus Christ.

6. How much does our parents have to do with us being God's people?

According to the Old Testament  - we where born into God's family as physical Jewish babies because of our genetic predisposition - Therefore babies where circumcised.

According to the New Testament we are born into God's family as spiritual babies because of our decision to follow Christ.

Do we still today become God’s people due to our genetic predisposition? In other words, does God still choose us because of our parent’s genetics?

No, baby Christians are in fact older children and grownups in the natural and at the same time babies in the spiritual realm...

Hypothetically: your grandmother could be a baby Christian and you as her grandchild could be an elder in the body of Christ.

You cannot circumcise a child's heart before they do not have the choice to sin through their own freewill. What could one remove from their hearts if there is no evil to remove? Adam and Eve did not have sin until they received their freewill...

Isn't it true that we become re-birthed into the family of God through our personal freewill decision to accept Christ, even if we have a thousand ancestors who worshiped the devil?

Do we not have the power (according to our freewill) to become Satanists despite our parents being preachers who send thousands of sinners into the Kingdom of God through their work in the Body of Christ?

So my question is...

• Where in the New Testament, do we earn the right to decide for our children to be Christian or not?

• Do we believe that our decision as parents on behalf of our children (to be saved) overrides their own power and freewill to reject Christ?

• Will our parents’ decision get us guaranteed places in heaven?

If not, why would we baptize them to symbolise a decision made, that has in fact not yet been executed or made?

The point of a baptism is to symbolise the death of the old sinful man under the curse of the fallen Adam, and birthing them into the righteous family of the last Adam (Jesus Christ).

7. Think about this...

Baptism by immersion in its design is not suitable for babies, as they cannot be submerged under water without endangering or at the very least freighting them.

For this very reason, churches that baptize babies where forced to come up with a “solution” – they “sprinkle” water in stead of submerging babies...

Did you know that the only time one would read in the Bible of fluid being sprinkled on a person, is when the blood of animals were sprinkled on people for the remission of sin. Jesus died for our sin. We don’t need to be sprinkled with anything anymore according to the Word of God.

My next question is...

What happens to so-called “baptized at birth babies” that reject Christ?

Do they become stepchildren or half-brothers or do we as a body just divorce them in their adult life or will the works of their parents, or their “parents decision” be counted to them as “enough to be saved”?

9. What is the spiritual significance of water baptism?

Water Baptism is attending your own funeral service since a death took place when you were born again.

2 Corinthians 5:17 

Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!

When you were born again you were baptised or placed into the body of Christ and became a new creature in Christ Jesus, having died to the old selfish sinful nature of Satan.

10. In Conclusion

When we where born into Adam. I inherited "myself". To surrender means to give up the right to be like anything other than to be like Him. "Let the weak say I am strong!"

It is all about being born again, because the first time I was born, I was born into Adam, but that was not who I am.

Baptism is a big part of being born again.

Nicodemus didn’t understand baptism, and asked if a man had to go back into his mothers whom and be born a second time, but it is a spiritual rebirth, not a natural one.

If we can manage to figure out in life "who I am in Christ" and not "who I am through others" - we would never be discouraged. God's will and plan for me never changes.

To be discouraged is to take my eyes off the truth. The truth makes me free!

Discouragement is to take our eyes off the cross. We should always focus on what is possible through God and not what "seems to be the situation".

Mark 16:15 - after Jesus was raised from the dead He said "go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptised will be saved...."

We cry out for freedom and grace, we run away from legalism - the church says that we do not have to "be baptized to be saved"

But where is the question?

Jesus says believe and be baptized! There must be significance, He must be right! I bet you Jesus is right!

Being saved means total restoration! Spirit, Soul and Body. Being saved means total redemption of the human man. Believe and be baptized and you shall be 

Saved, Restored, brought back to your original value, as if you never ate the tree, as if sin was never on the earth.

So when we ask questions like "would someone on a falling plane who gives their heart be saved?" Of course! It is the blood of Christ that saves and washes away your sin.

But if you have every opportunity to be baptized... then what possible reason would we have for not being baptized... if He said to? Lets be simple... It is all about humility.

The Name of the King...

Imagine you are a beautiful young woman - the most beautiful in all of the land. The king of the country, who is the most handsome, fair and strong king, sees you and wants to marry you. You meet, fall in love and the wedding is set. Then one day the king walks past one of the rooms in the castle, where you are sitting with other beautiful maidens, talking about the King - thinking that he cannot hear how you speak of him in his "supposed" absents. You speak of him as if he has no power, that you don't regard him as your first love and that you think of him as just another man instead of a king. Would he believe you when you walked into court later on, and professed your undying love? Would he even know that you are calling him when you cry out to the "love of your life" to save you, or might he think you are calling another man?

Don't ever use the Lords Name in vain, because it will loose its power. His power is equal to your reverent fear of it. Reverent fear translates as faith when His Name is used in a time of need. If His Name is used to blaspheme, it looses its meaning...it looses its purity and sincerity. Christian's who understand the betrayal that lies in denying the love between the King and His bride, would understand that it is more expedient to rather die, than to deny or to betray the King. Are you prepared to die for your relationship with the King?

Don't ever use the Name of the King to get favour with people - just so you can exploit them. Don't ever use your power in your relationship with the King to abuse His people or His church. Using His Name for personal gain - money, status and power - is blasphemy. Why? Because you are using His Name in vain - in other words, you are using His Name, for no good reason other than self-gain.

What kind of a bride are you to Christ?

We assume that when a person gets married and declares their vows, that a whole bunch of things will be a part of the marriage deal - love, respect, intimacy, children etc. In fact these things are a part of the contract. But - and this is a big "but"... are we considered to be divorced from our spouse if they betray this contract? Are we not married to our husband even if he sleeps with another woman from the day we get married till the day we die? Do we fall out of wedlock when we fornicate, abuse and forget our vows?

No, it is a legal matter. You have to denounce your covenant in court and consciously and purposefully request to be legally separated i.e. divorced.

So a married woman may look like a single woman in her actions, but that does not make her single.

Is it possible for us to be without sin for even one day of our lives?

It is impossible, even if we manage to stay away from the "top 10 worst of the worst kinds of sins" like: murder and theft. Jesus did something very interesting... First: He calls the Law of the Old testament a curse because it is impossible for human beings to uphold it in its entirety and breaking even one ordinance even something "small" like not wearing a pointy hat while preaching, means that you have overstepped the whole of the Law. Now, in saying that it would be logical for us in our human reasoning to assume that Jesus would say something like: "Hey man, just do what you want because the law is impossible for all except Me, therefore its a curse! Go be merry and do as you please, My grace will cover you!" BUT, He doesn't... This is what He says:

Matthew 5:27-28

27 You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.

28 But I say to you that everyone who so much as looks at a woman with evil desire for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

1 John 3:15

Anyone who hates (abominates, detests) his brother [in Christ] is [at heart] a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding (persevering) within him.

How bizarre... He tightens the "rope". The game gets harder. The rules are stricter...

The difference is that this time the "rope" is not there to hang us as it was in the Old Covenant (Old Testament) but rather it is: A "rope" to save us from our self - A "rope" to rein us not just in, but into Him - A method of drawing us near and binding us into His likeness.

When the Word says that fornicators, adulterers and homosexuals will not go to heaven, Jesus is naming people by their sin, for it is their identity, but once you accept Him as your Lord and Savoir, you are called Righteous according to His reputation and His identity. You are no longer called by your sin, but rather you are called by His innocence and all (yes, all!) sin is covered by His grace. We go to Heaven because of Him and not because of our lack of sin.

Ephesians 2:8-10

For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;

⁹ Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]

¹⁰ For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

Again, what about the "rope" the rope that once was our punishment onto eternal death (God's Law that convicts our sin and sends us to Hell)? God says use it! Rein yourself into Christ, for it is warm and safe and all sufficient in Him. Don't let your covenant marriage to God be one of deceit, denial, terror, fear and eventually ending where you denounce the arrangement because the relationship became nothing more than a reminder to the death you chose daily in comparison to the Life He offered you so freely!

You are the bride of Christ! Obey Him! Love Him! By accepting Him as Lord and Savior you just might gain legal entrance to Heaven (even if it is by the skin of your teeth), but don't do it for entry into heaven!!! Do it because you are blessed to be pursued by a groom that will never betray you, never cheat on you and never ever disappoint you!

Psalm 45 (The Message)

A Wedding Song of the Sons of Korah

45 My heart bursts its banks,
    spilling beauty and goodness.
I pour it out in a poem to the king,
    shaping the river into words:

^2-4 “You’re the handsomest of men;
    every word from your lips is sheer grace,
    and God has blessed you, blessed you so much.
Strap your sword to your side, warrior!
    Accept praise! Accept due honor!
    Ride majestically! Ride triumphantly!
Ride on the side of truth!
    Ride for the righteous meek!

^4-5 “Your instructions are glow-in-the-dark;
    you shoot sharp arrows
Into enemy hearts; the king’s
    foes lie down in the dust, beaten.

^6-7 “Your throne is God’s throne,
    ever and always;
The scepter of your royal rule
    measures right living.
You love the right
    and hate the wrong.
And that is why God, your very own God,
    poured fragrant oil on your head,
Marking you out as king
    from among your dear companions.

^8-9 “Your ozone-drenched garments
    are fragrant with mountain breeze.
Chamber music—from the throne room—
    makes you want to dance.
Kings’ daughters are maids in your court,
    the Bride glittering with golden jewelry.

^10-12 “Now listen, daughter, don’t miss a word:
    forget your country, put your home behind you.
Be here—the king is wild for you.
    Since he’s your lord, adore him.
Wedding gifts pour in from Tyre;
    rich guests shower you with presents.”

^13-15 (Her wedding dress is dazzling,
    lined with gold by the weavers;
All her dresses and robes
    are woven with gold.
She is led to the king,
    followed by her virgin companions.
A procession of joy and laughter!
    a grand entrance to the king’s palace!)

^16-17 “Set your mind now on sons—
    don’t dote on father and grandfather.
You’ll set your sons up as princes
    all over the earth.
I’ll make you famous for generations;
    you’ll be the talk of the town
    for a long, long time.”

Head in our hands...

Why do we sit with our heads in our hands when it comes to Satan's attacks?

I don't think we always appreciate the fact that God waged war against Satan and came out triumphant. Think of the celebrations after any battle had been won. No matter how tired a soldier is, there is always enough energy left for victory. Lets read an example of such a victory, because I want you to think about the feeling of empowerment that one feels just as you realise that you are on the winning side.

1 Samuel 17:44-52 (Amp)

⁴⁴ The Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.

⁴⁵ Then said David to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the ranks of Israel, Whom you have defied.

⁴⁶ This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will smite you and cut off your head. And I will give the corpses of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

⁴⁷ And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.

⁴⁸ When the Philistine came forward to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.

⁴⁹ David put his hand into his bag and took out a stone and slung it, and it struck the Philistine, sinking into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.

⁵⁰ So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck down the Philistine and slew him. But no sword was in David’s hand.

⁵¹ So he ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath, and killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their mighty champion was dead, they fled.

⁵² And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron. So the wounded Philistines fell along the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron.

Why are we hiding in the ditch?

The cowardly Israelites’, in that moment of taking Goliath's head, realised that one man had defeated an entire army, by defeating the "strongman".

I wonder what would happen, if we as the church realised, that we are in fact victorious?

Could you imagine how different the story of David and Goliath would have been if the Israelites stood defeated behind David and said: "well you know, there is still the entire army of Philistines that still have their heads, maybe we should surrender, because if they had Goliath, surly he had some brothers or something."

No! We have to grab the victory and pursue the enemy until the whole of hell and its army is thrown into the lake of fire! We need to realise that it is war! Yes, the war was won when Jesus cut of the devils head, but why are we not running after the defeated enemy to chase them back to where they came from. We are a part of this war. We are in this war that has been won, but we are still running with our swords in the air screaming the Name of the One who won the battle.

The Bible speaks of us NOT fighting against flesh and blood and also speaks about us wearing the armour of God.

Why? The battle has been won, hasn't it?

It is because it is part of our victory to set the enemy to flight, into a powerless frenzy. No demon in hell is stronger than a single man who understands that he has "Goliath's head" in his hands.

It is time we start thinking like warriors doing a victory lap - and stop thinking like Israelites hiding in a ditch!

Fatherhood in the modern church

I once heard a very pompous preacher scream from the pulpit: "if the sons in my house (note - "my") where to be squeezed, nothing would make me prouder than to know that what came out of them, would be me (the preacher...).

I thought it was blasphemous... He used the Paul-Timothy analogy to staff his point.

Surely if we are supposed to be Christ-like, we would hope for "Christ" to come out of our so-called sons when they are "squeezed"? In my opinion, there is a sickness among overly exalted pampered preachers, glistening with the dripping fat of their over-indulgent self-absorbed lives. They treat those who serve under them (as they themselves should be serving- ironically) like ants in their personal pantry called "life". To me, this seems to be nothing other than abuse of their power.

The Timothy excuse

I have reservations about the idea of Paul being a "type and shadow" of the modern day church leader. Paul was a living breathing walking talking epistle (2 Corinthians 3) - to the point of writing two thirds of the divinely inspired New Testament. The point is, that Paul knew exactly how to walk in Christ-likeness, because he had firsthand revelation on scripture. He didn't attend any Bible school or university. God revealed all that he knew to him. For him to claim that others should imitate him as he imitates Jesus was not a long shot by far.

How many Church leaders today are as pure in their doctrine as Paul? How many Church "fathers" love God more than they love their own lives? How can one love an earthly son more than or at least equal to oneself if one cannot even love God onto death? (Death could imply death to selfishness and even physical death).

In my opinion Paul serves as a shadow to the printed Word of the New Testament, more than he is a shadow of a modern human leader of a church...

Thus I believe that we should teach father's to ensure that their sons do not follow in their (sometimes) broken footsteps steps. In other words: "Don't do as I do, do as I say!" I would much rather see fathers train their sons to be "thinkers" rather than "whipped followers". This way one would have thinking followers of Christ rather than man-following, followers trying to follow a God that is by no means a man - if that makes any sense.

If fathers taught sons to respect authority, but to follow Christ instead of themselves personally, then I believe it will have the following effect:

1. Sons will love the fathers without the threat of judgment and abandonment when mistakes are made.

2. Sons will not be prisoners or slaves to any power hungry maniac.

3. The demand for "perfection" in the relationship between the disciple and the disciplee will be removed and replaced by a demand for "excellence" which is far more attainable for us normal, fallible humans...

4. Churches will regain a warm family atmosphere and loose the callus organizational atmosphere resembling that of Donald Trump’s "The Apprentice" show.

Organisations or Churches?

The Pharisees loved their organisation more than their people, their authority and law more than the Messiah they had been dedicating to and awaiting on, their entire careers . They where petrified of loosing power over their subordinates, while Jesus was having meals with the unloved ones and letting His "sons" sleep in His bosom in the open air.

  

We fail - Jesus doesn't

If we inherit Jesus as our role model to imitate, we will eliminate inherited, accumulated heresies. The reason for this is that each generation will not only inherit truth but also have the ability to find more Truth. In the same breath, they will also discard old lies, instead of dragging generational curses from one congregation to the next under the banner of "submitting to the authority of man" versus "wholly submitting themselves to the Word of God and the unfailing support of our Helper the Holy Spirit".

One of my favourite teachers Dr. Chuck Missler likes to challenge his students when he makes any conjecture based on his studies - He tells his students that if they take any of his conjectures as fact without going and finding out for themselves whether in fact they agree, they automatically fail the course.

I believe that teaching our sons to think, will give God the space to give them fresh manna/wisdom and eventually allow them to get even closer to the Glory and truth of God, which should be the desire of all fathers.

Proverbs 17:6

"Children’s children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their fathers."