Would you attend a sprinkling

I believe baptism is for born again believers in Jesus Christ, as a public profession of their faith. Since a baby doesn't qualify, I don't think they should be baptized. I really don't care what "reason" the parents are doing it for. It's un-Scriptural, and I would not support it.

 

Yes, although I don't remember it, I attended my own shortly after I was born.

But, my parents were Catholic, I didn't have a choice and they didn't think to ask me if I wanted to go through with it.


HankD

 

Brother Jim,

Amen to that. We can be a sorry lot in our understanding of the basics of our faith.

MNJ

 

I have known several kids who have understood the Gospel better that many church-going adults. I would never assume that because someone is five or six they can't be saved, the main points of Jesus' message are quite simple really.

 

I would out of respect for a friend. The service wouldn't mean a thing to me but, I feel inorder to continue witnessing to my friend, respect of that friend would be important. After all no one listens someone who doesn't respect them. Taking part in the ceremony no I wouldn't.
MB

 

You know the numbers, Marcia. Upwards of 90% of kids baptized prior to 18 yrs old, will stay out of church until they are in their 30's, and then some will come back ("re-dedicating" their lives to Christ when there was never any "dedication" to begin with).

And yes, I've seen kids "manipulated" to get those baptism numbers up, or to vote the pastor out at the next business meeting.

So, painting with a broad brush is warranted in this case.

peace to youraying:

BTW, if I never said so, I really enjoy reading your posts.:flower:

 

I never said a 5 year old couldn't be saved. I said salvation is not an issue with baptism, and that many (the overwhelming majority, IMHO) of the kids that are baptised young have been manipulated by well-meaning parents or others in a church into "saying a prayer" without understanding exactly what they are doing.

They simply do it to please the adult, which is the most common response coming from a child.

The evidence is clearly seen in the numbers that leave the church (upwards of 90%) after graduating from high school, most never to return, though some will return in their 30's, which is why baptists (and others) invented "re-dedicating" your life to Christ as a way to explain their rejecting the things of God for so many years.

peace to youraying:

 

I know a woman who was baptized at the age of four and absolutely changed the church she was attending by starting Bible studies in her high school. She did the same thing in college. The youth in the church were almost 1/2 of the congregation. When she started leading some Bible studies the youth were about 30 and ended at about 500. Her parents led the family in evangelism and discipleship. Everyone in that family are devoted followers of Christ today.

Age has nothing to do with following Christ.

A good friend of mine started pastoring at the age of 15 and is a great pastor today. He received Christ shortly after his parents did. He has been pastoring for about 42 years now.

 

In my experience the same is often true for adults who:

a. "Get saved" to get aunt Melba off their back.

or

b. Start going to church, "get saved," get active in the church for a few months and then all of a sudden you never see them again.

 

Sure. If I wasn't tied up at my own church.

Funny I should come across this thread today. A good friend of mine got sprinkled at his church. I didn't attend because I had a previous commitment, but I think it's great.

Sprinkling isn't my preferred method because I believe that the Biblical model is very clearly one of immersion. But it's just not something to create division over.

Now, paedo-baptism, on the other hand, I strongly disagree with.

 

Nobody has to wonder about what Jesus commanded when he said to make disciples (and not just converts). I have never seen infants act like adults.

A study that was done several years ago indicated that some pastors baptized people up to five times.