If someone had asked Moses' parents why they had put their son in the ark of bulrushes in the river, no doubt they could have given an answer, for God's Word tells us that it was "by faith Moses, when he was born was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment." Heb. 11:2323By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. (Hebrews 11:23). We would seek therefore, in a humble way, to tell why we had our children put in the waters of baptism, not to press it upon others as a doctrine, but because we are told to "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." 1 Peter 3:1515But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: (1 Peter 3:15).
The difficulty in the minds of many Christians is that since they know a truly saved person should be baptized, they hesitate to even consider such a thing as the baptism of a Christian household. Let us look at it prayerfully in the light of God's Word. First of all let us notice that baptism is a privilege—the entrance into the position of bearing the name of Christ. (Gal. 3:2727For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Galatians 3:27)). The command is to the one who does the baptizing, for there must be authority to use the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. (Matt. 28:1919Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (Matthew 28:19)). In Acts 10:4848And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. (Acts 10:48) it was a command to the ones who did the baptizing. Peter said, "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?" (verse 47). There might have been Jews there who would have denied this privilege to the Gentiles, for they were not ready to receive them, (Acts 11:1-181And the apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, 3Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. 4But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, 5I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me: 6Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 7And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. 8But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. 9But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 10And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me. 12And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house: 13And he showed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; 14Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. 15And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. 16Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. 17Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? 18When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. (Acts 11:1‑18)), but Peter gave command that they were not to be denied this position and privilege, but were to be baptized. The request of the Ethiopian eunuch, "What doth hinder me to be baptized?" shows that he did not look upon baptism as a command, but asked if he might partake in such a privilege. (Acts 8:3636And 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? (Acts 8:36)).
Since then it is a privilege, the next question is, who can share in this privilege. A careful consideration of this is helpful also. A verse often used to say that only saved ones should be baptized is Mark 16:1616He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (Mark 16:16), and I might say that it is often misquoted as though it said, "believe and be baptized", but let us read it carefully, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." There are a couple of points to notice here. The verse does not say at what time of life the person was baptized, but in the wisdom of God it is worded in such a way that the person might have been baptized before, or might have been baptized after he believed. It simply says, "is baptized", for there is only one Christian baptism (Eph. 4:55One Lord, one faith, one baptism, (Ephesians 4:5)). We also notice that the verse says, "shall be saved", and this not before baptism but after baptism. This is further clarified by 1 Peter 3:2121The 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: (1 Peter 3:21) where it says, "the like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us." A person is not looked at as being in the position of being saved till after baptism. It is a figure, as the verse says, of how one enters this new position, for baptism is a figure of death.
Now if all the Scriptures dealing with baptism are carefully considered it will be seen that baptism always has to do with an outward position. Let us look at Acts 2:4040And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. (Acts 2:40) where Peter exhorts the inquiring Jews, "Save yourselves from this untoward generation." A person's soul is not saved by baptism, of this Scripture is abundantly clear, but he can be brought into an outward position in baptism, and this the Scripture clearly teaches. Mark 16:1616He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (Mark 16:16) shows that baptism does not save the soul, for the end of the verse says, "He that believeth not shall be damned." The condemnation is to those who believed not, with no mention of baptism. So in Acts 2, Peter is addressing the Jews who shortly before had said, "His blood be on us and our children", Matt. 27:2525Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. (Matthew 27:25), and he told them, "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." Acts 2:3838Then Peter said unto them, 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. (Acts 2:38). He did not tell them to be baptized because they knew their sins were forgiven, and because they were indwelled by the Holy Spirit, but for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then in Acts 8 where we have the Samaritans brought in, they were baptized with water before they received the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:15,1615Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: 16(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) (Acts 8:15‑16)). In Acts 10, where it is the Gentiles, we read that they were told to believe on the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins, they then received the Holy Spirit, and were baptized afterward. (Acts 10:43-4843To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 44While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. (Acts 10:43‑48)).
Surely a prayerful consideration of these Scriptures will make it clear that we should be very careful not to make a statement such as, "A person should surely know his sins are forgiven before he can be baptized", for those in Acts 2 did not know this, but were baptized "for the remission of sins". Nor could we Scripturally say that a person must be indwelled by the Holy Spirit before he can be baptized, for the Samaritans were baptized before they received the Holy Spirit. We can see that such statements as these will not stand the test of the Word of God.
Now if we see the way baptism is presented in the Scripture, all is clear in a moment. It is consistently used to figure the taking of a new position, and whether it be the passage of the children of Israel through the Red Sea, spoken of as baptism and as a figure in 1 Cor. 10, or John's baptism, or Christian baptism, it is always with this thought. Once the children of Israel had been "baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea" (1 Cor. 10:22And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; (1 Corinthians 10:2)), they were looked at positionally as the people of God, even though they did not all have faith. (Heb. 4:22For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. (Hebrews 4:2)). Those who were baptized by John the Baptist took their place positionally apart from the guilty nation of Israel (Luke 7:29,3029And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. 30But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. (Luke 7:29‑30)). And now in Christian baptism in Acts 2, the Jews had said, "His blood be on us and on our children" Matt. 27:2525Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. (Matthew 27:25). If they would "save themselves" from that position they must be baptized. They must come into the position where the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost were to be obtained through faith in Christ. And what about their children on whom they had brought the sentence of guilt? Peter says, "The promise is to you and to your children" Acts 2:3939For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. (Acts 2:39). How precious to faith! This thought was not new in the ways of God, for in the baptism unto Moses in 1 Cor. 10, the children of Israel brought out their little ones from Egypt, thus showing they believed the promise that God would bring them into Canaan. This is the more remarkable because God had not told them to bring out their little ones, but Moses in faith said, "We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters." Ex. 10:99And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the Lord. (Exodus 10:9).
Lest we should confine this to Israel, we have three examples of the baptism of Christian households among the Gentiles; the house of Lydia, the household of the Philippian jailor, and the household of Stephanas. Here is a mother having her household baptized; a poor hardened jail-keeper who was saved, and then believed the promise for his house; and a careful godly father whose whole household was addicted to the ministry of the saints. (Acts 16:15,31-3315And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us. (Acts 16:15)
31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. (Acts 16:31‑33); 1 Cor. 1:1616And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. (1 Corinthians 1:16)). Now it will be said by some that these passages do not tell us that there were little ones in the households mentioned. Undoubtedly there is a reason for the silence of Scripture in this matter, for I say again, as I remarked at the beginning, that the baptism of households is not a command but a privilege, that a parent may or may not lay hold of. Moses' parents were not told to put their baby son (whom they saw as "fair to God") in the ark of bulrushes, but they did, and God honored their faith. Samuel's parents were not told to present their little son to the Lord with the slaying of a bullock, but they did, and God honored their faith too.
We can see therefore that the question of the baptism of Christian households is a matter of faith. If I, like the Philippian jailer would present my child, born in sin, to the Lord, on what ground can I do it? The Scripture gives me the knowledge of a promise, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house." Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31). It also tells me that the children of Christian parents are "holy". 1 Cor. 7:1414For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. (1 Corinthians 7:14). This does not mean that they do not have sinful natures, for all do, but what could it mean but that they are specially privileged being born into a Christian home? Now if God had clearly told us of children being baptized in the faith of their parents in the New Testament, we would not need to be exercised. All Christian parents would do it without any personal exercise of faith for their children, and this is not the way Christian household baptism is brought before us in Scripture.
Why then did we have our children baptized? We did not see Christian household baptism as a command, but rather are there not definite Scriptural principles to encourage us in it? The ark of bulrushes, the Red Sea, the slain bullock are all figures of death. Baptism too is a figure of death, and the only way of blessing now is the death of Christ (Rom. 6:44Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)). We believe that in the baptism of our household we can acknowledge before God that only through Christ's death can we seek their salvation. He knows our hearts, but instead of starting out to get the promised blessing through our training, we would put the child in the waters of death and then take it back to train up for the Lord. (Eph. 6:44And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)). When Pharoah's daughter brought Moses to the court, Pharoah might have said, "This child must be thrown in the river", but she could say, "He has been in the river and I drew him out." (the name Moses means "drawn out"). He was then given back to his own mother with the words, "Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages." Ex. 2:99And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. (Exodus 2:9). Is it not wonderful that a Christian parent today can draw his child out? What parents would want to have children at all if they did not have a promise for them? And what parents would want their children's salvation to depend on their faithfulness in training them?
To our hearts it is very humbling, and yet sweet, that the credit is not to us for our training, nor for anything we could do. All blessing depends upon the death of Christ (figured in baptism) and God's faithfulness to His promise for our households. Works follow, and how diligently Moses' parents must have trained that boy for the Lord, having received him back from the waters of death. And how diligently any parent who has in faith laid hold of the promise for his household, will train his children in a humble confidence, not depending on his training but on God's faithfulness.
Some will raise the question of the verses in Rom. 6, saying how could a little child walk in newness of life, but let us read it carefully, "Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Rom. 6:44Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4). It has this in view. How could we bring up our children "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" if we have never brought them under the Lordship of Christ? There are certain requirements of citizenship for a country, but many are in the position, and rightly so, without understanding it. So Rom. 6 simply brings before us what baptism means, but does not state at all that every baptized one had entered into the truth of it. It is indeed quite apparent that many had not or the exhortation would not have been necessary.
In Gal. 3:2727For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Galatians 3:27) it says, "As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." It will be clear to all that when it speaks of having put on Christ, that this does not mean their souls were really saved by baptism, for many professors have been baptized whose souls were never saved, yet the name of Christ was put upon them in baptism. By baptism one is positionally identified with the death of Christ, and His Name put upon him, whether truly born again or not. I only mention these Scriptures because they are a difficulty to some, but in reality they make it still clearer what baptism really means.
Some will say that a child misses a great deal who has been baptized before the age of understanding, and in a sense that is true. Those who were baptized unto Moses in the Red sea, knowing and understanding that wonderful deliverance from Egypt, had a very real joy, as the song of Ex. 15 shows, but we must not forget the different, yet very real joy, that would be the portion of the children who found out later that their parents had taken them out of Egypt in faith before they could understand at all. Is there not also a very real joy to the children today whose parents have baptized them in faith? Should we deny them this joy to give them the joy of understanding it later?
In closing I would commend this article to the consciences of all who read it, to search out the Scriptures for themselves and be exercised before the Lord. One would seek to show what we feel we have learned from the Scriptures for ourselves, but would not suggest that anyone act on another's faith. "Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God." Rom. 14:2222Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. (Romans 14:22). To one's own soul that is exactly why Christian household baptism is, as it were, hidden in the Scripture.
G.H.H.
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