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FOUNDATIONS*107**ship* compromised* as* a* result.* So,* we* do* not* think* that* “The* one* who* is*unwilling* to* work* shall* not* eat”* (2* Thess* 3:10)* applies* to* ten* year* olds!*Neither*would*we*see*commands*to*marry*(1*Cor* 7:*9,*36),*or*even*to*“be*fruitful*and*multiply”*(Gen*1:28)*as*applying*to*children.*To*suggest*that*we*must*baptise*children*because*the*command*to*repent*and*be*baptised*applies*to*children*begs*the*question.***Matthew%28:18,20%*Similarly* to* the* previous* passage,* here* we* have* a* clear* biblical* command*concerning*the*baptism*of*disciples.*However,*here*the*command*is*given*to*us*as*the*church*to*baptise*them,*rather*than*to*the*individual*disciple*to*be*baptised.**Again,*one*must*ask*whether*one*can*ever*be*faithful*to*the*command*to*“make* disciples* of* all* nations,* baptising* them…”* if* one* delays* baptism* in*order*to*perceive*the*credibility*of*their*profession*of*faith.*Again,*all*credo:baptists* agree.* Their* two* year* old* may* sing,* “I* have* dethided* to* follow*Jethuth”* but* they* do* not* immediately* baptise* her.* The* question* remains,*“how*long*a*delay*is*wise*in*the*case*of*children?”**Are%we%avoiding%a%clear%implication%of%the%New%Testament?%*Is* the* baptism* of* believing* children* strongly* implied* if* not* directly*commanded?*Does*the*near*immediate*baptism*of*people*coming*to*faith*in*Acts*imply*that*a*long*wait*between*faith*and*baptism*is*always*wrong?*Does*Titus*1:6*imply*the*necessity*of*discerning*a*child’s*faith*in*a*way*that*this*paper*denies?**Acts%2:41%etc.%*The* immediate* baptism* of* three* thousand* who* profess* faith* on* the* day* of*Pentecost* might* be* seen* as* strong* evidence* against* the* need* to* delay*baptism* until* evidence* of* faith* is* observed.* Other* evidence* could* also* be*mounted* from* Acts* to* suggest* that* baptism* was* fairly* immediate* upon*profession* of* faith. 32 *Firstly,* we* should* note* that* the* baptisms* in* Acts* are*largely*happening*in*the*context*of*a*persecuted*church.*For*example,*on*the*day* of* Pentecost,* the* three* thousand* baptised* were* all* professing* faith* in*Christ*in*the*city*where*he*had*recently*been*crucified.*There*was*little*doubt*that*the*cost*of*discipleship*was*extremely*evident*to*them.************************************************************************32*E.g.*Acts*8:12,*8:38,*9:18,*10:48,*16:15,*16:33,*19:5*and*especially*22:16.*!