Baptism

Christian parents baptize their children at infancy. They, we believe are
partakers of the covenant and will come to inheritance. It is an acted prayer
of faith. Here the faith is followed by corresponding action. This is the
normal steps in receiving the blessings we ask for. Have faith in God. Ask in
faith. Believe and act as though you have already received it on the basis of
the promise of Jesus. It will come to pass. But salvation of the child comes
only by his/her faith. Evidently there need not be a specific time for this. It
could be a continuous process of exercise especially for the children of
Christian family. We may dedicate our children and they can then take adult
baptism when they are old enough or we can give them baptism and they can
claim the baptism as theirs as they grow up - a confirmation.
Obviously the symbol has no significance or effect unless the change has
happened within. The symbol does not save. Baptism never saves. The
question here is whether the salvation should be prior to the baptism or not.
An insistence of the chronological order is what is in question.
Insistence of chronological order of sin –repent- believe -forgiveness is filled
with an inherent problem. Is the order sin –repent –sacrifice –forgiveness is a
necessity? Notice that belief in Jesus’ atoning sacrifice is counted as the
believer’s sacrifice. But sacrifice itself was done long long ago. If
chronological order is insisted, Jesus’ sacrifice, which was done once in
history long ago will be of no effect today. So if the sacrifice can be made
before I sinned, baptism can be also given before I sin. Just as claiming the
sacrifice of Jesus as my sacrifice alone will save me, claiming the baptism
which my parents gave me as my baptism alone will lead to salvation. Thus
the efficacy of infant baptism lie in my confirming by faith.
An infant has not committed any sin. Infants do not need repentance. If they
die on childbirth they, according to our Lord will be in the Kingdom, "for
such is the Kingdom". Jesus was not speaking of infant like faith or anything
like that. He took a real living child and set before the disciples and said "of
such is the Kingdom"
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