We now turn our attention to another perversion of God’s word and that is infants are born sinners and must be baptized in order to be saved. This contradicts God’s word. God says in Ezekiel 18:20, “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor shall the father bear the guilt of the son.” Here God is telling us that children do not inherit sin from their parents, grandparents, or any of their forefathers, all the way back to Adam. God says “The son shall not bear the guilt of the father.” Each person is responsible for his own sins. According to this verse, it is “The soul who sins shall die.” Does it say the soul that inherits sin, it shall die? No. It says the soul who sins.
What is sin? 1 John 3:4 says, “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness: and sin is lawlessness.” We do not inherit sin; we commit sin; and we commit sin when we commit lawlessness. An infant has not broken any law of God and thus has not committed any sin.
How is sin committed? In James 1:14-15 we read, “Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his OWN lust and enticed, then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin and sin when it is finished brings forth death.” Before one can commit sin he must be drawn away of his OWN lust and enticed. A baby cannot be drawn away and enticed into lustful sin. This is absurd. This is total ignorance of God’s word. James 4:17 also says, “Therefore to him who knows to do good, and does not do it, to him it is sin.” This is the sin of omission. An infant does not know to do good and thus cannot sin. There are only two ways that man sins: by committing sin or we sin by omission. An infant cannot sin in either way and has no sin.
A little child is innocent and pure, as our Lord says in Matthew 18:3, “Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” And we also read in Matthew 19:14, “But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven'”. Little children are of the kingdom of heaven. Little children are not lost, but are safe until they become accountable.
One error leads to another. Men say since infants have inherited the sin of Adam, they must be baptized or they will be lost. This is also false. Infants are not suitable candidates for baptism, since they cannot believe. Our Lord says in Mark 16:16, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” Here one of the prerequisites of being saved when one is baptized is to believe, which is impossible for an infant to do.
Also in Acts 8:36-37 the question was asked, “See here is water; what hinders me from being baptized?” And the answer is given in the next verse: “And Philip said, if you believe with all your heart you may.” Here we see the condition that must be met before a person can be baptized is he must believe with all his heart. Can an infant do this? No.
Also one of the prerequisites of being baptized is one must repent. In Acts 2:38 (KJV) the apostle Peter told a group of people, who had asked what they should do, to “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins.” What is the requirement found here that we must do before we can be baptized? Repent. Can an infant repent? It would be absurd to think that an infant could believe or repent, but it is just as absurd to think that an innocent infant, who is without sin, must be baptized for the forgiveness of sins, which he does not have.
Parents who have their infants “christened” are being deceived by the false doctrines of men. Satan has many ways in fooling people into being lost. The lie Satan tells here to people who have become accountable is since you were baptized as an infant, you do not need to be baptized for the remission of your sins now that you have become accountable and responsible. Satan knows infant baptism accomplishes nothing. Satan also knows, when people who were baptized as an infant become accountable, at that time they are lost and will be with him through out eternity in the burning fires of Hell if he can keep them from obeying the Lord. So who do you want to follow: God, or men who are being led by Satan? Every person will follow one or the other. Again we have to make the choice as to who we follow. If you were baptized as an infant, then your baptism did you no good. You are still lost. Now that you are able to believe you must “Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38), so you can be saved and go to Heaven. If a person misses Heaven by believing the lies of Satan, he will only have himself to blame.
(Ezekiel 18:20) The son shall
- WRONG, A child does not inherit sin. Satan wants us to believe that we as infants inherit sin.
- CORRECT, A child does not inherit sin. Satan wants us to believe that we as infants inherit sin.
- WRONG, A child does not inherit sin. Satan wants us to believe that we as infants inherit sin.
Children inherit their father's sins.
- WRONG, Children do not inherit sins. Only when they become accountable do they start comitting sin.
- CORRECT, Children do not inherit sins. Only when they become accountable do they start comitting sin.
(1 John 3:4) What is sin?
- CORRECT, Sin is lawlessness.
- WRONG, Sin is lawlessness.
- WRONG, Sin is lawlessness.
Infant children cannot commit lawlessness and cannot sin.
- CORRECT, Infant children cannot commit sin. An infant has not broken any laws.
- WRONG, Infant children cannot commit sin. An infant has not broken any laws.
(Matthew 19:14) Little children are
- WRONG, Little children are of the kingdom of heaven. They have no sin. They are not lost, but are safe until they become accountable.
- CORRECT, Little children are of the kingdom of heaven. They have no sin. They are not lost, but are safe until they become accountable.
- WRONG, Little children are of the kingdom of heaven. They have no sin. They are not lost, but are safe until they become accountable.
We do not become sinners until we become accountable.
- CORRECT, We do not have sin until we become accountable and begin to commit sin.
- WRONG, We do not have sin until we become accountable and begin to commit sin.
(James 4:17) If we know to do good and don't do it
- WRONG, If we know to do good and do not do it, it is sin. This is the sin of omission.
- WRONG, If we know to do good and do not do it, it is sin. This is the sin of omission.
- CORRECT, If we know to do good and do not do it, it is sin. This is the sin of omission.
Infant children know to do good and thus sin.
- WRONG, Infant children cannot know to do good and have no sin.
- CORRECT, Infant children cannot know to do good and have no sin.
(Mark 16:16) Those who need to be saved must be baptized
- WRONG, We must be able to beleive and be baptized to be saved. Infant children cannot believe.
- WRONG, We must be able to beleive and be baptized to be saved. Infant children cannot believe.
- CORRECT, We must be able to beleive and be baptized to be saved. Infant children cannot believe.
An infant does believe in Christ and should be baptized.
- WRONG, An infant does not believe, is not lost, and should not be baptized.
- CORRECT, An infant does not believe, is not lost, and should not be baptized.
(Acts 8:36-37) When one is baptized
- CORRECT, When we are baptized we must be able to believe with all of our heart. An infant cannot believe.
- WRONG, When we are baptized we must be able to believe with all of our heart. An infant cannot believe.
- WRONG, When we are baptized we must be able to believe with all of our heart. An infant cannot believe.
We must be able to believe with all of our heart before we are baptized.
- CORRECT, Only believers are to be baptized.
- WRONG, Only believers are to be baptized.
(Acts 2:38) Those who are to be baptized for the remission of their sins
- WRONG, When we are baptized for the remission of the sins we have comitted, we must also be capable of repenting of those sins. Can an infant repent? NO.
- WRONG, When we are baptized for the remission of the sins we have comitted, we must also be capable of repenting of those sins. Can an infant repent? NO.
- CORRECT, When we are baptized for the remission of the sins we have comitted, we must also be capable of repenting of those sins. Can an infant repent? NO.
Babies are capable of repenting of their sins.
- WRONG, Babies are not capable of repenting of sin. They have no sin to repent of. Baptizing infants is a false doctrine that originated with man and not God.
- CORRECT, Babies are not capable of repenting of sin. They have no sin to repent of. Baptizing infants is a false doctrine that originated with man and not God.
(Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38) When people who were baptized as an infant grow up and become accountable
- CORRECT, Accountable people must be baptized in order to be saved. As an infant they could not believe or repent, and they had no sin and were not lost so their baptism then did them no good. When they became accountable and began to sin they became lost and must be baptized now so they can be saved if they want to go to Heaven.
- WRONG, Accountable people must be baptized in order to be saved. As an infant they could not believe or repent, and they had no sin and were not lost so their baptism then did them no good. When they became accountable and began to sin they became lost and must be baptized now so they can be saved if they want to go to Heaven.
- WRONG, Accountable people must be baptized in order to be saved. As an infant they could not believe or repent, and they had no sin and were not lost so their baptism then did them no good. When they became accountable and began to sin they became lost and must be baptized now so they can be saved if they want to go to Heaven.
The baptism of an infant is vain or useless.
- CORRECT, Baptizing an infant is vain and will give one a false sense of security when he becomes accountable. An infant does not have sin, cannot believe or repent. If you were baptized as an infant and when you became accountable you were then lost. If this is the case you must now be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins so you can be saved and go to Heaven.
- WRONG, Baptizing an infant is vain and will give one a false sense of security when he becomes accountable. An infant does not have sin, cannot believe or repent. If you were baptized as an infant and when you became accountable you were then lost. If this is the case you must now be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins so you can be saved and go to Heaven.
