Why we baptize infants.

Baptism is a sign and seal of God's covenant promise to save a people through faith in Christ. In the Old Testament, that sign was circumcision, applied to believers and their children on the eighth day. In the New Testament, that sign is baptism, applied to believers and (we believe) their children.

Infant baptism does not save the child. It does not guarantee their salvation. It does not replace their need to personally trust Christ when they reach the age of understanding.

What infant baptism does: it marks the child as belonging to the covenant community, it visibly signifies God's promise to work in that child's life, and it reminds the parents and the whole church of their obligation to raise this child in the faith.

Three main lines of argument:

1. Covenant continuity. In the Old Testament, Abraham was commanded to apply the sign of the covenant (circumcision) to his infant son Isaac, and to all male infants in his household, as a sign of God's covenant promise. We believe the New Testament continues this covenant relationship, just with a new sign (baptism) that now includes girls as well as boys.

Paul explicitly links baptism and circumcision in Colossians 2:11-12. If the covenant with Abraham included his children, and the New Covenant is the fulfillment of that same covenant, then the New Covenant also includes children.

2. Household baptisms. The New Testament records several "household" baptisms (Acts 16:15, 16:33, 1 Corinthians 1:16). In each case, the head of household believes, and the whole household is baptized. The text doesn't specify ages, but household language in that cultural context typically included infants and children.

3. Jesus's treatment of children. Jesus insisted that children were brought to Him and that the kingdom of God belonged to such as these (Mark 10:13-16). This posture toward children shaped the apostolic church's understanding of covenant membership.

We don't believe baptism saves the child. Salvation comes through personal faith in Christ. A baptized child who grows up to reject Christ is not saved. A child who was never baptized but comes to faith is saved.

We don't believe baptism is sprinkled holy water. It is a sacrament commanded by Christ, administered by the church, applied to someone who belongs (or whose parent belongs) to the covenant community.

We don't re-baptize. If someone was validly baptized as an infant and later comes to personal faith, we don't baptize them again. The one baptism they received as a sign of God's promise still stands.

We also baptize adults. If an adult comes to faith and has never been baptized, we baptize them. Baptism is for professing believers who were never previously baptized, and for the children of believing members.

If you come from a Baptist or non-denominational background where infant baptism was taught against, you don't have to agree with us to attend Shearer. You can worship with us, hear the gospel preached, participate in the Lord's Supper (if you're a baptized believer), and grow in Christ.

If you become a member, we ask that you be willing to have your children baptized if you have or will have them, even if you don't fully share our conviction. But you are not required to agree on every detail of the theology.

Our pastor is happy to meet one-on-one to explain the Presbyterian understanding in more depth or to answer specific questions you have from Scripture.