Why We Left Lutheranism--Infant Baptism

Aug 17, 2001 - © Claude A. Guild & John L. Hoh, Jr.

Mr. Schramm states the Lutheran position well: "The baptismal command includes children. The command reads: "Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19, Revised Version). Since children are part of every nation, they are evidently among the ones to be discipled and baptized." (What Lutherans Believe, p. 139) It would have been informing if Mr. Schramm had stated what it would have taken to make a disciple. It adds light on the subject if we read the King James Version: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations," (Matthew 28:19). Mark gives the great commission thus: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16). From Matthew and Mark we learn that two prerequisites of discipleship are "being taught" and "believing." In Acts 2:38 another prerequisite is given - "Repent and be baptized." Hence, to be scripturally baptized one must be old enough to be taught, and he must believe and repent of his sins. Surely babies at the age of eight days are not old enough to be taught, to accept Christ or repent. Again, we cannot be Lutherans and believe in infant baptism.

Lutherans teach baptism takes the place of circumcision in the Old Testament. "In the Old Testament, circumcision was the sacrament of initiation. It was administered to the boy babies when they were eight days of age. If God could make a covenant with a baby in the Old Testament, certainly He can and does do the same thing in this new dispensation. Accordingly, we conclude that since baptism has taken the place of circumcision, babies should be baptized" (What Lutherans Believe, p. 141). This like a lot of other vital issues isn't a question of what God could and should do, but what He has willed to do! If God didn't legislate baptism in the place of circumcision we act without divine authority when we baptize babies. This question has never been answered by Lutheran ministers: If baptism takes the place of circumcision, and they say it does, only boy babies were circumcised; why do the Lutherans baptize the girl babies?

This has long been a point of contention between Lutherans and the Reformed. Should babies be baptized? What is the essence of baptism? Again, a careful study of the text is in order.

The copyright of the article Why We Left Lutheranism--Infant Baptism in Lutheranism is owned by Claude A. Guild & John L. Hoh, Jr.. Permission to republish Why We Left Lutheranism--Infant Baptism in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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