I know this topic was posted 2 years ago, but still...
I just came to the CRC from a different denomination. There are lots of things I love, and lots of ways my faith has been enriched and my relationship with God grown. I really appreciate how Reformed theology has impacted me.
But I just can't wrap my head around infant baptism. I grew up witnessing and appreciating dedications and believers baptisms. I've read pages and pages of arguments both for and against paedobaptism. And it still makes no sense to me.
I see nothing wrong with it, but my main issue is that I also see no compelling reason for it.
Everything that the CRC celebrates as being truths about God towards the baby via baptism are true regardless of whether baptism takes place or not. If I join a CRC church and I don't get my baby baptized, does that mean God's promises do not apply to him? Does that make him any less a part of the church or covenant? Obviously not, which, in my mind, makes infant baptism irrelevant and unnecessary. Add in the lack of any scriptural passages prescribing infant baptism... and makes it seem essentially pointless. I am familiar with the argument of 'you can't say it's not true just because it isn't in the bible'... but when every occurrence of baptism in the New Testament is a believer's baptism, and not one single baby baptism is mentioned... It does make one wonder - why are we doing this?
On the flipside, believers baptism is clearly prescribed in scripture and celebrates both a confession of faith, and the promises of God.
I got my 3 boys dedicated in our old church. In my new church, which I love, I was pressured (lovingly and politely) to have them baptized.
In the end, I did get them baptized. Not because I agree with the theology, but because it was important to this local church (kind of like Timothy getting circumcised even though it was not necessary).
If there is anybody who can help me understand why infant baptism is necessary at all, and why it is such a big deal to the CRC... I'd really be interested in hearing it :)
Posted in: Why Must You Be Ordained in Order to Administer Communion/The Lord's Supper?
Thanks for your response, Todd!
Posted in: Infant Baptism or Dedication: What Should We Consider?
I know this topic was posted 2 years ago, but still...
I just came to the CRC from a different denomination. There are lots of things I love, and lots of ways my faith has been enriched and my relationship with God grown. I really appreciate how Reformed theology has impacted me.
But I just can't wrap my head around infant baptism. I grew up witnessing and appreciating dedications and believers baptisms. I've read pages and pages of arguments both for and against paedobaptism. And it still makes no sense to me.
I see nothing wrong with it, but my main issue is that I also see no compelling reason for it.
Everything that the CRC celebrates as being truths about God towards the baby via baptism are true regardless of whether baptism takes place or not. If I join a CRC church and I don't get my baby baptized, does that mean God's promises do not apply to him? Does that make him any less a part of the church or covenant? Obviously not, which, in my mind, makes infant baptism irrelevant and unnecessary. Add in the lack of any scriptural passages prescribing infant baptism... and makes it seem essentially pointless. I am familiar with the argument of 'you can't say it's not true just because it isn't in the bible'... but when every occurrence of baptism in the New Testament is a believer's baptism, and not one single baby baptism is mentioned... It does make one wonder - why are we doing this?
On the flipside, believers baptism is clearly prescribed in scripture and celebrates both a confession of faith, and the promises of God.
I got my 3 boys dedicated in our old church. In my new church, which I love, I was pressured (lovingly and politely) to have them baptized.
In the end, I did get them baptized. Not because I agree with the theology, but because it was important to this local church (kind of like Timothy getting circumcised even though it was not necessary).
If there is anybody who can help me understand why infant baptism is necessary at all, and why it is such a big deal to the CRC... I'd really be interested in hearing it :)