Where does this put me? I was born into a Catholic heritage, and went through all the rituals, including infant baptism and the so-called sacrament of Confirmation. Did that make me a Christian?
Please accept the following as intended; shared out of love.
Being buried with Jesus into His death requires a conscience decision and total immersion. And all NT water baptism was consistently administered in the name of the Lord Jesus as confirmed from scripture. (Acts 2:38-41, 8:12-18, 10:43-48, 19:1-6, 22:16) God's commands have specific purpose that is sometimes overlooked. The purpose intended many times is realized with greater clarity after obedience. (Acts 2:38, 22:16)
According to the New Catholic Encyclopedia infant baptism is a long-standing practice of the Church. And states as well that there is no specific mention of infant baptism in the Word of God. This alone is a problem since the Word itself states that truth is established by at least 2-3 scriptures that state the same thing.
Luke 3:3
And he
(John the Baptist) came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the
baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
Matt 3:7-8
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Acts 26:20
But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they
should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
Matt 3:16
And Jesus, when he was baptized,
went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
John 3:23
And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim,
because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
Acts 8:38-39
And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and
they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
And when they were
come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.