Okay well I got that as a baby I believe 🤔
Hi, Kojikun.
I know that you're presently recovering from a major surgery, and I certainly don't want to cause you any additional discomfort, pain, or anxiety.
That said and sincerely meant, I'll momentarily jump into this conversation only to hopefully help you to better understand some things about water baptism as described in scripture that may ultimately be of a benefit to you.
First and foremost, Jesus Christ is always our example, and he wasn't water baptized as an infant, but rather as an adult (Matt. 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-23, John 1:29-34). In fact, if you read the entire Bible from cover to cover, then you won't find one example of anybody who was water baptized as an infant, and there are reasons why you won't.
When it comes to the topic of water baptism, Jesus said:
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:15-16)
Here, we see that one prerequisite for water baptism is believing, and an newborn infant simply does not have the capacity to believe.
Here are some examples from scripture of those who believed before being water baptized:
"But
when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ,
they were baptized, both men and women.
Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done." (Acts 8:12-13)
"And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water;
what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 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." (Acts 8:36-38)
"And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said,
Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes;
and was baptized, he and all his, straightway." (Acts 16:27-33)
"And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue,
believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized." (Acts 18:8)
Again, we must believe before being water baptized, and a newborn infant simply doesn't have the capacity to believe.
Peter put it this way:
"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing,
wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him." (I Pet. 3:18-22)
Water baptism has nothing to do with "the putting away of the filth of the flesh" or some sort of outward, physical cleansing. Instead, it has everything to do with "the answer of a good conscience toward God" in relation to "the resurrection of Jesus Christ" from the dead. The word "conscience" literally means "with (con-) knowledge (science)", and, again, a newborn infant cannot possible be water baptized "with knowledge" of what it actually means in relation to Christ's resurrection from the dead.
Along these same lines, Paul said:
"Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?" (I Cor. 15:29)
Here, Paul was refuting those who were claiming that there is no resurrection from the dead. In light of this, Paul asked why Christians were "baptized for the dead" or baptized as those who were dead "if the dead rise not at all". Again, water baptism is directly related to one's belief in Christ's resurrection from the dead, and a newborn infant simply cannot possess such a belief.
One other prerequisite that we're given for water baptism in scripture is repentance, and a newborn infant cannot repent either.
"Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them,
Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." (Acts 2:37-41)
We see these same two foundational prerequisites of repentance and belief in relation to water baptism here as well:
"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again
the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. " (Heb. 6:1-2)
Hopefully, you can recognize that a newborn infant is incapable of repenting, believing, or having the answer of a good conscience toward God in relation to water baptism.
Bringing this back to you, I'm quite sure that God knows of your present situation regarding your surgery and healing process. I'm also quite certain that God knows the thoughts and intents of your heart. If you believe that Jesus Christ was crucified to pay the penalty for your sins, and if you believe that God raised him from the dead, then your saving faith is what is of utmost importance in God's eyes. Should the time come when you are physically and emotionally able to add the outward sign of your inward faith by being water baptized, then I would heartily recommend that you do so. Should you be unable to do so, as was the case with the thief on the cross, then I'm quite confident that God would recognize the same.
