Baptism! How young can you be to be baptized?

[susi]

Hello everyone I have this question for . How young can you be to be baptized?
Yesterday at church it was announced that two 10 year old girls are being baptized in two weeks time with a goup of other adults.

My concern is that these two girls (to me) are not develpoed. They have not even entered teenagehood yet. They are not mature and I think this just can be a way for them to feel like adults and encouraging others to do so just as something trendy to do. They r at a very tender age and I really doubt that they know what their doing.

It also worries me how this can effect them in later years when they really have understanding. It could be an obstcal in their way spiritually speaking.

We want to speak to the elders and ask their opinion but Biblically speaking there is nothing that says that children can´t be baptized. We know that alot of ppl have been baptised but it is not always specific about age.( Babies are obviously out of the question but 10 year olds?) So Its just our common sense againt theirs.

I would really like to hear your opinoin and have some light on this
thank you!!!

 

[watchmen]

Whenever someone is able to make a conscience decision to accept Christ and realize what that means that can be baptized. I would says that is no younger than 4 or 5. My oldest son was saved at 4 and baptized at 7.

 

[carpetmanswife]

i dunno mayb 10 isnt an age they fully understand what they are doin but i believe the age differs for different people due to maturity issues, that being said id be afraid it may do more harm than good to tell these kids no..we wont baptise you. Jesus did say forbid them not to come unto me..no matter the age, if thats what they think they want to do , id say let em. just my thoughts

 

[loveschild]

Most adult christians still don't know much about God. All the child has to do is believe in God. Remember in the bible where they tried to stop the kids from going to Jesus and he said let them come. Chlidren are now being used in a mighty way by God and are going to be used more.

 

[MaggieMye]

I agree with Watchman! If they can understand, and most 10-year-olds can, then they are old enough to be baptized!
Maggie

 

[eric51]

Hello everyone I have this question for . How young can you be to be baptized?
Yesterday at church it was announced that two 10 year old girls are being baptized in two weeks time with a goup of other adults.

My concern is that these two girls (to me) are not develpoed. They have not even entered teenagehood yet. They are not mature and I think this just can be a way for them to feel like adults and encouraging others to do so just as something trendy to do. They r at a very tender age and I really doubt that they know what their doing.

It also worries me how this can effect them in later years when they really have understanding. It could be an obstcal in their way spiritually speaking.

We want to speak to the elders and ask their opinion but Biblically speaking there is nothing that says that children can´t be baptized. We know that alot of ppl have been baptised but it is not always specific about age.( Babies are obviously out of the question but 10 year olds?) So Its just our common sense againt theirs.

I would really like to hear your opinoin and have some light on this
thank you!!!

Correct, of course there is nothing biblically which speaks against infant baptism. That is why for 2000 years the Church has baptized infants.

I was only several months old: not developed at all. In the 3rd century the Church actually advised its members that it wasn't necessary to wait until the infant was 8 days old before baptiizing. The 8th day comes from Jewish customs in which the baby was circumcised on the 8th day. Baptism is the christian counterpart to Jewish circumcision.

As long as the baby has a proxy, a godparent, there need not be a concern for "development". Baptism is a sacrament of initiation into God's family. When the child is old enough for Confirmation, that is when there should be concern that the adolescent is now mature enough to take his christian faith seriously.

In Christ

 

[MaggieMye]

You got wet, Eric. You did NOT CHOOSE to OBEY God's word at that time, because you COULD NOT MAKE DECISIONS to do so. Baptism is an ACT OF OBEDIENCE.
And the 'church' has not been doing baby baptism for 2000 years. It has been less that 1800 and then it was only the RCC, which is at the core of all other Christian denominations, they being offshoots of the RCC (not Mormons, JWs, Christian Science, etc.)
Maggie

 

[eric51]

You got wet, Eric. You did NOT CHOOSE to OBEY God's word at that time, because you COULD NOT MAKE DECISIONS to do so. Baptism is an ACT OF OBEDIENCE.
And the 'church' has not been doing baby baptism for 2000 years. It has been less that 1800 and then it was only the RCC, which is at the core of all other Christian denominations, they being offshoots of the RCC (not Mormons, JWs, Christian Science, etc.)
Maggie

Well Maggie, we have christian history which is objective: it either exists or doesn't exist. The Church which goes back to the time of the Apostles, and which has a Sacred Tradition of the early christians, says infant baptism has been practiced from the time of the Apostles. We have documents from the first few centuries which already mention baptism as being a firmly established practice. Therefore, I accept the Church's history, not the account of "history" you proffer. Think the Church is a mite more credible than you. Not to mention more knowledgeable of history and theology, than are you.

Since God's Word [either big "W" or small "w"] nowhere, nohow, says infants are not to be baptized, and there is a Sacred Tradition as well as a long-standing practice, which affirm infant baptism, your statement about not obeying God's word, is INCORRECT, on its face.

Decision-making is not a criterion for baptism. Baptism is a sacrament of initiation into God's family. A proxy, a godparent, stands in for the infant and makes promises to God on behalf of the infant. It is the sacrament of Confirmation for which decision-making ability is a criterion.

Maggie, seriously consider joining the Mormons, you will like their teaching on baptism. Your defection from "christian" ranks to Mormon ranks will raise the average IQ of both groups.

In Christ

 

[pogrud]

There are two things here - getting God's blessing and making a personal commitment to God. The first, can happen at any age, I don't think there is an issue with infants being affirmed as a child of God.

The main issue is, when are you mature enough to make a personal commitment and truely understand what you're doing. At 8 or 10 you're still following pretty much anything your parents, teachers and clergy are telling you. I know of many people who were baptised or confirmed at a young age, very few still actively follow Christianity.

I'd speculate that maybe the right sort of age is on in which you're able to make other significant commitments - vote for a political party or get married. Sure, people mature at different ages, but this is when society tends to agree your old enough to make your own decisions.

 

[Raheem]

praise him as we walk in the way amen.I'll will be baptising always all who want .ok its a heart knowledge

 

[SamIam]

So Could you baptise me???

 

[Raheem]

this is problem for me for we are of different countries. Ok for you to be baptising from someone in your church.

 

[SamIam]

Im sorry, im having some problems understanding your english.. Are you saying that you wont come here and baptise me cause im different!

 

[Raheem]

praisnig God for all our differences amen be blessed brother

 

[SamIam]

thats right.. We should praise god for all of our differences.... May the lord bless you and let you dunk, thousands of people underwater... but not hold them there so they wont be drowned

 

[sweetnshy]

Generally speaking, baptism is done soon after accepting Christ. I'm sure it varies by church, but my church requires children to go through some classes before getting baptized, to make sure they understand the importance of it and the symbolism and all that. Having said that, I don't think any of us really know what being a follower of Christ truly means when we first accept Him. At least, I didn't. So I wouldn't be concerned about waiting to be spiritually mature before getting baptized...I would say you accept Christ and get baptized, and then the spiritual maturity will come as your walk with Christ continues. There may (and probably WILL) be moments when those kids think "Wow, I didn't know that following Jesus would be this difficult" or "I didn't know I would have to miss out on certain things," but I think those moments come to us all our lives. So I'm rambling here, but I guess I would agree with watchman and loveschild, that if a child is old enough to make the decision to accept Christ, then they are old enough to be baptized.

 

[susi]

Fisrt Id like to thank everyone for sharing .

Im not saying that Im 100% sure that children shouldn´t be baptized.
I just dont know the age, the limit, cause if a 10 year old can then a 9 can, and then also an 8 year old,
and if an 8 year old why not a 7 , 6 5 4 3 2 ..... mmmm where´s the limit?

Its true that each child matures differently and you also have to teach and see what is it that the really understand,
But its also true that in a natural way all children, like Progrud said, mainly follow what their parents say.
I mean if you tell ur child that FatherChristmas exists as you can see all children just mainly do, they dont stop and ask themseves why they just trust in their parents and dont have ability to judge. untill one day they realise or are told that thats not true, they´ll beleive anything you tell them!!!

Im not saying we should wait and let them get baptized untill their 18 but we should be sure that their making their own decision, that they understand , believe for themselves , not because their parents do.
And at certain ages this is just impossible dont you think.

Yes let the children come to Jesus, I have children myself and I ofcouse Ill do everything that is in my hand to lead them to Jesus . Every parent has a very big responibilty. Im not judging others, I´ll let that to God.
I just think its not such an easy subject to deal with and we have to be really sure about what were doing with God´s help.

God bless u all !

 

[pogrud]

Generally speaking, baptism is done soon after accepting Christ. I'm sure it varies by church, but my church requires children to go through some classes before getting baptized, to make sure they understand the importance of it and the symbolism and all that. Having said that, I don't think any of us really know what being a follower of Christ truly means when we first accept Him. At least, I didn't. So I wouldn't be concerned about waiting to be spiritually mature before getting baptized...I would say you accept Christ and get baptized, and then the spiritual maturity will come as your walk with Christ continues.

And if it doesn't come, like many people I know? Wouldn't it be more meaningful if it's done when you're able to understand?

As I said before, kids just absorb everything they're told/taught when they're young. It's not really a decision if they're just doing what they're told. Many kids of that age also believe in Santa or that babies just 'appear'.

There may (and probably WILL) be moments when those kids think "Wow, I didn't know that following Jesus would be this difficult" or "I didn't know I would have to miss out on certain things," but I think those moments come to us all our lives.

Sure, some people may think that. I don't think everyone who leaves the Christian faith does so just because they find it too hard or they feel left out.