This series is ongoing… Originally posted on Gab, and I’m still in the process of fleshing out my thoughts on this topic.

Infant_Baptism: You and Your Household [P1]

I’m currently thinking through and mapping out the doctrine of Infant Baptism (IB). This series will allow me to slowly flesh out my thoughts and to see if there’s any objection and counter-arguments. If there are, I’ll be able to refine my thoughts and to think more deeply about this confusing topic. Let me start off by saying that I approach this topic on IB exegetically. I have listened to many discussions / debates and it’s clear to me that the only way to make IB works is by imposing OT’s paradigm onto the NT, with some assumptions because nowhere in the NT does it say infant are baptized. Here’s the gist: Circumcision was the sign of the OT covenant and Infants were circumcised. Likewise, Baptism is the sign of the NT covenant and infants are to be baptized.

As a single man, the two topics that don’t really concern me that much are head coverings and divorce-remarriage. I just didn’t want to waste time studying a topic that doesn’t really affect me that much, so I didn’t really bother. I took the default position: “You can wear it if you want to, but it’s not a big deal. No need to fight or divide over it.” This is usually the position people take by default when they don’t know much about a particular topic.

Have you ever wondered and asked yourself why the Jehovah Witnesses don’t like the Cross? They say Jesus died on a Stake. Or in exorcism, demon(s) scream when you put a Cross in front of them? Is there magic or power in the Cross? Should we use religious item(s) to scare them away? Read on and find out.

We’re all wired differently. Some people like to write out their thoughts nicely on paper, but for me I can’t seem to do that. Also, I find the process to be slow and tedious (on paper), not to mention that my writing isn’t that neat. It would also slow me down (if I’m listening to a sermon) because Scriptures fly through my mind and pops up out of nowhere very often. If I’m busy writing I might miss the opportunity or forget to capture them because connections vanish from my mind if I don’t record them down. So I’m more interested in seeing how Scriptures connect, how they’re linked and related, and I record that instead. I can give an example of this in another post.

Proverbs 18:17 ESV
The one who states his case first seems right,
until the other comes and examines him.

Iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). When it comes to truth or spiritual matters (not just things we hear on the news) it is always a good idea to get a second opinion or view by consulting other men of truth (Exodus 18:21; Acts 6:3, 8:30-31) because all of us have blindspots and are biased. False teachers can be very convincing in what they say until someone who is more skilled in the word comes along and examines them. Each and everyone of us should heed the warning given in Proverbs 18:1, “A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgment.” When teaching the word we need to make sure that it’s rightly divided (2 Timothy 2:15) and is agreeable by many witnesses (Acts 15:15) who are also skilled in the word: “And the things that you have heard from me [among many witnesses], commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2). This is to avoid private interpretation of any kind (2 Peter 1:20). So consider what they say (2 Timothy 2:7) but remember to always wait on the Lord (John 4:25 [cf. Proverbs 3:5-7; James 1:5; Psalms 139:23-24]).

Sometimes we persecute each other, condemning one another to hell for not agreeing with us just like Paul went around destroying Christians prior to his conversion (Acts 22:3-4; Galatians 1:13-14; Philippians 3:6). This happens when we don’t know God (John 16:2-3 cf. 1 Peter 1:14) as we ought and are lacking in the fruit of the Spirit.

On this side of heaven, we will never agree with one another on every single issue because we all have blindspots (1 Corinthians 8:7,13:12) and stumble in many ways (James 3:2). However, this does not mean that the person we’re disagreeing with does not have the Spirit of God—It just means that we have not all arrived fully (Hebrews 5:12; Romans 14:1 cf. John 17:17; Acts 18:26). A good and perfect example of this is the marriage union: Husband and wife are one flesh in a godly union brought about by God, and yet they don’t always agree on everything, do they? Even the Apostles didn’t: Paul rebuking Peter and Barnabas (Galatians 2:11-13), disagreement between Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:36-41), and who can forget Jesus rebuking Peter (Matthew 16:22-23)?