See Believer's Baptism. 22, § 4, compared with III. As a last resort, enrollment of the child in a course of catechetical instruction on reaching school age can be offered in lieu of immediate celebration of baptism. This faith cannot yet, of course, be expressed or articulated, yet it is real and present all the same (see e.g., Acts 2:38–39; Titus 3:5–6; Matt. [citation needed], Covenant theologians point out that the external sign of the covenant in the Old Testament was circumcision. 3:15)" (. These "infant conscripts (...) are held to lifelong obligations of obedience" without their understanding or consent. So while all male Israelites had the sign of the covenant performed on them in a once off ceremony soon after birth, such a signifier was external only and not a true indicator of whether or not they would later exhibit true faith in Yahweh. [citation needed], In Eastern Christianity, including the Eastern Catholic Churches, the sacrament of Confirmation is conferred immediately after baptism, and there is no renewal of baptismal promises. p.95. He was born in Carthage, studied in Rome for a legal career and was converted to Christianity in about 195. But the very manner of Tertullian’s opposition proves as much in favor of infant baptism as against it. [citation needed], It is across the bridge of Covenant Theology that the sign of Abraham's covenant, circumcision, walks into the New Testament. [28] Paedobaptists believe that baptism has replaced Old Testament circumcision and is the religious ceremony of initiation into the Christian community. As the church conquered the pagan world we see infant baptism as arising as a universal practice. (452) At the same time it seems an almost certain fact, though by many disputed, that, with the baptism of converts, the optional baptism of the children of Christian parents in established congregations, comes down from the apostolic age. (459) Whoever considers the solemnity of baptism, will shrink more from the receiving, than from the postponement of it. Through Baptism the Holy Spirit works rebirth (Titus 3:4–7), creates faith in them, and saves them (1 Peter 3:21). Likewise, baptism doesn't create faith; it is a sign of membership in the visible covenant community. This is the essential significance of the Lutheran non-sacramental ceremony called in German "Konfirmation", but in English "affirmation of baptism" (see Confirmation (Lutheran Church)). 1, p. 391). "The Church received from the apostles the tradition of giving baptism even to infants" (Commentaries on Romans 5:9, quoted, for instance, in. . Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. The document then indicated some general guidelines for pastoral action. 6:16; Phil 3:2–3. [citation needed], An alternative viewpoint of some credobaptists is that since all Christians are predestined to salvation (John 15:16, 1 Cor.1:27, Eph.1:4, 1 Pt.2:4), God will not allow his elect to die before receiving their need, even if they are in old age (Luke 2:25–35), an argument whose relation to baptism whether of infants or adults is unclear, unless it means that infants who die without coming to explicit belief and baptism are not among God's elect. [citation needed], The earliest extra-biblical directions for baptism,[10] which occur in the Didache (c. 100),[11] are taken to be about baptism of adults, since they require fasting by the person to be baptised. What follows is Schaff’s fuller treatment of infant baptism: On INFANT BAPTISM comp. In a typical ceremony, parents or godparents bring their child to their congregation's priest or minister. : Com. Reference is made, for example, to baptising a person and their whole household—the households of Lydia, Crispus, and Stephanas are mentioned by name Acts 16:14–15, 18:8; 1 Cor 1:16. He therefore passed through every age, becoming an infant for infants, thus sanctifying infants; a child for children, thus sanctifying those who are of this age, being at the same time made to them an example of piety, righteousness, and submission; a youth for youths, becoming an example to youths, and thus sanctifying them for the Lord. Just. Credobaptists agree that infants are in need of salvation, but paedobaptists push the point a step further arguing that it makes no theological sense for infants to need salvation but for God to make no provision for them to be saved (See 1 Cor 7:14 where Paul says that the children of a believer are holy—separated—and therefore, perhaps, would not need baptising even if baptism saved).