No. It is not taught anywhere that I can recall in the Scriptures. The teaching of infant baptism is a teaching of the Roman Catholic religious system and religious tradition that is believed by its followers to cleanse infants of their sins and make them 'born again Christians' from what I can understand. However, the Scripture teaches that in order for one to be baptized, they must first believe. Acts 8:36-37 (In the King James Version of the Bible, anyway. Other versions, such as the NIV, attack these verses and their messege to make them teach falsehood such as baptismal regeneration or infant baptism) make it clear that one must first believe with all of their heart before being baptized. Salvation, being born again, and being forgiven for our sins comes through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ by putting our faith in Him alone and what He has done for us by bleeding and dying for our sins and raising from the dead, and asking Him for salvation and His forgiveness (John 3:16-17, John 14:6, Romans 5:8, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9-13, Ephesians 2:8-9). It is only after this that we are to follow the Lord's commandment and be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19-20. Note: Many use Mark 16:15-16 to support the doctrine of baptismal regeneration, but if you look at the Lord's words in these verses, He does not say "He that believeth not and is baptized not shall be damned" but just simply "He that believeth not...". We are supposed to get baptized after we get saved, but it is not essential to our soul's salvation). I hope that this is helpful. :) -In the Master's service. Thank you and God bless you!

I believe it's done because the child is not capable of choosing to accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior at such an early age. The parents make the choice for the child should the child perish before such time as they can make the choice themselves.

The Catholic Church teaches, "Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin, children also have need of the new birth in Baptism to be freed from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God, to which all men are called." Infant baptism is not a new thing. There are non-biblical documented sources starting in the second century telling of infant Baptism. There are even several passages in the Bible where whole households were baptized. This would include everyone who lived there, men, women, children, and infants. Acts 16:15, "After she and her household had been baptized" Acts 16:33, "then he and all his family were baptized at once." Acts 18:8, "came to believe in the Lord along with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard believed and were baptized." 1 Corinthians 1:16, "I baptized the household of Stephanas" St. Paul wrote that baptism has replaced circumcision (Col 2:11-12), and in Judaism circumcision was performed primarily on infants. By the way, infant baptism is also practiced by the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Assyrian Church of the East, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Church of the Nazarene, Reformed Church in America, Episcopalians, United Church of Christ (UCC), Presbyterians, Continental Reformed, and others. Together, these constitute over 80% of all those who call themselves Christians. For more information, see Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 1250: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2.htm#1250 With love in Christ.

There does not seem to be a purpose in infant baptism other than to make parents feel better. Baptism does not save you, accepting Jesus Christ saves you.

I suspect that the motivation for infant baptism is Love... And love stands quite comfortably on its own needing neither purpose nor scripture to support it... There is a freedom in Gods Love that says - "its OK if you do it and its OK if you dont". Just my thoughts...

It's just a statement that they will raise their child as a christian.

I don't think that water baptism saves you. Spiritual baptism does. So the church might as well pray for spiritual baptism over the child. On the other hand symbols can be helpful for people to remind them of what Jesus has done. However i still think it's pointless. In my church we pray for the child's future and for the parents that they will bring up the child in a Godly way. Not a sweet symbol, more powerful in my opinion. Rachel

No, it is not supported by scripture or found anywhere in the Bible. The concept came about in the Catholic church, due to covenant theology ideas, of transferring the "sign" of the Old Testament to the New Testament. Circumcision was the sign for the Old Covenant, and baptism is the sign for the New one -- though the Scripture is quite clear that baptism is intended for believers, those who confess Jesus as their Lord and Savior. However, covenant theology notes that since circumcision was done to male infants, children must be included in the family covenant -- and therefore they reason that baptism is thus the equivalent sign now; yet they inconsistently apply it to both boys and girls, not just boys. (Actually, much of the Catholic church system is actually Old Covenant Judaism with a guise of Christianity -- as for example: priests, an altar, the mass as a sacrifice, and infant baptism in place of circumcision.) Infant baptism had become part of the Catholic Church-State system during medieval times, and the infant baptism was also recognized as a type of census or registration, like a birth certificate today. The Reformers of the Protestant Reformation, coming from a Catholic background, could not in their minds completely break away from the idea of church and state being the same, or likewise the idea that baptism is for believers and not a church-state tradition. The Reformers even persecuted the Anabaptists, those who looked to scriptures and correctly saw that infant baptism is not supported in the scripture, and thus refused to baptise their infants. So the church-state denominations started in Europe, that broke away from Catholicism to become the new state religions of their countries, retained infant baptism -- including the Lutherans and Presbyterians, who also continue to support infant baptism on the grounds of covenant theology.

All I can say is, I have studied the Bible alot, and an infant should never be baptized, and only adults were baptized in the Bible, no children at all. And as far as saying the if an infant dies before he is old enough to accept Jesus, it does not matter, Infants and children will go with God if they die. Anyone being baptized should be able to understand what it means to accept Jesus, be saved and then be baptized. Acts 8: 35Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36And 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? 37And 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. 38And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39And 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.

The Bible does not explicitly forbid infant baptism, nor does it explicitly teach it, so we would need to see what is implied. For instance, there is no record anywhere in the Bible of a child of a Christian reaching the age of reason and then being baptized. There are several accounts, however, of entire households and families being baptized, with no mention of exclusion of any member. Perhaps one of the most telling scriptures on this question is from Colossians. Paul parallels baptism with circumcision: Col 2:11-12 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. Circumcision, remember, was done on an 8 day old infant.