Mike Focht 10/30/2026
Should we baptize infants? That is a question that has divided Christians for a long time. I know that there are sincere, God-loving believers on either side of the issue. I have no interest in demeaning or demonizing my brothers and sisters in Christ who disagree with me on any particular topic that does not determine salvation, change the gospel, or question the authority and infallibility of God’s Word. That said, what we believe about infant baptism does matter. I am going to briefly state three reasons why I believe infant baptism is not biblical.
First, there is no biblical command. I think this is overlooked and essential. If baptizing our infant children were so important, God would have clearly commanded us to do so. That said, all the commands to baptize we see in the Bible are given to those who can understand the command. In the Great Commission, disciples are made before they are baptized. Infants are infants. Not disciples. We don’t feel the necessity to serve our infants communion. Why do we feel the necessity to baptize them when God has clearly never commanded us to do so? If the practice were so important, wouldn't God have given us at least one clear biblical command?
Second, there is no biblical example. Search the Scripture where you will, but you will never find a verse that says: And so-and-so then baptized their infant, or So-and-so offered their infant to the apostles to be baptized, etc. I know that defenders of infant baptism like to cite the Philippian jailer and his household being baptized, but their argument is still one from silence. We are not told the jailor’s household included infants. It is just as likely that it did not. There is not a single Scriptural reference in the Bible that directly reports any infants being baptized. John the Baptist is not said to have baptized infants. Jesus Christ and His disciples are not said to have baptized infants. The apostles of the Lord are not said to have baptized infants. If the practice were so important, wouldn’t we have at least one example?
Third, there is no clarity. When pressed on why infants should be baptized, defenders of infant baptism offer unclear answers. It is obvious why repentant believers should be baptized. Jesus and the apostles commanded them to do so. It is not obvious why parents feel the necessity to baptize their infants who have no idea what is happening or what their baptism means. Most claim a theological link between circumcision and baptism. The problem is that the link between the two is so unclear that it takes a theologian to explain why to a normal mom and dad. Also, the differences between the covenant sign of circumcision given to only male Israelites and the New Testament practice of baptism for all disciples are much more numerous than their similarities.
In contrast, believer’s baptism, or the baptism of repentant adults, is clearly commanded, practiced, and explained in the New Testament. Also, when we demand obedience to religious rites that are not commanded, practiced, and explained in the Bible, we can hurt others. Infant baptism does have dangers. First and foremost, it can cause those who are not saved to believe they are saved because they were baptized as an infant. Second, it robs the individual believer of a precious moment God wants them to have in their individual walk with Him. The moment of their public declaration of Christ’s work on their behalf. Something Paul clearly uses as an exhortation to Christian life in Romans 6. Finally, the lack of clarity surrounding the unbiblical doctrine of infant baptism puts undue pressure on parents to obey something outside of the clear authority of the Bible. We are meant to follow the clear Word of God even when we don’t understand, but we are not meant to teach our consciences to follow the traditions of men over the clarity of the Word of God.
Infant baptism is not a matter of salvation, but it does still matter! I do not baptize infants, and I never will, until someone can show me a biblical command, a biblical example, and give me a clear biblical explanation of the theology behind the action.