| Most Recently Posted Ask a Question |
| In I Corinthians 15, the apostle Paul writes "Moreover brethren, I declare unto you the gospel..." The next 15+ verses is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Baptism is not mentioned as part of the Gospel. Furthermore, Paul wrote that he did not come to baptize, but to preach the Gospel (1 Corinthians 1:17). Jesus himself was not baptized as a baby. If infant baptism is so vital, why did Paul not include it in the gospel? Why did he declare it was more important to preach the gospel than to baptize? And, why was Jesus (our example) not baptized as an infant?
|
|
| Paul talks a lot about baptism in his writings (Ro 6:4, Eph 4:5, Col 2:12, 1 Co 12:13, Gal 3:27). Take any New Testament concordance or computer Bible and you will find numerous references that speak of the importance of baptism. Paul's point in 1 Corinthians 1 is that he did not want people to take pride in who had baptized them. He, therefore, generally left the baptizing to his helpers just as Jesus did (John 4:1,2). Jesus was not baptized as an infant because baptism did not exist then as a New Testament rite. He was circumcised which was the Old Testament rite for children.
|
|