Friday, October 14, 2022

Fred A. Malone on the Serious Nature of the Division between Credobaptist and Paedobaptist Proponents

  

The subject of baptism is of great practical importance. Should Christian parents have their babies baptized (paedobaptism)? Or should they evangelize their children, pray for them, and wait for a disciple’s profession of faith from them before baptism (credobaptism)? Is “repent and be baptized” a command that parents should obey for their children, or is it a command for their children to obey for themselves (Acts 2:38-41)?

 

Is paedobaptism so clear in Scripture that it would be sinful not to baptize one’s babies? And if sinful, should not the paedobaptist pastor’s exercise disciple against those church members who refuse to baptize their infants? Would Christian parents who believe sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), find infant baptism so clear in Scripture that they would become convinced in their own conscience that they must have their infant baptized or else disobey God’s revealed Word? Must they rely on “expert” theologians to explain their biblical study toward their children for that they cannot see in Scripture for themselves? (Fred A. Malone, The Baptism of Disciples Alone: A Covenantal Argument for Credobaptism Versus Paedobaptism [rev ed.; Cape Coral, Fla.:  Founders Press, 2008], xiii-xiv, emphasis in bold added)