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Some preachers today teach infant baptism, and they baptize babies according to their idea of baptism. It is to people who have preachers who practice this that we are especially talking to today. Please go to your preacher and ask him for the verse that says babies were baptized in the days of the apostles. If the Bible says babies were ever baptized we want to start baptizing babies too; but we want the passage in the Bible before we start the practice. So please help us out by asking your preacher where he found this taught in the Bible.

If he refers you to the cases of Lydia and the jailor in Acts 16, telling you that their households were baptized and that included their infants, just ask him if households always included infants. In other words, ask him if it is possible for a household to e[ist without having infants in it" We wonder if you don’t know a number of households that have no infants in them. Try hard and see if you can think of some. 'o you remember some households in which the children are all grown" And don’t you recall some that have no children of any age in them" So to baptize a household would not be any proof of infant baptism. Lydia’s household was made up of the women who were associated with her (Acts 16:13). If she had been married, it would have been her husband’s household.

And Acts 16:34 tells us that the jailer believed “in *od with all his house.” So all the members of his household were old enough to believe. That proves there were no infants there. So a household baptism offers no proof for infant baptism. Tell your preacher he will have to do better than that and actually give you a te[t that says babies were baptized. If he has been teaching you to baptize your babies, you have a right to ask him to give you Scriptural authority for it. So don’t let him off till he finds it for you.

We have often read in Acts 8:12 that both men and women were baptized. But in that case not a word is said about their babies being baptized.

In Acts 8:37 Philip told the eunuch that one must believe before he could be baptized. Infants are unable to believe the gospel.

And when Jesus gave the great commission to his apostles, as recorded in Matt. 28:1 , he told them: “*o ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them.” This shows that people must be taught the gospel before they can be baptized, but infants are not subjects of gospel teaching. If your preacher tells you that this says to baptize nations and that infants are a part of nations and should, therefore, be baptized, just ask him if infidels are not a part of nations too. Ask him if he thinks this authorizes the baptism of infidels. It is an easy matter to find where men and women believers - were baptized, but we are waiting to find where babies were ever baptized by inspired men. So we ask you, ask your preacher about it.

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We know that nearly all religious bodies teach this. And very likely your preacher does the same thing. Perhaps you didn’t know that he so teaches. But go to him and ask him if he believes that babies are born in sin; and if he does, then ask him where the Bible says that.

We recall that Jesus says in Matt. 18:3 “9erily I say unto you, E[cept ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” If men must become as little children to enter the kingdom, that doesn’t sound like little children are sinners. And again he said in Mark 10: 14: “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of *od.” Since the kingdom of *od is made up “of such” as little children, it becomes evident that little children are not born in sin. But maybe your preacher knows the Scripture that says they are born in sin. We are interested in preaching the truth and we do not want to preach anything else. Please ask him for book, chapter and verse where this is taught.

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Many denominational preachers have been preaching and practicing this for a long time. 'id you ever see your preacher pour a little water, or sprinkle a few drops of water on the head of a person and call it baptism" 'id you ever hear him say, while doing this, “I baptize you: in the name of the )ather, and of the Son, and of the Holy *host"” We feel sure that many of you have seen and heard just such things. But did you ever go to your preacher and ask him where in the Bible it says such practice was ever followed by inspired men" Please ask your preacher for the te[t in the Bible that gives such information. If your preacher has been baptizing people by sprinkling and pouring, he will know right where such authority can be found in the Bible, if it is in the Bible at all.

If he refers you to the statement in Isa. 52:15 which says, “So shall be sprinkle many nations,” and tells you this is a prophecy of baptism by sprinkling, call his attention to the fact that the marginal reading of the American 5evised 9ersion reads, “So shall he startle many nations.” Thus the word from which “sprinkle” comes is shown to mean startle. And the rest of the verse shows this to be true, for it says: “The kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see: and that which they had not heard shall they consider.” But what could there be in sprinkling a few drops of water on a person’s head that would cause kings to be startled, or to shut their mouths in astonishment"

If he refers you to Ezek. 36:25, which says, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you,” ask him if he is sure this refers to baptism. Call his attention to the statement of the entire verse, which reads, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall’ be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.” Ask him if he is willing to say that baptism will cleanse a man from all his filthiness and from all his idolatry. If he is unwilling to say this, he cannot hold to this passage for baptism. He will likely tell you that you have to be cleansed from all your filthiness and idolatry before you can be baptized. So according to his own contention, this passage cannot refer to baptism.

And while he is squirming in an effort to find where any one was ever baptized by sprinkling, you might direct his attention to the statement of Paul in 5om.6:4. Here Paul says, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the )ather, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

While he is checking the words “buried” and “raised” as they are used here in connection with baptism, you might turn to Col. 2:12 and find this statement, “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of *od, who hath raised him from the dead.”

In both these passages Paul says men are buried and raised in baptism. Ask your preacher why Paul specifies a burial and a resurrection if sprinkling and pouring will do just as well. If he tells you that any of the three - sprinkling, pouring or a burial -will be all right, then ask him why Paul said in Eph. 4:5 that there is “one baptism.” If sprinkling, pouring and immersion are all Scriptural forms of baptism, we have three baptisms. But Paul said there is one. And since Paul said there is one baptism, ask your preacher which is the right one. Insist that he tell you if the one baptism is the one mentioned by Paul in 5om. 6:4, where he says it is by a burial and a resurrection, or if it is by sprinkling or pouring, which are never mentioned in the Bible as baptism. If there is such a scripture, he will surely know where to find it, so ask him for it.

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We are sure you have heard your preacher say this. 'o you recall that he has often preached that baptism is not essential. That you can be saved as well without it as with it" We are sure many of you have heard your preacher say these very things. And if you have, you have the right to go to him and ask him where the Bible says it is non-essential. If the Bible makes a statement like this he will know immediately where to find it.

While you are waiting for him to show you the requested passage you might show him what Jesus said in Mark 16:16. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Ask him why Jesus made both belief and baptism necessary to salvation if baptism is not essential. Ask him why he always puts salvation before baptism when Jesus put it after baptism.

Ask your preacher which is right. And it would be well to have him read Peter’s statement in Acts 2:38. He said to sinners who wished to know what to do to be saved, “5epent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy *host.”

Notice carefully the purpose of baptism as revealed in the language of Peter. He said to be baptized “for the remission of sins.” Ask your preacher why he says a man must already have the remission of sins before he is baptized when Peter says to be baptized “for the remission of sins.”

We are sure you can see that baptism is NOT non-essential if it is “for the remission of sins.” And yet that is the very purpose that Peter gave for baptism. Since the Bible says that baptism is for the remission of sins, ask your preacher if he thinks some other passage will deny what this passage affirms. If the Bible did that, it would be a book of contradictions and would not be worthy of acceptance. But the Bible does not contradict itself. It says men should be baptized “for the remission of sins,” and if your preacher says this is not true, he is the one who is wrong on this matter.

Also, ask your preacher if it is essential for a person to be in Christ. Can one be saved out of Christ" If he cannot, then it is essential for a man to get into Christ. Well, the Bible says, “)or as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (*alatians 3:27). What puts a person into Christ" Paul says we are baptized “into Christ.” So if a man can be saved without baptism, he can be saved without getting into Christ. Ask your preacher where the Bible says a man can get “into Christ,” before and without baptism.

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Have you been baptized into Christ" If you have not been baptized you are still lost in your sins. Jesus says, “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). Paul said; “)or I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of *od unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the *reek” (5omans 1:16). The words of Jesus teach us that to become a Christian one must:

• Hear the gospel (John 6:44-45).

• Believe in Jesus as the Christ (John 8:24).

• 5epent of all sins (Luke 13:3).

• Confess Christ as Lord (Matthew 10:32-33).

• And be baptized to be saved (Mark 16:16).

• After baptism remain faithful to *od. (Matthew 10:22).

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It is our sincere desire and prayer that you obey the gospel today and be saved. 5emember the words of Jesus, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my )ather which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name" and in thy name have cast out devils" and in thy name done many wonderful works" And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:21-23).

If we do just what our Lord commanded we know that our salvation is certain and we will hear Him say “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matthew 25:21). Let us go back to the Bible, back to Christ and His church and do e[actly what He commanded. Please let us help you in your obedience to the gospel before it is eternally too late.

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