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 Do
“household” baptisms include infants? The reply is
well put by our Australian brother, Roland McDowell; in CONTINUE IN
THE FAITH, Jan. 1973. (P.O. Box 136, Bundaberg, Q’ld. 4670)
CORNELIUS AND HIS HOUSE, Acts 10:1-f.
“...a
devout man and one that feared God WITH all his house, (v. 2). God
is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth him
and WORKETH righteousness, is accepted with him, (vs. 34-35)...to
him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever
BELIEVETH in him shall receive remission of sins, (v. 43).” “...then
hath God also to the Gentiles granted REPENTANCE unto life.” (Acts
11:18).
We
observe that Cornelius’ house was able to fear, work
righteousness, and repent. Infants are definitely excluded in this
context.
LYDIA AND HER HOUSEHOLD, Acts 16:13-f.
“And
a certain woman named Lydia.. .of the city of Thyatira... was
baptized and her household.”
Lydia
and her household were from Thyatira, approximately 450 km. away
from Philippi. There are some assumptions which must be made to get
infants even with her at this time, let alone having them baptized:
(a) That she was married, (b) That she had children, (c) That if she
was married and had children, her children were infants, (d) That
she would take her infant children with her on this long and
dangerous journey. Too many assumptions indeed.
THE JAILOR AND HIS HOUSE, Acts 16:27f.
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“Sirs,
what must I do to be saved? And they said, BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and thou shalt be saved and thy house. And they SPAKE unto
him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house… And
he… was baptized, he and all his straightway and REJOICED,
BELIEVING in God WITH all his house.”
The
same requirement of faith was expected of both the Jailor and his
house; consequently the word of the Lord was preached to “all”
in his house. Did Paul preach to infants? Ridiculous! Note also that
his “house” rejoiced with him.
CRISPUS AND HIS HOUSE, Acts 18:8.
“And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, BELIEVED on the
Lord WITH all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing
believed, and were baptized.”
In
this context Crispus’ house is said to have believed WITH him. The
Corinthians who were baptized first heard, then believed. No infants
here.
THE HOUSEHOLD OF STEPHANUS, 1 Cor. 1:16; 16:15 (Cf.
Acts 18:8, above..)
These
were the first converts in Achaia, of which Corinth was a principle
city. Crispus was among those converted, and both Crispus and
Stephanus and their households were among the many Corinthians who
heard, believed, and were baptized. The household of Stephanus is
here reported as having “ADDICTED THEMSELVES to minister…
“ an action which could never be attributed
to infants.
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