On the Baptism of Children #

T.S. Tulupov

It is necessary to baptize children. All people are sinful—corrupted by the leprosy, the sickness of sin. “There is no man that sinneth not upon the earth,” says Solomon (3 Kings 8:46), or in another of his expressions: “There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not” (Ecclesiastes 7:20; cf. Proverbs 20:9; Sirach 31:11). This truth is acknowledged also by the sufferer Job. He exclaims: “How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water!” (Job 15:16). The prophet Jeremiah describes the corruption of his contemporaries in these words: “They deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity” (Jeremiah 9:5). And from this he concludes: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9; cf. Daniel 9:5, 20).

In the New Testament, the sinfulness of human nature is depicted in even starker terms. The Saviour Christ began His preaching with a call to repentance (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15). Even before Jesus Christ, John the Forerunner preached repentance from sins (Matthew 3:7–10). He told the people that all who do not believe in the Son are already condemned, and the wrath of God abideth on them (John 3:36; cf. Ephesians 2:3; Romans 2:5). And why is this so? Because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:9–23); all are under the curse of the law (Galatians 3:10). They are sold under sin and do only what their corrupt heart drives them to do (Romans 7:14, 19, 20, 23). For this reason, the apostles, as they went out into the world, preached first of all to all nations repentance and the forgiveness of sins for the sake of the cross-bearing merits of the Son of God (Luke 24:47; John 20:23; cf. Acts 2:38; Romans 6:6; Galatians 5:24, and others).

If the sectarians—the Baptists—should say that after the death of Christ we are no longer slaves of sin (Romans 6:19; Titus 3:3) and live under grace (Romans 6:14), that is true. However, let them hear what the apostles write even to Christians who have received grace: “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all” (James 3:1–2). The Apostle John expresses this thought even more forcefully: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us… If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him (Christ) a liar, and His word is not in us” (1 John 1:8, 10). But where, then, does this dreadful power of sin come from, which, according to the teaching of the Apostle Paul, constantly opposes our good desires and makes those not under grace captives to the law of sin? (Romans 7:15–23). Is it the result of our personal evil deeds, or is it a universal human affliction, a contagion that seizes a person even against his will and is embedded in his very nature? The answer must be this: yes, sin is nearly a physical force living in man—it is a contagious disease passed down by inheritance; sin is a deep disposition of rebellion against God, enmity with God, which can be passed from father and mother to child along with the body and soul by inheritance, through carnal birth from Adam.

“As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned,” writes the Apostle (Romans 5:12; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:21–22, 48, 50).

By one man sin entered into the world, and by sin—death… From the book of Genesis, we know how this happened. The first-created Adam did not remain steadfast in his righteousness. He desired to separate himself and depart from God; he wished to make his own will the sole law of his life. He exchanged love for God with disobedience, and in desiring to become equal with God, he fell into the sin of pride and self-will. More than this, he fell into the sin of idolatry, for he attributed to the tree—to the apple—divine properties, the power to give knowledge of good and evil. For this sin, God expelled mankind from paradise and deprived them of immortality (Genesis 3:23–24; cf. Wisdom of Solomon 2:23–24). And this sinful disposition naturally passed on to his children—in their blood, in their soul.

This is only natural. Imagine a spring of water—if its headwaters are disturbed, then all the water that flows from it will be muddy. So it is with the human race… From sinners were born sinners. And with sin came death. Therefore, death, as God’s punishment for sin, reigned over all people without exception (1 Corinthians 15:21–22). It reigned in the world even before Moses, when there were no conscious personal sins—for, as the Apostle says, “sin is not imputed when there is no law” (Romans 5:13). Then for what did personally innocent people before God die? There remains only one answer: for the sin of Adam, which lived in their flesh and soul and brought upon them God’s punishment—death.

And these sinful acts, this tendency toward evil and violation of God’s will, would eternally keep people in alienation from God—for what fellowship hath righteousness with iniquity? And what communion hath light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14). But the merciful God had compassion on His fallen creation. At the appointed time, He sent His Son into the world (Romans 5:6; Galatians 4:4) to deliver mankind from the dominion of sin and death. And our Saviour, through His earthly life full of privation and suffering, through His Passion and death on the Cross, through His Resurrection and glorious Ascension into heaven, truly offered a great propitiatory sacrifice to God on our behalf and condemned sin in the flesh (Romans 8:2–3; 3:25; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 9:25–26).

The middle wall of partition—the enmity dividing Jews and Gentiles—fell with the death of Christ (Ephesians 2:15–16; Colossians 2:13–15; 2 Corinthians 5:19). Henceforth, to those who are in Christ, a free path is opened to the Heavenly Father (Romans 8:15; 2 Peter 1:10–11; Hebrews 4:16; 9:12, 14, 24; 12:22–24). Such people are no longer subject to condemnation for the sin of Adam (Romans 8:1; 5:1; Luke 2:14; Ephesians 2:16). This same truth our Lord proclaimed in the Gospel according to John, chapter 15, verses 1–17. There He called Himself the Vine, and His disciples—the branches.

And the Lord said: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in Me” (v. 4). It is clear that for salvation it is necessary for people to be in closest union with their heavenly Master, in order to grow in goodness. Whoever does not abide in Christ will be cast out as a branch and wither (John 15:6), even though the Lord has shed His Blood for the remission of the sins of the whole world (Matthew 26:28). Without being grafted into Christ, people are like dry branches, fit only to be burned (John 15:6; cf. Matthew 3:10); remaining themselves unclean children of wrath, they bring forth likewise unclean offspring (Ephesians 2:3; cf. 1 Corinthians 7:14). But if this is so, can we really do without the baptism of infants?

Since sin is a power living in the organism—something, to a certain extent, akin to leprosy or the poison of syphilis in the blood—it is clear that this power is present even in the child.

This power must be expelled from the child’s soul. The child must be healed. On the other hand, if baptism is a grafting into the Vine of Christ, then this grafting must and can be performed even in relation to an infant.

But, one might ask, are not the psychological conditions for communicating the grace of faith, the spiritual uplift, absent in an infant?

True, yet baptism in the case of an infant has a somewhat distinct meaning.

In the case of an adult, baptism is closely related to the sacrament of repentance. It is a turning point in the soul of one who repents and a communication of the grace of forgiveness. In relation to a child, however, baptism is an act of joining the Church, an entry into it. At the same time, it is the moment when grace enters the soul of the infant: a grace that works unceasingly in his soul, is ever unfolding within it, and leads the child toward Christ, like a guardian angel.

This is, of course, also the meaning of baptism for adults—but for children, it is the most essential aspect of the sacrament.

But is the full inner spiritual transformation we have described truly necessary for baptism, regardless of how one understands it?

No. For incorporation into the Church, according to the Apostle Peter, what is required is “the answer of a good conscience” (1 Peter 3:20–21).

Yet this pledge can be made on behalf of the child by others—by “sponsors” or godparents. Baptism, says the foremost Apostle, does not consist in the washing away of the filth of the flesh, but in the promise to God of a good conscience. That is from the human side. From the divine side—baptism saves us by the Resurrection of Christ. This is what we find in the Apostle Peter’s words on baptism.

There is no mention here of any idea that only adults, and only on their own behalf, can offer God the promise of a good conscience.

The Old Testament clarifies this matter greatly. It is well known that under the Old Covenant, male infants were to be consecrated to the Lord (Exodus 13:2; 22:29; 34:20; cf. Luke 2:22–23). To consecrate a child to the Lord meant to dedicate him to serve the Lord all the days of his life (1 Samuel 1:28), or, in other words, to pronounce certain vows to God on behalf of that child. As you see, this was entirely possible without any personal faith on the part of the consecrated firstborn. But baptism, understood as a consecration to Christ, entirely corresponds to this Old Testament act of dedication. Here is another similar proof.

The book of Genesis tells us that when Abraham was 90 years old (Genesis 17:1), God appeared to him, reaffirmed His earlier promises, and made with him an everlasting covenant (v. 7), the sign of which was to be circumcision. “He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised,” says the Lord to Abraham, “and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant” (v. 13). By this divine command, ninety-year-old Abraham was circumcised, and with him his thirteen-year-old son Ishmael, as well as every male in his household… (vv. 26–27), including infants of eight days old (v. 12). Now, circumcision was a kind of sacrament of entering into covenant with God. And it was performed based on another’s promise.

On this basis, why then should it be impossible in baptism—which has replaced circumcision—for the promise of a good conscience to be offered by parents and the presenting godparents?

They bring the newborn infants to the Lord so that He may touch them in baptism with His almighty grace and bless them to become children of God, quickening their mortal bodies by His Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11, 15–17), and they promise that their path will be the Christian path.

Thus, the baptism of infants is performed by the Holy Orthodox Church according to the tradition of the holy Apostles. “As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin,” writes the holy Apostle Paul, “so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). Consequently, in the person of the first man Adam, “all have sinned,” and this includes infants. Therefore, an infant who dies without baptism—through the negligence of his parents or as a result of the false teaching of sectarians like the Baptists—may be deprived of the Kingdom of God. For Jesus Christ says concerning all people without exception: “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God” (John 3:5). These words of the Saviour Christ speak with complete clarity about the necessity of baptism not only for adults but also for infants.

The holy Apostles themselves baptized children. This is clearly evident in the event of the baptism on the day of Pentecost, when the Apostle Peter invited every one present to be baptized, proclaiming that the promise was also for their children (Acts 2:38–41). The Apostles baptized the “household” of Lydia and “all the household” of the jailer. The book of Acts says: “When she (Lydia) was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, ‘If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there.’ And she constrained us” (Acts 16:15). And the jailer, “took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway” (Acts 16:33). The Apostle Paul himself says: “I baptized also the household of Stephanas” (1 Corinthians 1:16). But if the Apostles baptized the household of Lydia, all the household of the jailer, and the household of Stephanas, then it is clear that they baptized the children as well, for among the household members, without doubt, there were children.

“That the baptism of children has apostolic origins,” says the eminent historian D. Robertson, “is supported by many probable grounds. Thus, the Saviour Himself, in receiving and blessing children, showed that they are capable of receiving spiritual blessing. His command to the disciples to ‘teach all nations, baptizing them,’ was given to men who were accustomed to admitting children into spiritual communion through the rite of circumcision—and even to baptizing the children of proselytes. The Apostle Paul, it seems, presupposed (Romans 11) that all who were capable of becoming members of the Jewish Church were likewise equally capable of becoming members of the Christian Church. And we hear nothing of any disputes on this matter—whereas the exclusion of children would certainly have been sufficient cause for a most vehement outcry from the typically jealous Jewish converts.”

We know of entire households who received baptism at once, without the slightest indication that anyone among them was excluded on account of immature age. In the Apostle Paul’s instructions concerning the upbringing of children, they are evidently already regarded as members of the Church—for otherwise we would expect instructions regarding their preparation for baptism. The first clear references to the baptism of children are found in St. Irenaeus (Book II, 22, 4); but the entire character of early writings accords with the reasoning of Origen, who traced this practice to apostolic tradition (In Rom. V, 9, p. 565). Tertullian, using terms scarcely compatible with belief in original sin (although he elsewhere affirms that doctrine strongly), argues against the hastiness of baptizing “the innocent age.” But his objection only proves that the practice had already become established—and he himself allows that children may be baptized in cases of danger of death (see Cypr. Ep. 64; De anima, 16, 41. D. Robertson, History of the Christian Church, vol. I, p. 152). St. Irenaeus, writing at the end of the 2nd century, says: “(Christ) came to save through Himself all who are born again to God through Him: infants, children, youths, young men, and elders” (Adversus Haereses, II, 22, §4; cf. also Book I, 15, §3).

Origen, a Church writer of the 3rd century, speaks clearly and definitively of the necessity of infant baptism: “The Church has received it,” he says, “that we are all to be baptized.” Expressing the Church’s view on infant baptism in his time, he states elsewhere: “(David) says, ‘Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me,’ showing that every soul born in the flesh is tainted with the defilement of sin… since no one is pure from defilement, even if his life on earth is only one day long. To this we may add the inquiry as to why, according to the command of the Church, baptism is given for the remission of sins. If there were nothing in infants requiring forgiveness and cleansing, then the grace of baptism would appear to be superfluous for them” (In Leviticum, Book 8, no. 3; Patrologia Graeca, vol. 12, col. 496).

“Infants,” Origen says, “are baptized for the remission of sins. Of what sins? Or when have they sinned? And how can the baptismal font be necessary for them, unless it be in the sense which we have just stated: ‘No one is clean from defilement, even if he lived only one day upon the earth.’ And since the defilements of birth are cleansed through the sacrament of baptism, infants are therefore baptized” (In Leviticum, Book 14; Patrologia Graeca, vol. 13, cols. 1834–1835).

Summarizing all these testimonies from Origen, we must naturally come to the conclusion that the Church, believing in the reality of the inborn nature of original sin in all, including infants, regarded the baptism of the latter as both lawful and necessary and traced its origin to the Apostles—and therefore undoubtedly practiced it. This is also testified by Blessed Augustine: “This [infant baptism],” he says, “the Church has always possessed, always maintained; she has received it from the faith of the fathers, and she faithfully keeps it even to the end” (Sermon CLXXVI, On the Words of the Apostle, §2).

St. Gregory the Theologian writes: “Do you have an infant? Let him be sanctified from childhood; let him be consecrated from his earliest years by the Spirit. Are you afraid of the seal [of baptism], because of the weakness of nature, as a faint-hearted and faithless mother? But Hannah even before the birth promised Samuel to God, and after his birth quickly consecrated and raised him for the holy robe, not fearing human weakness but trusting in God” (Oration on Holy Baptism, in Works of the Holy Fathers, vol. 3, p. 287).

The Council of Carthage (418 A.D.), in regard to the baptism of children, issued the following decree:
“Whoever denies that infants, even newborns from their mothers’ wombs, must be baptized, or says that although they are baptized for the remission of sins, they nevertheless inherit nothing of original sin from Adam that needs to be cleansed in the font of regeneration (from which it would follow that the form of baptism for the remission of sins is applied to them in words only, and not in truth), let him be anathema.”

For the word spoken by the Apostle, “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12), must be understood in no other way than as it has always been understood by the Catholic Church, spread throughout the world. For according to this rule of faith, even infants, who are not yet capable of committing any personal sins, are truly baptized for the remission of sins, that through regeneration may be cleansed in them that which they have inherited from the old birth” (Council of Carthage, Canon 124). Thus, summing up all the above data on the necessity of infant baptism, we are inevitably brought to the conclusion that “it is absolutely necessary to baptize children”—this is an apostolic tradition. And if the Baptist sectarians do not practice this, then by this omission they fall into a most grievous offense against the Spirit.

Scriptural texts on which the Baptists base their false teaching that denies infant baptism:

• Mark 16:16

• 1 Peter 3:21

• Matthew 19:14

• 1 Corinthians 7:14

Scriptural texts from the Word of God that expose the Baptist heresy and prove the necessity of performing holy baptism even upon children:

First, it must be explained to the listeners that all people, including infants, are subject to original sin (explain: Genesis 6:5; 8:21; Psalm 13:2–3; 142:2; 3 Kings 8:46; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Proverbs 20:9; Sirach 31:11; Job 14:1–5; Jeremiah 9:5; 17:9; Daniel 9:5, 20; Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:5; Matthew 3:5–10; John 3:36; Ephesians 2:3; Romans 2:5; 3:9–23; Galatians 3:10; Romans 7:14, 19, 23; James 3:1–2; 1 John 1:8, 10). Where does such a power of sin come from in man? The Apostle gives the answer in these words: Romans 5:12; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:21–22, 48–49; Genesis 3:1–5, 13; cf. 1 Timothy 2:14; 2 Corinthians 11:3. All people were contained in Adam, as branches in a root; all descend from him, therefore all are infected with sin. This sinfulness would always have kept mankind alienated from God (2 Corinthians 6:14), had not the Merciful God sent His Son into the world for the deliverance of mankind (Romans 5:6; Galatians 4:4), who suffered for mankind to redeem them (Romans 8:2–3; 3:25; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 9:25–26; Ephesians 2:15–16; Colossians 2:13–15; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Romans 8:15; 2 Peter 1:10–11; Hebrews 4:16; 9:2–14, 24; 12:22–24; Romans 8:1; Luke 2:14).

Although Christ suffered for all and brought with Him an inexhaustible fountain of healing grace (1 John 2:2; John 1:15; Romans 5:14), to become a partaker of saving grace, one must come to Christ and be reborn by Him into new spiritual life (1 Corinthians 15:45, 48–49); and whosoever does not come to Christ, is not washed in His Blood (Revelation 1:5), shall not receive the grace of redemption (cf. Zechariah 1:3; Philippians 2:12; Ephesians 2:1–9; Romans 11:17–23). Therefore, the Holy Orthodox Church has always, with maternal care, sought to wash children in the sacrament of baptism from original sin (Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11), and to clothe them with Christ (Galatians 3:27).

Thus, the baptism of infants is a truth proclaimed by the Word of God. From this, the natural question arises: where, then, do the sectarians find in Holy Scripture any prohibition against baptizing infants? They point to Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:16, and Acts 2:37–38. But it must be explained to them that these words contain no prohibition against baptizing infants—they merely describe how adults should be baptized. The Holy Orthodox Church follows exactly this pattern when baptizing adults: it permits baptism only for those who have thoroughly embraced the Gospel faith and sincerely repented of their sins. But how can such a procedure apply to infants, who have no personal sins and therefore have nothing of which to repent?

Baptists object that children, even without baptism, are clean of original sin; that their sins are forgiven for Christ’s name’s sake (1 John 2:12), and that they are holy (1 Corinthians 7:14).

In explaining 1 John 2:12, it is necessary to note that by “children” the Apostle is not referring to infants, but to all believers (cf. 1 John 2:1). If it is said that children are redeemed by the Blood of Christ, this does not mean that they are pure without baptism; for the whole world is redeemed by the Blood of Christ (Matthew 26:28; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Timothy 2:14; Hebrews 1:3, etc.), but can it be saved without baptism? No (see Acts 10:43; 26:18; 2:27; Romans 3:24). When interpreting 1 Corinthians 7:14, one must observe that the verse speaks equally about the sanctification of one of the spouses and the sanctification of the children. This sanctification does not eliminate the necessity of baptism for the spouses, and therefore also not for the children. Some interpreters understand the phrase “children are holy” to mean that they are already baptized.

Baptists object that children cannot pledge a good conscience to God at baptism (1 Peter 3:21). It must be explained that this verse, understood in context, does not contradict infant baptism as practiced in the Orthodox Church, which is not performed without the promise of a good conscience. This promise is given on behalf of the child by the godparents, those who “bring” the child (Mark 10:14) to Christ and take on the responsibility of raising the child in the fear of God. If the godparents neglect this sacred duty, the shepherds of the Church assume this responsibility (Acts 20:28; John 21:15–17; 1 Peter 5:2; cf. 2 Timothy 4:2–8). There are many Old Testament examples of vows and offerings made on behalf of children: the dedication of children to God (Exodus 13:2; 22:29; 34:20; Leviticus 24:29; cf. Luke 2:12–23; 1 Samuel 1:28); circumcision (Genesis 17:7; 11:13; 26:27; cf. Romans 4:11; Colossians 2:11–12). Children are capable of receiving the grace of baptism (Luke 1:13–15; cf. Matthew 21:16; Jeremiah 1:5).

Baptists claim that Orthodox Christians, baptized in childhood, forget the vows made at baptism, and therefore sin. But people sin not because they do not remember the vows of baptism—consider the examples of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1–10), or the incestuous man (1 Corinthians 5:1).

There are also examples from the lives of Baptists themselves—people baptized at a mature age—who nevertheless lead immoral lives.

Having refuted the objections of the Baptist sectarians, it must be shown that Holy Scripture does contain direct commands to baptize children: Acts 2:38–39 (“the promise is unto you, and to your children”); see also Mark 10:13–14; Matthew 19:13–14; Luke 18:15–16 (note the phrase “of such is the Kingdom of God,” not “of these”; cf. Matthew 18:6). The path to the Kingdom of God is the same for all (John 3:5): “Except a man be born [again],” meaning every person, great or small (John 3:6; 2 John 1:4; Romans 1:6). Therefore, without baptism, no one possesses the Holy Spirit. The children of Baptists, unbaptized, do not belong to Christ (Romans 8:9), but remain under the power of the prince of the air (Ephesians 6:10–13), against whom Christians are called to wage spiritual warfare.

List of scriptural passages from the Word of God proving the necessity of administering holy baptism even to children: Romans 5:18; John 3:5. Note: The Old Testament rite of circumcision, which was a type (foreshadowing) of holy baptism and has been replaced in the New Testament Church by the sacrament of baptism, was performed upon infants.
Proofs: Genesis 17:12 (cf. Luke 2:21); Colossians 2:11–12; Acts 2:38–41; Acts 16:15; Acts 16:33; Acts 18:8; 1 Corinthians 1:16; 2 John v. 4.

Published in: T.S. Tulupov, The Way of Life: Collected Works – Samara: OOO “Ofort,” 2008.

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