Holy Scripture teaches that both adults and children should be baptized. With respect to adults, Scripture expressly points out that only such should be baptized as believe in, and confess, Christ, Acts 2, 41; 8, 36-38. Children are to be baptized if they are brought to us for baptism either by their parents or by such as have parental authority over them, Mark 10, 13-16. The Lutheran Church has always condemned the unscriptural papistic practise of baptizing children without the knowledge or against the will of the parents (baptism in secret). We therefore baptize only such children as are offered for baptism by those who have parental authority over them.
That infants should be baptized is a clear doctrine of Scripture (cp. Mark 10, 13-16 with Col. 2, 11. 12). We may outline the Scripture evidence for infant baptism as follows: a) Infants are flesh born of flesh and as such are lost in sin, Ps. 51, 5; John 3, 5. 6. b) It is God's will that also infants should be regenerated and saved, Mark 10, 13-16, by their being brought to Christ, Luke ~-18, 15-17. c) The means by which infants are brought to Christ is Baptism, Titus 3, 5. 6; 1 Pet. 3, 21; Col. 2, 11. 12. Hence infants are to be baptized.
Scripture expressly records that in the primitive Christian Church believers were baptized "with their whole house," l Cor. 1, 16; Acts 11, 14; 16, 15. 33. All those who deny that this included infants must furnish the evidence for their contention.
To the objection that infant baptism is not mentioned in the Bible and that hence it was not practised in apostolic times we rejoin that this argument does not apply, since infant baptism may not have been mentioned just because it was so self-evident.
From Col. 2, 11. 12 we know that Baptism in the New Testament took the place of Circumcision, a Sacrament which was administered to male infants on the eighth day. This fact alone argues for pedobaptism, especially since our Lord commanded His apostles to baptize, and thus make disciples of, all nations (πάντα τὰ ἔθνη), an expression which ordinarily includes children.
In short, both directly and indirectly Scripture inculcates ' infant baptism, so that the Christian Church need not be troubled on this point by the groundless objections of enthusiasts and fanatics, who base their opposition to pedobaptism chiefly on the supposition that infants cannot believe.
Scripture declares expressly that little children can believe, Matt. 18,2-6; Mark 10, 13-16; Luke 18, 15-17; 1 John 2, 13. Nor is their faith a mere "potential faith" (potentia credendi), but actual faith (fides actualis), or direct faith, which truly apprehends the promises offered in Baptism.
If the objection is raised that it is impossible for us to conceive of direct faith in infants, we reply that it is also impossible for us to conceive of a direct faith in adults while they are asleep or in a coma. The question, however, is not whether we can comprehend the mysteries of faith by reason, but whether they are actually taught in Scripture.
With respect to infant baptism it is proved by history that its practise was general in the second century. Origen (in Epist. ad Rom. V: "Ecclesia ab apostolis traditionem accepit etiam parvulis baptismum dare") quotes it as a general custom, while Tertullian, though disapproving of it himself on heretical grounds, testifies to its universal prevalence.
With regard to infants of Christian believers who die without Baptism, it is best to commend them to God's infinite mercy, who has power to work faith also without the ordained means of grace (Luke 1, 44, cp. with Luke 1, 15; cp. also the female infants in the Old Testament, who were not circumcised). With respect to the infants of unbelievers and heathen we dare not affirm that they are saved, Eph. 2, 12. Here rather we confront the unsearchable judgments of God, Rom. 11, 33, concerning which the Formula of Concord warns us "that we should not reason in our thoughts, draw conclusions, nor inquire curiously into these matters." Trigl., p. 1081.
The christening of all res inanimatae (bells, ships) is a mockery of Holy Baptism and ought to receive the emphatic disapproval of all earnest Christians.
From 1 Cor. 15,29 it cannot be argued that Baptism may take place for the benefit of such as have died without this Sacrament (Mormons). The Greek preposition ὑπέρ in this passage has no doubt a local, not a vicarious, signification. While "baptism for the dead" was practised by some heretics, church history records no instance where this was in use within the ancient Christian Church. We therefore reject the practise as unchristian. That the just shall live by kis faith and not by that of another is a clear doctrine of Scripture, Mark 16, 16; John 3, 15-18, and in itself a conclusive argument against this heretical practise.