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The offence of child baptism and its fortune
Since the early church newborn children have been baptized. Not that this practice would
have been explicitly commanded by the Scripture but even Lydia, the first Christian woman
on European soil asked for being baptized with her entire household. Quite naturally
we can assume amongst those also some children. And isn’t it a friendly custom to welcome
a new arrival in the name of God? Yet, for many child baptism is a bad habit!
“What does an infant know about Christianity? How can a speechless child believe or even
confess? How much does a child to be baptized notice of his baptism? These and more questions
are often asked. The sequence would have to be changed: First someone finds his conviction
in faith and then he is being accepted into the community of believers through baptism!
Why did Luther stick to child baptism despite all these reasonable arguments? Yes, he even
confirmed this practice with all possible means! – For him nowhere else the secret
of faith becomes so clearly visible as in child baptism: All needs to be done by God
so that men can receive everything – just as an infant!
Baptism lays the foundation for the house of life. This is because in it God confirms
His absolute faithfulness: “Come what will I, God, am standing at your side. You may
do whatever you want my ‘yes’ will never move away from you. Everything can be taken
from you but never my love!” Such a foundation belongs at the beginning of a life. Therefore
child baptism! Because who could persist in this life without acknowledgement, without
affirmation, without cherishing and loving care? And these not just from men but from
God himself! Yet, this treasure of baptism is of little
use without an access to it, that is without faith. It is like someone who got a large
fortune transferred onto his bank account at his birth. If later he never goes to the
bank, never withdraws any money then he will life a miserable life despite all his fortune.
It is the same with baptism. Who isn’t accepting the truth of baptism in faith will not benefit
in his later life through this treasure of divine love. Therefore daily one has to literally
“crawl into the truth of his baptism”, as Luther put it!