The PuritanBoard - View Single Post - To what extent should Baptism extend to children of believers?

larryjf · #9 (**permalink**) 05-22-2008, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zenas

Hypotheticals: (For Presbyterians!)

1. Parents have a child. 18 years later the parents convert and are Baptized. The child, though 18, is still under their authority and in their house. Should the child be Baptized?

2. Same facts, except change the child's age to 25. He is unmarried and still under his parents authority, technically.

3. Same facts as #1 except the 18 year-old is a well known fornicator and drunkard.

Since the "child" in these scenarios is actually legally an adult, and legally responsible for himself, he should not be baptized based on the parents.

However, if the child was 16 and he was legally under the headship of his parents, then yes he should be baptized.

If the 16 yr old is a drunkard or something similar, then of course not. Even a baptized adult drunkard who is unrepentant is to be removed from the church, so there would be no reason to admit a drunkard into fellowship at all.