Baptistries throughout Europe testify to the truthfulness of these statements—churches like the cathedral in Pisa, Italy, and St John’s, the second largest church in Rome. The cathedral in Frejus, France has a well-preserved baptistry that was built and used in the fifth century. The ruins of a second century church at Ephesus in Asia Minor also contains a baptistry for immersing candidates.

It was not until the Council of Ravenna early in the fifteenth century that the Catholic Church accepted sprinkling as equally valid with immersion. In questions of church practice, we are not to follow what any man teaches, but we are to follow the example of Christ and the apostles as closely as possible (Colossians 2:8).

What about the baptism of infants? Many sincere Christians cherish the tradition of infant baptism; it has become a way in which they dedicate their children to Christ. Giving our children to God from the very beginning is certainly commendable, but there are biblically acceptable ways in which we can dedicate our children to Christ.

Baptism, however, serves a very specific function in the New Testament. The Bible makes it clear that a person must be taught the way of salvation before baptism (Matthew 24:14; 28:19, KJV, NIV), that a person must believe in Jesus before being baptized (Acts 8:37), and that a person must repent of sin and be forgiven before being baptized (Acts 2:38). A baby is incapable of believing and of repentance and confession, all of which must precede baptism.

The Bible doesn’t give specific information about children who die before they are mature enough to choose Christ as their personal Saviour and be baptized. But we do know that children will be saved in the kingdom (Isaiah 11:6). And we can certainly trust the future of deceased infants to the Saviour who said:

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
—Matthew 19:14.