Answer:
(Given by Bro. Brian Tipton)
Thanks again for taking the time to ask a question about the bible. We believe the bible contains everything that mankind needs to know that pertains to God's will. In its pages, we can find the answer to any question regarding our relationship to God and his Son, Jesus Christ. We must look at it with unjaded eyes and be willing, before we look, to accept what it says.
You question was: Do you practice infant baptism? Why? Why not?
The answer is no, we do not practice infant baptism. I will now explain why in 3 parts:
The Bible teaches that:
Keep in mind that baptism alone does nothing. It takes faith (Hebrews 11:6) and belief in Jesus (John 3:16), we must confess (Romans 10:9) and we must repent (Luke 13:3). When all of these things are done with the faith and understanding that God will forgive us when we humble ourselves and submit to his will, we receive salvation and the grace that is offered to God's children. We must do all these things. I will state them again for clarity:
Thus baptism is the final act of obedience that places us into God's family and reconciles us back to God as his children.
Some people have the mistaken notion that a child must be baptized so that if it dies it will also go to heaven. This is usually to take care of any sins that the child is born with (i.e., inherited from the Father or Mother). The bible teaches contrary to this.
Let's look at Ezekiel 18:20:
"The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." (Ezekiel 18:20)
We see from the above verse that only the soul that sins (commits the sin) will die. I hope that you will read chapter 18 of Ezekiel to place all of this in context so that no one will mislead you. We learn that the child DOES NOT bear the sins of the father and the father DOES NOT bear the iniquity of the son. The soul that sins will die.
An infant is sinless. It does not INHERIT sin from its parents or ancestors. To teach that it does is to teach against the bible. Jesus said in Matthew 19:14, "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Jesus used children as an example of what we are to be like. Children don't know right from wrong and rely on their parents to guide them. Christians must rely on God to take care of us, realizing that we make mistakes and need God's grace to cover them. Children (especially infants) are under a state of grace until they learn to discern right and wrong. After they realize that they are sinners, it is necessary for them to take corrective action to submit to God's will.
Remember the requirements for baptism. We must believe and be baptized (Mark 16:16). It is IMPOSSIBLE for a child, much less an infant, to understand and believe in Jesus Christ. They do not possess the mental ability to reason this out. We must come to God knowing that HE IS and that HE IS a just rewarder of those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6). A child cannot do this.
Baptism of infants is, therefore, a man made ritual. It has NO biblical foundation. The church that desires to be pleasing to God will not worship or teach others to worship God with man made ideas and commandments. Christ taught that man made doctrines and commandments are VAIN worship.
"But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:9)
If we obey or even teach doctrines that are not from God, our worship is VAIN. It does us no good. These are not my words, but Christ's. We must accept what Christ taught concerning baptism.