Note that in order to be baptized, first they confessed their sins. A child cannot sin; he is incapable of confessing his sins to be baptized.

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

John the Baptist was clear in his reason for baptism. He stated «I baptize you with water for repentance». In order for a person to repent: (1) he must acknowledge that he has sinned, (2) he has to feel remorse for what he has done, and (3) he must be willing to depart from the actions that constitute a sin. Repentance is a choice that a person makes, not one that is made for them. A baby cannot do any of those three steps; the baptism becomes irrelevant and moot.

“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

“We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, ...”

Observe the phrase «and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with.» How was Jesus baptized? The Bible shows that he was about thirty years old.

He said to them: “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

Baptism is simply symbolic of a person publicly admitting repentance. “Whoever does not believe will be condemned.” It does not say “whoever is not baptized will be condemned.”

Strong’s Number: 0907-GSN
Transliterated: baptizo
Pronounced: bap-tid’-zo

from a derivative of 0911-GSN; to immerse, submerge; to make overwhelmed (i.e. fully wet); used only (in the N.T.) of ceremonial ablution, especially (technically) of the ordinance of Christian baptism: KJV--Baptist, baptize, wash.

Strong’s Number: 0908-GSN
Transliterated: baptisma
Pronounced: bap’-tis-mah

from 0907-GSN; immersion, baptism (technically or figuratively): KJV--baptism.

The act of “baptizing” a child does not condemn him, but more importantly, does not save him. Additional proof that repentance is what saves, and not baptism, is the example of the their to the right of Jesus on the cross. Luke 23:42-43 states:

The thief had absolutely no opportunity of being baptized, yet Jesus told him that he would see him in paradise. This is apparent when Jesus speaks to Nicodemus in John 3:

¹ Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. ² He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” ³ In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” ⁴ “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” ⁵ Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” ⁹ “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. ¹⁰ “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? ¹¹ I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. ¹² I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?”

Jesus told Nicodemus, it is necessary to be “born again” (convert, repent) to see the kingdom of God. (It would appear that verse 6 requires to be “born of water”, but the statement is “of water and the Spirit,” which references 1 John 5:7 - For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three are in agreement. Explaining this verse is beyond the scope of this text but it is the one that correlates to John 3:6.)

The last argument made by Catholics is that “baptism removes the original sin of birth” (referencing Psalms 51:5 - Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.) However, this is simply stating that we are born with a sinful flesh, i.e., a flesh that has sinful tendencies; it does not mean that we have already sinned upon birth. To commit a sin you must be aware of the law and you must be aware of your transgression of the law. In Romans 7:7, that is exactly what the apostle Paul is telling us: What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” Unlike the U.S. law (where ignorance of the law is not a permissible defense), God’s justice states that we are not accountable for our sins commited as a result of ignorance. A baby has no knowledge of the law and therefore no knowledge of sin. Furthermore, there is absolutely no biblical proof that baptizing a child removes “the sin of birth,” as the Bible repeatedly makes it clear that baptism is for repentence.

To conclude, if you are still unsure, follow the perfect example: Jesus. He was baptized as an adult, not as a child. We are supposed to imitate Jesus. Even if the most respected religious leader decides that we should baptize our children, we are not to obey him because the Bible clearly states that God’s law comes before man’s - Acts 5:29 Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.”