Matthew 19:14

But Jesus said, Suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for to such belongeth the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

Does this verse teach infant baptism and membership in God's church? Certainly, this is the allegation of those who hold those views; but it is significant here that Christ did not say that little children were "in the kingdom," but that "to such belongs the kingdom"! There is a world of difference. The emphasis is upon child-like behavior and character. However, due to the widespread error in this area, we shall note more particularly the entire subject of infant church membership.

There are no recorded cases of infant baptism in the New Testament. The "household" baptisms are nowhere said to have contained any infants among the number baptized; and any argument from "household" baptisms must be classified as an argument from the silence of the Scriptures.

Furthermore, the basic outline of the new covenant in Jeremiah 31:31 which is emphatically identified with the current dispensation in Hebrews 10:16, makes infant membership in the kingdom impossible. Jeremiah taught that no untaught person shall be in God's kingdom. It will not be necessary (in the days of the new covenant) for people to say "know the Lord," for ALL know him already. Why? Because they must know him BEFORE they can enter that new relationship. Infants cannot and do not know the Lord in the manner required of all who truly accept Christ.

The baptism of infants is neither commanded nor allowed in the New Testament, a truth which was remarkably emphasized by events in the Anglican church in 1964, and published in the New York Times (Dec. 16,1964, p. 16) where it was reported that many distinguished vicars of that faith would no longer baptize infants, affirming that to do so was contrary to Scripture. The report quoted the clergymen as saying, "We are denying adults the right of baptism" by baptizing infants. Of course, they were correct in that allegation. To baptize infants does "deny" baptism to adults. Peter commanded people to repent and "have yourselves baptized" (see Vine's Greek Dictionary), and people cannot do this if the church recognizes a ceremony practiced upon them in infancy, contrary to their will, or at least without their consent, and makes that imposition the true baptism. Such is only another instance in which people have made the word of God of none effect by their tradition (see on Matthew 15:9ff).

If an infant is "saved" by baptism (so-called) in infancy, such a person is saved without repentance, without confession, without knowledge of the Lord, without consciousness of sin, and without any intention of living right. There cannot be anything "from within" in infant baptism. This is contrary to the Lord's statement that a man "must be born again" before he can see the kingdom of heaven (John 3:3-5). The baptism and acceptance of infants into the church constitutes the open gate through which all manner of evil and unrepentant people are associated with the church as members. It is precisely this that has destroyed, in large degree, the very character of the church.