|
SUBJECT:
Christening, communion and infant/child baptism
QUESTION: Are any of these subjects supported in the
Word of God?
ANSWER:
No they are not.
First, some definitions
Christening
1. the ceremony of baptism,
esp. as accompanied by the giving of a name to a child.
2. a public ceremony in
which a new ship is formally named and launched.
3. an act or instance of
naming or dedicating something new.
Infant Baptism
Infants were
probably baptized in the early church, following the Jewish
understanding that even the youngest children belong to the
covenant community. Indeed, the Apostolic Tradition
explicitly provides for it. Nonetheless, because post
baptismal sins were regarded as unforgivable (or
could be forgiven only once),
baptism was often postponed as long as possible. Between the
4th and 6th centuries, however, as the attitude toward post
baptismal sin relaxed (because
of the development of the penitential system),
and the fear of dying unbaptized increased, infant baptism
began to be required.
The important thing here is that infant or child baptism is
just not supported and cannot be proved from the Bible.
Hence, it is not practiced or performed in the Churches of
God. Christ was not christened and there was every
opportunity to record it or establish it in the Bible. We
have much scripture on the birth and childhood of Christ,
yet He is not christened. We have scripture showing Christ
with children yet he never has a child christened.
Since this practice is not proved or demonstrated in the
Bible, we cannot perform or support it.
Communion
1] The act or an
instance of sharing, as of thoughts or feelings.
2] Religious or spiritual fellowship.
3] A body of Christians with a common religious faith who
practice the same rites; a denomination.
4] Communion Ecclesiastical.
-----The sacrament of the
Eucharist received by a congregation.
-----The consecrated elements of the Eucharist.
-----The part of the Mass or a liturgy in which the
Eucharist is received.
The Eucharist is a sacrament and the central act of worship
in many secular [so-called]
Christian churches, which was instituted at the Last Supper
and in which bread and wine are consecrated and consumed in
remembrance of Jesus’ death; Communion. Of course, these
churches lack understanding and have forsaken the
Passover/Lord’s Supper for a continual taking of the bread,
with the priest taking the wine.
The secular churches and especially the Catholic Church
practice this ceremony. Like baptism, they have the
foundational idea but apply it completely wrong. Communion
is likened to atonement or At-One-Ment or being one with
God. This is a deeply religious idea and a child is frankly
not ready for this type of involvement. They must wait for
Godly Calling to repentance, baptism and the laying on of
hands to receive the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit,
one cannot understand deeply spiritual things like
At-One-Ment or even communication with God (1 Cor. 2:14).
According to Easton's Bible Dictionary the word Communion
means:
"Fellowship
with God (Genesis 18:17-33; Exodus 33:9-11; Numbers 12:7,
8), between Christ and his people (John 14:23), by the
Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14; Phil. 2:1), of believers with
one another (Ephesians 4:1-6). The Lord's Supper is so
called (1 Corinthians 10:16, 17), because in it there is
fellowship between Christ and his disciples, and of the
disciples with one another."
The word
"communion" or its Greek equivalent is not used in the Bible
to designate the partaking of unleavened bread and wine as
it is used in some churches today.
The ritual described in the Bible [Matthew 26:17-29 et al]
was part of the Christian Passover holy day observed
by Jesus with His disciples. His disciples continued the
ritual [1 Corinthians 11:20-30].
There is no example in the Bible of this ritual being
performed other than at the time of the Passover/Lord’s
Supper, which occurs once yearly in the spring.
Easter, which has pagan origins (Ishtar,
Astarte, the spring solstice)
has been substituted in some religious organizations for the
Passover season but the two are not related other than
occurring near the same time of the year.
SO WHAT DO I SAY TO SOMEONE ASKING ME WHY I AM NOT ATTENDING
AN INFANT BAPTISM, CHRISTENING OR FIRST COMMUNION?
You respectively decline on the grounds that these
ceremonies are not part of your beliefs before God. If
pressed for a reason why, simply tell them that as a general
rule of thumb, our church does not engage in any ceremony
not established or supported in the Bible and which was not
done by those in the New Testament Church after the
resurrection of Jesus Christ. We never see Peter, Paul or
any of the disciples engaging in infant baptism, christening
or communion [except
at Passover/Lord’s
Supper].
Let them know that they are free to believe in and practice
any ceremony they wish. Assure them that you have no
mandate to attempt to convince them of anything or to debate
with them on religious or biblical subjects.
---END---
back to the top |