Mathew 28:18-20
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you, and lo I an always with you, even to the end of the age.
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We often refer to the above verses as the Great Commission that Jesus left His disciples. The commission that was given to them and passed down to us. The commission to preach the gospel and disciple those in other nations to follow Jesus Christ in a faith walk as unto Him.

Part of that discipling process is the baptism of believers in Jesus who had responded to the gospel message of faith in Him. Believers baptism was actively practiced by the early church in Acts thus holding to the last command of Jesus to His disciples. It was understood that believers who chose to follow Christ were to be baptized. Not infants.

Yet after the church became institutionalized under Constitine the practice of infant baptism became acceptable and babies were baptized with the Trinune Name of God and admitted to the church. The tradition carried into the Reformed and the Anglican churches. The tradition still is practiced by both Catholic, Anglican, and Reformed churches. The only problem is. The baptism of babies in the Triune Name if God is not scriptural and cannnjt be defended from the New Testament. And the baptism of babies is no where commanded in Mathew 28:18-20.

The Anabaptist were keen to see this. They saw that baptism was for believers only and not babies. Hence their name Anabaptists meaning rebaptizers. And for this truth tthe Anabaptist were put to death. If memory serves (Proud Papa will have to.correct me if wrong).Felix Mannz was the first Anabaptist put to death by drowning for refusing to baptize his infant. He was also the first Christian Protestant put to death by other Protestants for his belief in believers baptism. And the persecution of the Anabaptist continued by the Catholics and Reformers. I believe the historical record shows more Anabaptist bring martyred by the Reformers then the Catholics. Mainly that the Anabaptist would not baptize their babies but only believers.

Today believers in Jesus Christ still suffer for following Jesus in believers baptism. To be baptized as a convert in Christ in a Moslem country is sure death. Amish who cone to Christ in this country are baptized at night. For to come to Christ as a member of an Amish community is to lose all.

Thus I cringe when I see pastors in the Reformed tradition baptizing babies in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These pastors have no idea of what they are doing. They have no idea that baptism is only for disciples who follow Jesus Christ. And that unto death.

The baptism of infants is unscriptural and ungodly. It gives the infant a false security with no need to have faith in Christ. The baptism of infants also dishonors those who risk their lives to follow Christ in hostile nations or environments. Infant baptism should never be practiced. Infant baptism cannot be supported by the scrptures. Infant baptism was never commanded by Christ. Those who are to be baptized are those who have chosen to follow Christ in life long discipleship. In other words. New Testament baptism is for believers. Not babies.

Bearmaster.

Amen
Robert Richtsmeier

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Robert Richtsmeier