Examining the Error

1. Examining the Error:
The reasoning of many is, that if a whole household is baptized, it must include babies also.  Let us examine some of the errors that are projected.  Cited are some of the passages which are used.

Lydia's Household
"And when she (Lydia) was baptized and HER HOUSEHOLD, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us." - Acts 16:15 On the part of those who endorse infant baptism; it is presupposed that her household included a baby, or babies; yet, God's Word contains no such account. There is no record of Lydia being married, being a mother, or having children in her home. We are told that after Paul and Silas left Lydia's house, they were beaten and put in prison. Upon their release, they returned to Lydia's house and we find out who composed the household. The record is given in Acts 16:40.

"And they (Paul and Silas) went out of prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed."

These brethren, as spoken of in Acts 16:15, made up the household of Lydia.  She could have given them free lodging, or could have charged them for their lodging, we simply do not know.  "Her household" in Acts 16:15 does not necessarily mean her own family; but, from the record, would be inclusive of all that were lodging in her home; which, from Acts 16:40, would have been "the brethren."  These were the ones baptized, along with Lydia, in Acts 16:15 and spoken of as "her household."

"...She (Lydia) attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul." (Acts 16:14). (Then she was baptized.)

“Her household,” as the “brethren” in Acts 16:40 were called; shows us they were saved, and then baptized. Paul never baptized anyone to be saved, only those who were already saved.

Jailer's Household.
Another of the verses used to support infant baptism is found in Acts 16:30-31...

"...Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (30) And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."(31) The record of what took place is very simple and concise; the jailer had brought Paul and Silas to his home, as recorded in Acts 16:34 :

"And when he (the jailer) had brought them unto his house, he sat meat before them..."

Paul and Silas then witnessed to all that were in his house, as recorded in Acts 16:32 :

"And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to ALL that were in his house." Their message was:

"...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved..." The whole household believed (Acts 16:34):

"...he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God WITH ALL HIS HOUSE."

After this the jailer and his whole house were baptized, as stated in Acts 16:33 :

"And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was BAPTIZED, he and ALL HIS (HOUSEHOLD) straightway." In Acts 16:34 we are told that:

"...BELIEVING in God with ALL his house."

It is evident there were no babies present, or belonging to his family; as, a baby is incapable of understanding and believing Paul's message; therefore, the "all" that composed his household excluded any infants.  Only those that believed were baptized—made up of everyone present and his family.

Household of Stephanas.
Paul bears record of baptizing the household of Stephanas in 1 Corinthians 1:16.  Here is the account:

"And I baptized also the household of Stephanas,..."

Again, there is no mentioning of infants being baptized, or being in the household of Stephanas.  We do find in the same epistle, Paul mentioning the family of 1 Corinthians 16:15, as the whole family having addicted themselves to the ministry of the Saints.  Here is the record:

"I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have ADDICTED THEMSELVES TO THE MINISTRY OF THE SAINTS,)" No infant can do this, thus excluding any infants from being in the household of Stephanas. I hope you can begin to see the extremes to which religion will extend itself in misuse of Scripture to support its tradition. Proverbs 30:6 is surely a warning to those who exercise this practice:

"Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar."

House of Crispus.
Paul, while on his second missionary journey, had left Athens and arrived at Corinth.  Many there were led to Christ and baptized, including the chief ruler of the synagogue and his whole family.  The record is given in Acts 18:8 :

"And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, BELIEVED ON THE LORD WITH ALL HIS HOUSE; and many of the Corinthians hearing BELIEVED, and were baptized." The only ones baptized were those capable of believing. Belief in Christ makes one a Christian; belief in God's Word and a willingness to obey, makes one desire to be baptized. There is no mention, or even a hint, of infants being baptized within the family of Crispus.