The evidence shows that converts to Christianity were baptized, which is identical to converts being circumcised in the old covenant. The evidence shows that when the head of house was converted, the whole household was circumcised or baptized. The only difference between OT and NT is that the OT is full of lengthy instructions for religious practices, including 8th-day infant circumcision for babies born into a believing household.
Converts to the old covenant were likewise, as in the new covenant, required to subscribe to certain things, including repentance and acceptance of God, and yet infants were still circumcised! This shows the argument that "one must repent before baptism" is invalid, not a good argument. If not for explicit instructions, many Israelites might have run around claiming infant circumcision is invalid, and they would be flat out wrong.
The preponderance of the biblical evidence supports infant baptism. Undeniably. The only argument that anti-infant baptism people have is that the opposing side also lacks a smoking gun.
Let's go to the source.
Genesis 17:9 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”
Explicit instructions for all males to be circumcised was needed so they could not argue against it. All who were not circumcised were cut off from God's chosen people for breaking the covenant. No such rule for baptism. Only faith and belief is needed. You could argue the baptism of the Holy Spirit is needed, but that is part of the faith and belief of the person. Circumcision had nothing to do with repentance. Please show this in scripture if you disagree.
What do all instances of baptism in the name of Jesus Christ have in common? Back to the source.
Acts 8:36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See,
here is water.
What hinders me from being baptized?”
37 Then Philip said, “
If you believe with all your heart, you may.”
And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
Acts 2:41 41 Those
who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
Acts 10 ...Then Peter asked, 47 “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that
they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” 48 So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
Acts 16:31 They replied, “
Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 32 And
they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds.
Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced
because they all believed in God.
Not just some or the master of the house, but all believed and then immediately baptized.
Acts 18:8 Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, and everyone in his household
believed in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also heard Paul,
became believers, and were baptized.
In comparing circumcision to baptism, Paul does this in Colossians 2:
11
When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the
cutting away of your sinful nature. 12 For
you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
Here we see "When you came to Christ," obviously means "when you believed", Christ "circumcised" you by cutting away the sinful nature. Then you are "buried", this is one of many scriptures which endorse immersion, with Christ in baptism, and again, after immersed, you are raised up out of the water to symbolize the raising of Christ from the dead. You go in dead, and are raised with new life!
So the preponderance of the biblical evidence supports believers baptism only. Undeniably. Show your knowledge of the Bible by showing where circumcision is the same as baptism. I won't hold my breath.
