31 Aug
The US$5 I Am Unwilling To Earn
I have been with a write-for-money service since earlier this month and have just received my first assignment. According to the terms of the assignment, I stand to earn US$5 if my post were approved.
The money is sure helpful, but there’s just one problem.
I am unwilling to write it, because I don’t agree with the topic that was assigned — infant baptism.
To be more precise, the paid advertorial is for an online merchant selling invitation cards to celebrate the baptism of an infant.
The primary reason I am against infant baptism is because I have always been of the opinion that baptism is only for those who have heard the Gospel and have chosen to believe.
Infants certainly cannot make their own decisions on issues of faith!
As it is with all doctrinal debates, both advocates of and opponents to an issue will present Biblical references to aid their cases, and I will highlight a few here.
Supporters of the practice of infant baptism will point to Matthew 19, where we read
“Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.”
Notice that our Lord Jesus Christ did not baptize them, but merely “laid his hands on them”. Moreover, I believe this incident illustrates the point that we are to be alike little children in our trust and faith in God. There’s nothing in the verses that even suggests that our Lord Jesus Christ baptized the children.
The other incidents in the Bible which purportedly support the practice of infant baptism are mostly found in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. Let us look at a couple of them below.
In Acts 10, we read about Simon Peter ministering to Cornelius, who first heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ then believed, along with others who also heard and believed. Then Simon Peter said
“Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.”
In Acts 18, Paul ministered to the Jews but was rejected. Yet the chief ruler of the synagogue where Paul was preaching — Crispus — and his household heard and believed, along with other Corinthians, and all were baptized.
“And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man’s house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. 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.”
Notice that in both instances referenced, the people and their households first heard the Gospel, believed, and were finally baptized.
In other words, there are pre-requisites to being baptized — firstly, one must have heard the Gospel, and secondly, that person must choose to believe. Only then can one be baptized.
Certainly infants aren’t able to hear and understand the Gospel, nor have the mental capacity to make the conscious choice to believe!
Advocates of the practice of infant baptism also draw parallels between the ritual of male circumcision that signals the covenant between God and Israel and infant baptism, claiming that it is the new covenant as our Lord Jesus Christ has done away with the old laws with the completion of His ministry on earth.
I have searched high and low in the Bible but have yet to find any mention of the parallel. If infant baptism were in fact the new covenant that needs to be observed, then surely this point would have been emphasized many times over in the New Testament!
At the end of the day, whether you advocate or oppose the practice of infant baptism as I do, it will be wise for us to reflect on Deuteronomy 30:6 which teaches
“And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.”
Shabbat Shalom.
Footnote: As for the post assignment, I am rejecting it. I don’t believe in advocating something that runs contrary to my beliefs and principles.
Photo by Paul-W.
Tags: Blogging, Christianity, Infant Baptism, Pay-Per-Post
Posted by Precious on 31.08.07 at 14:25
HI Sicarii, if you were to write about invitation cards for infant baptism, it would have totally confused your readers since yours is an obviously protestant blog. Good choice, mate.
Posted by Sicarii on 31.08.07 at 14:25
hi there!
Welcome to my blog! It’s the first time I’ve seen you here, so here’s a big big welcome and my thanks for your comment.
To be honest, it wouldn’t really have confused that many people. There are Protestant denominations that practise infant baptism. The church that I was attending, of the denomination Bible-Presbyterian, is one good example.
Your description of food at your blog has made me very very hungry, lol! I love your photo blog too.
God bless, and Shalom.
Posted by biinary on 31.08.07 at 14:25
Hey, I write for PPP too. I think we must decide for ourselves what we would like to write for. For example, there are many things which I refuse to write for in the opportunities provided, only sticking to advertisers who interest me.
I believe at the end of the day we blog not for the small sums of money, but for what we believe in. The money is just a small bonus or incentive. Hey, it pays my domain bills!
Posted by Entrepreneur on 31.08.07 at 14:25
Well, US$5 certainly isn’t a lot of money. I hope your answer would be the same if the sum was US$500.
Your argument is very well put, but even if infant baptism were biblical (which I agree it is not), I think the fact that people are making it into such a commercial affair would make it not right to do the advertorial either in my book.
Btw, the Intelligent Singaporean is alas … no longer.
http://www.entrepreneur.com.sg
Posted by Sicarii on 31.08.07 at 14:25
Hello Biinary,
Welcome to my blog and thank you for your comment.
You’re right, we do need to decide for ourselves which ads to write up and which not to. After all, its our personal integrity at stake. There are two things I consider when taking up an opportunity — (1) if I agree with the product/service being advertised and (2) if the product or service fits in with the theme of my blog.
In this case, it does fit in, but I don’t agree with the principle behind the products.
Posted by Sicarii on 31.08.07 at 14:25
Hello and welcome to my blog, Entrepreneur, and thank you for your comment!
I believe I’d still say no if it was US$500, but that remains to be seen. However, if that happens I’ll certainly pray for the strength to resist! :-)
Sad to hear about the website… I loved reading it but haven’t been there lately. I’ll update my links. Thank you for letting me know.
God bless, and Shabbat Shalom.
Posted by Shalene on 31.08.07 at 14:25
Hi Sicarii, I recently did a post for blogsvertize that was for baptismal invitations, but thank the Lord, it was not specifically for baptism of infants. (And in fact, I did not see anything on the advertiser’s website about that.) I did not write about the other options, which was confirmation invitations, as I am not Catholic, and so do not believe as they do in this practice. I did write about the baptism invitations, because to me, inviting family and friends to your own, or a family members baptism (once they are of the age of common knowledge) is acceptable and desirable. By the way, I do agree with you. Infants can not be baptized in the biblical sense. (I also belong to a Baptist denomination.)
Posted by Jesie on 31.08.07 at 14:25
Yes, I also disagree with infant baptism. Those who practise it told me that the kid will confirm his acceptance of Christ later in his/her life. I just don’t understand why they don’t just let the kid decide and commit on his/her own then. Sometimes we may be trapped into rituals or traditions without having a real relationship with our Lord.
Posted by Sicarii on 31.08.07 at 14:25
hiya Shalene,
How was your camping trip? :-)
Mine was specifically for infant baptism invitations, so that’s why I rejected it. If it were wedding invitations, I’d have gladly taken it up and made US$5, lol!
Posted by Sicarii on 31.08.07 at 14:25
hi there Jesie,
A big welcome to my blog and thank you for your comment!
I am married but not a parent. If I were to have children, I’ll never agree to having my child baptized when he or she is an infant.
I always believe that if I were a Christian parent, I’d bring my child up grounded in Biblical teachings, but whether he or she grows up to accept Christianity and be a Christian is between the child and God later in his or her life. Of course I will hope that my children will also be Christians, but faith is something that cannot be forced, and so we need to continuously pray for their salvation.
God bless!
p.s. You’ve got 2 great blogs, my favorite is the one on travel. :-) I enjoyed the post on the Amish; I find them really interesting.