• Acts 8:12
  • Introduction
    • Acts 10:47, 24
    • Acts 16:15, 33 – Who was baptized?
    • We don’t have any minimum age for baptism listed in the Bible. We must use Bible principles to determine when a person is ready.
    • There is no specific list of questions someone should be able to answer in order to be baptized.
    • Previous sermon: http://scripturestream.com/2016/09/when-can-a-young-person-be-baptized/
  • Are they convinced about Christ from the Bible?
    • Acts 8:12; 2:38
    • Romans 6:3-4
    • Acts 17:2-4, 11-12
    • Many children are very open to suggestion. We have to make sure they are actually convinced from the text.
  • Do they feel personal guilt for sin?
    • Acts 2:23, 36-38
    • Acts 9:5-6, 9
    • Acts 22:16
    • Happy after baptism: Acts 2:46; 8:39; 9:19; 16:34
  • Do they feel guilty before God (and not just Mom and Dad)?
    • Deuteronomy 1:39
    • Psalms 51:4
    • Genesis 39:9
    • I John 3:4
    • II Corinthians 7:8-10
  • Are they planning to walk in newness of life?
    • John 12:42-43
    • Acts 26:20
    • Ezekiel 18:30-32
    • Jonah 3:8-10
    • Acts 2:41-42
    • Romans 6:3-4
    • Luke 14:25-33
    • Are they focused on changing their lives after baptism?
  • Final thoughts
    • In the end, baptism is between the person being baptized and God (regardless of age).
    • There is no divinely inspired list of questions.
    • We’re trying to avoid baptizing for the wrong reasons.
      • Because someone else got baptized
      • Because it makes family and friends happy
      • Because it seems like a grown-up thing to do
      • Because they want to start taking the Lord’s Supper
      • Because someone told them “it’s about time”