Baptism, Infant Baptism and Confirmation
The church by definition are baptized people. Baptism marks the beginning of a new life as a Christian. And we remember our baptism to anchor our identity in Christ and to shape the whole Christian life.
If you are not a believer, I encourage you to come to know Jesus. Our church is here to help you in your journey of faith; we are here to help you move towards Christ together with us.
If you are a believer and yet have not been baptized, then I encourage you to get baptized without a delay. Why? You are to be baptized, because it is God’s command to ones who have put their trust in Jesus Christ. Furthermore, you are to be baptized, because it is God’s gift to the ones who obey Jesus. I don’t want you to miss out on receiving the gift of baptism and all that comes with it.
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding baptism, infant baptism and confirmation. If you have questions related to baptism that are not addressed here, please reach out to me. I would love to connect with you and talk about faith, life and church.
Q1. What age do you have to be for infant baptism and baptism?
A: Infant baptism is for ages 1 to 4; baptism is for ages 14 and above. If you were infant-baptized and have come to faith in Jesus and want to be baptized, you can be “confirmed” (that’s basically “baptism” for those who are infant-baptized).
Q2. My child is 13 years old and she wants to be baptized. I was told that she has to wait until she turns 14. Can she get baptized now?
A: According to the current practice of our church, you can receive baptism after you turn 14. That means your daughter needs to wait for a year during which she can continue to be an active member of our church and grow in her faith and prepare to be baptized next year.
Q3. Can my child who believes in Jesus participate in communion (Lord’s Supper)?
A: Communion is for baptized believers. As a church we have been practicing “open communion” where any believer—whether baptized or not—can participate in Lord’s Supper. After reviewing our practice in light of the Scripture, church history, denominational stance and pastoral concerns, the session decided this January to make communion only for baptized believers. We will start the new practice in April. That is, from April onwards, Lord’s Supper will be only for those who are baptized.
Q4. Isn’t making communion “closed” for only baptized believers excluding people?
A: It’s not about exclusion; it’s about invitation to fullness. And for children, we may start lowering the eligible age for baptism in the future.
Now, let me be clear: Every person is welcome here at our church. If you are not a believer, you are not only welcome here, but you are also invited to be involved in our shared life and ministries of the church. We want you to hear the gospel and see it lived out here at our church.
When it comes to communion or the Lord’s Supper, it is the one moment in our life together when we draw the line. Westminster Confession says that one of the reasons God gave the sacraments is “to put a visible difference between those who belong to the church and the rest of the world.” Putting a visible difference is not to exclude non-believers. In fact, it is an opportunity for us to call people to faith and repentance.
Including someone in communion who is not willing to be baptized sends a dangerous message: it allows someone to think they are ok with God when in fact they are not ok with God. They have not turned to Christ in faith. They are not living in obedience to him. Even for believers, if you are living in deliberate sin, communion was censured. Excommunication is “ex-communioning” from the body of Christ. Again, the purpose of doing the hard thing of censuring communion to those who are deliberately living in sin and disobedience is to call them back to Jesus through repentance.
It may feel unloving to exclude people from the Lord’s Supper. You may think it’s more loving by accepting all to the Lord’s Supper—whether you are a baptized believer or not. But there is nothing loving about giving people false assurance. The most loving thing we can do is call people to faith and repentance. It’s not about exclusion; it’s about invitation to fullness. So if you trust Christ, the next step is baptism and the Table—the Communion Table—is waiting for you.
Q5: I was baptized as an infant. Does it count as “baptism”?
A: Infant baptism is not baptism; practically it’s a child dedication where your parents dedicated you and committed to raise you in the faith. If you are infant baptized and have come to have personal faith in Jesus, you should be confirmed. Confirmation is like adult baptism for those who are infant-baptized.
Q6: I was baptized at a Roman Catholic Church. Do I have to be re-baptized here at New Hope?
A: No, you don’t need to be baptized again. We consider baptisms done in the Roman Catholic and other Protestant denominations to be legitimate.
Q7: I want to get baptized, but I am not sure whether I am ready to be baptized. Should I still get baptized or take the baptism class?
A: If you are not sure whether you are ready to be baptized and you are willing to learn more about faith and whether you may be ready for baptism, please take the baptism class. I will go over not only the meaning of baptism, but also basic building blocks of faith to help you be firmer in your faith if you are struggling in your faith. And after taking the baptism class and talking with me, if you still feel not ready, you don’t need to be baptized. I do encourage you to take the baptism class.
Q8: Can my children in the Hi-C ministry take New Hope’s baptism class for confirmation?
A: Yes, your children may take New Hope’s baptism class. If they want to take baptism class with Hi-C ministry, they can do that. Whichever baptism class they take, they will be baptized at New Hope service.
Q9. Can I be baptized even if I am not a member of this church?
A: Yes, you may be baptized if you believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and if you want to become our church member. By being baptized at New Hope, you are not only entering into a covenant relationship with Jesus, you are also entering into a covenant relationship with the church. You can take the membership class after being baptized.
