What does Luke 18:15-17 have anything to do with infant baptism?
A proper understanding of baptism as well as the themes of faith, rebirth and blessing of Christ means that text has everything to do with it.
How so?
Consider Christ’s words in regards to babies brought to Him in the text:
“Let the little children come to me.”
The words “come to Me” in every other context as spoken by Christ refer to saving faith in Him. For example, Christ said no one can “come to Me unless the Father draws him”(John 6:44).
Just the fact He said that should be enough to show He was talking about saving faith when He said “let them come to Me.”
But that’s not all He said.
He followed:
“For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”
Now, how can one see or enter the kingdom of God?
In John 3:5, He said:
“Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.”
So rebirth is required to see or enter the kingdom of God.
Yet, here in Luke 18:15–17, Christ said that the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. And the kingdom of God belongs then, by rebirth in this case babies who “come to Me” (or in other words, have saving faith in Him).
To make His point even more clearer, He said next:
“Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
Notice He didn’t say infants aren’t old enough to receive the kingdom of God. He said we of age are to receive the kingdom of God like a little child. And receiving the kingdom of God is by rebirth (of water and Spirit) and is through faith.
He made it abundantly clear He was speaking of infant faith (of which we are to emulate) and rebirth (as entrance into the kingdom of God.
And born of water and Spirit as entrance into the kingdom of God was universally recognized as a baptismal saving text in the early church.
The early audience reading the text as baptized children of God would have caught the baptismal and sacramental language when Christ said the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Mark 10:16 added that Christ placed His hands on them and blessed them.
What does it mean to have the blessing of God Incarnate?
Galatians 3:14 reads:
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”
Christ’s blessing is us being justified by faith alone in Him.
So in multiple ways, what occurred here scream support for infant faith and rebirth.
Not to mention infant baptism.
It’s not just because Christ referred to born of water and Spirit as to how one enters the kingdom of God as to why one sees the baptismal reference.
It’s how baptismal texts themselves treat baptism as means of coming to (or having saving faith in) Him.
For example, Galatians 3:26-27 states:
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”
Better yet, consider what Revelation 22 says:
“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.”
Such a text uses both Christ’s “come to Me” faith and water baptismal rebirth language.
Likewise, Hebrews 10:22, alluding to the promise of God to give rebirth in Ezekiel 36:25-27, reads:
“Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”
Both texts speak in baptismal terms where we are bid to have our bodies washed with pure water as means God changes our hearts that we by faith draws near to Him in the water of life.
Now, people will say infants didn’t choose to be baptized so how can that be true?
But infants didn’t choose to have their parents bring them to Christ. Yet Christ said that the infants were the ones who came to Him, who had faith that we must emulate and have the kingdom of God that comes by rebirth.
The baptismal texts have all such promises: we are joined to Christ, through faith, we are washed by Him with water through the Word, given rebirth in Him, and through faith, are blessed as children of Abraham according to the promise.
Baptism is how Christ tells us (regardless of age) to “come to Me.”
Here we stand.
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