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Adult baptism vs belivers baptism

Started by Simon Isaksson
December 30, 2025
6 replies
769 views
Simon Isaksson OP
December 30, 2025 at 3:03 PM
#1

Hi THF community,


I know anabaptists often have set miniority ages for baptism, some 13 years old, some 15, 20 etc, so it’s not simply a believers baptism, it’s adult baptism.

Now I wonder if any of you could confirm if this was also praticed commonly by the early church prior to infant baptism?


My studies have led me to that early writers such as Justin Martyr, Quadratus of Athens and Hippolytus believed that even children (not saying infants) can be saved if coming to a proper understanding of the truth. No pre-nicence writer have I ever read setting a age minimum for baptism.


Since baptism is salvific we are dealing with a very imporant subject here. I think it’s crucial that we get this one right so that sincere believing and repentant children don’t have to go a decade or more until being born again in the water, that would certainly not be well pleasing in the sight of the LORD. Thank you

Replies (6)

Simon Isaksson OP
December 30, 2025 at 3:03 PM
#2

https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Baptism,_Age_at

Carl Henderson
December 30, 2025 at 3:03 PM
#3

Children are already saved up until "about" 13-yrs of age (the age of religious and moral conscious) or the age of the Jewish, "Bar Mitzvah", etc,... They are innocent in early age, and after that it is only the "Traditions of Men" which keeps them from being baptized or puts limits on it... Once the are old enough to exercise their own free will responsibly, they can choose to be Baptized.

Simon Isaksson OP
December 30, 2025 at 3:03 PM
#4

Thanks for the answer, Carl.

But Bar Mitzvah has nothing to do with the hebrew Bible or even early sources. This tradition started to appear somewhere in the Middle Ages.


I think no age limit neither beyond or above should be practices, lets look for their fruit and if genuine faith is apparent.

Simon Isaksson OP
December 30, 2025 at 3:03 PM
#5

how I've understood it anyways is that faith is key

Chris Wyan
December 30, 2025 at 3:03 PM
#6

I believe that the reason for the age of 13 being selected is because that is generally when children are thought to be old enough to understand the choice they are about to make and the consequences that may follow. Is it possible that a child can understand this at a younger age? Yes. However, Anabaptist parents want to try and be sure that they are making an informed decision and not an emotional one.

Noah Hostetler
June 30, 2026 at 1:48 AM
#7
How I understood this baptism is for people that have new births I may be off there but that is what I always thought

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