Short answer:
Yes. There are multiple households getting baptized in Acts 16 when specific family members are saved. Some might argue that it says the rest of the household believed as well, but this statement is not supported by Lydia's family baptism (therefore, flawed).
Long answer:
1 Peter 3:20-21
“who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,”
Peter tells us that Noah and his family were saved through the waters of the flood (which symbolizes baptism). However, Genesis 6 tells us that only Noah was righteous, not his family. And because of Noah’s righteousness, his entire family received the benefit. They were set apart, sanctified, and were made holy. This is also supported by Paul.
1 Corinthians 7:14
“For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.”
It is possible to be part of God’s kingdom without having personal salvation. Many Christians will object because they believe that baptism is an outward profession of faith. However, circumcision was also a sign of personal faith (Romans 4:11-12). And Paul explains that baptism is the new circumcision. That Christians were circumcised by Christ through baptism. Therefore, since circumcision was not an exclusive profession of faith, it is the same with baptism.
Colossians 2:11-12
“In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”
Acts 2:38-39
“‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children’”
| CIRCUMCISION | BAPTISM |
| Sign of Covenant | Sign of Covenant |
| With hands | With water |
| For both believers and their children | For both believers and their children |
Some people might object to this by saying that God commanded Abraham to circumcise his descendants, but He did not command Christians to circumcise their children. The answer to this is simple: there is no need to repeat the command! The Old Covenant is replaced by the New Covenant, and baptism replaces circumcision.
This expresses Kingdom Theology. Think of it like this: When a person immigrates to another country, they go through the process of becoming a citizen. However, a person born to a citizen automatically becomes a citizen. This is not to say that all people who were baptized as infants are Christians; but rather, they are part of God’s kingdom in a sense. Not everyone who was circumcised was saved either, but they were still part of the kingdom of God in a sense. You can be a soldier, fighting for personal motives, and still help God’s kingdom (Philippians 1:15-18).
Infant Baptism is a gift of God that aids Christendom. The most historic and great denominations (Lutherans, Anglicans, Dutch Reformed, etc.) have all done infant baptism.
Also, I love how certain fellows say infant baptism is not in the Bible, and yet at the same time a profession of faith right before baptism is not in the Bible either.
