Interesting topic and enjoying the discussion.Valerie wrote:I don't think the Orthodox have "Confirmation" nor "First Communion" with their baptized children. When a child is baptized, like the adult, they are prayed to receive the Holy Spirit- and I don't fully understand regeneration, but I do know that it is more than symbolic- There is actually something about the prayers, the water, the anointing, etc- where grace is imparted (there are examples of 'water' healings in the Old Testament and New. So somehow it seems all this works together. But the child is raised as a Christian, from that that point on, not as an unbeliever, and they are raised as a child of God from what I understand- Jesus did remark about the faith of a child, and to such is the kingdom of Heaven- so to think that they cannot have faith really ignores Jesus words about it, don't you think?Sudsy wrote:Valerie, does the EO have something similar to the Catholic confirmation where, if I understand it correctly, a babies baptism is confirmed at an older age by their confession of faith ? Again, if I understand this correctly, a babies baptism is a state of regeneration that once understood when a child can grasp what Christ has done, confirms their regenerated state to walk in this newness of life. I may not have this correct and welcome yours and/or others help as I am too lazy at the moment to look this up.
When Jesus remarked about the faith of a child, I believe He was saying that unless we have a child like faith that fully abandons our own saving ability and fully trusts on God to save us, we cannot be saved. Like when a child standing on the edge of a pool, jumps into the arms of a parent in the pool, fully trusting the parent to save them from drowning. If we hang unto a belief that somehow we are part of salvation beyond the abandoning of our own ability to save ourselves, we don't have a belief that can save us.
Many and likely some here on this forum that were raised in a Christian home cannot pinpoint a time and place where they were regenerated/born again/receive the Holy Spirit. Myself, I go back to a point in time but I cannot say that at that point I experienced a 'damascus road' type conversion like my father did. I confess Jesus as Lord and Saviour, was immersed and then went on being raised to follow Jesus. Now, to me, those who can't pinpoint a specific 'accepting Jesus' time and yet believe in Christ, give me no reason to doubt they are saved.
So, and I know this goes against the grain of believer's only baptism, if a baby is baptised in water and prayed over to receive the Holy Spirit, who am I to say that they didn't receive the Holy Spirit then when as they grew up they went on to follow Christ.
Perhaps the issue is more did we, at some point, have the Holy Spirit take up residence in our life or not. One could be baptised as a baby and prayed over or one could walk the aisle and/or say a sinner's prayer and yet not receive the Holy Spirit. If and when the Holy Spirit took up residence in a person, they will have a desire within them to follow Christ.
I'm just putting this out there for further thoughts. I know of those who were baptised only as babies who are following the Lord today, so 'fruit inspecting' on my part is not such to say they are likely not saved.