“Cornelius, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household (infants and children cannot be devout or God-fearing – so it refers to adults)… Send men to Joppa and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; he will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved… Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends… While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word (not just heard, but believed, that is, understood the essence of the word – children and infants could not hear and understand! But adults, relatives, and close friends – yes!)… Peter said, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them (all (adults, for only an adult can believe) who believed and received the Holy Spirit) to be baptized in the name of the Lord” (see Acts 10).
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they (the apostles) said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” (The same thing the Fathers say: Acquire the Spirit of Peace, the Holy Spirit, and around you thousands will be saved! Not just your whole household! And when exactly they will be saved, baptized, is another question – when each believes in Jesus Christ, then they will be saved! So children need to grow up!). And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house (how can the word of God be preached to infants and children?!). And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household” (see Acts 16:30-34).
“Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians hearing believed and were baptized” (Acts 18:8). So, in all cases where it speaks of baptism, it emphasizes not the baptism itself but the faith-trust (“believed, believed”), which is the result of being taught in faith-trust (first the apostles “preached the word of the Lord,” and then those who believed were baptized). The same is said in the words: “Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas” (1 Cor. 1:16), that is, all the adults in Stephanas’ household who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ!
Just don’t start telling me fairy tales: supposedly, circumcision in the Old Testament is the same as baptism in the New Testament, and they circumcised all (males) in the house (both those born in the house and those bought with silver) (see Gen. 17:9-14), so it is not only possible but necessary to baptize children and infants… We have already discussed in detail the two Covenants: the Old (according to the flesh, of slavery and law) and the New (according to the Spirit, of freedom and truth), and the difference between them.
Moreover, when you consider “the whole household,” what this phrase could have meant in ancient times when the books of the New Testament were written, take into account the following fact-tradition: “Now I say that as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father” (see Gal. 4:1-7). So, when the child reached adulthood (the timing of which was also determined by the father, individually in each case), then the adoption took place, but until then the child did not differ from a slave… That is, the child – the heir of all, and therefore theirs – the children’s – is the Kingdom of God, but they will inherit It only when they reach (by the effort of repentance-catechumenate) adulthood, that is, become capable of consciously accepting-faithfully in Jesus Christ and receiving-assimilating with a humble and merciful heart the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of adoption.
So, in the household, only those who believed in Jesus Christ were baptized!!! Not just had an innocent state, virtues – but faith-trust in Jesus Christ! And why didn’t the apostles say anything about baptizing children, about not baptizing them (for example, “the whole household was baptized, except for the children,” or: “only those who believed were baptized”), that is, there is no clarity, the word “only” is missing?! We have already proven that in the Scripture, even by the letter, everything is said clearly and unambiguously (but to see, read, understand these obvious things, one must be unbiased, truthful, and free from confessional distortions, inertias, “traditions of elders”). And they did not mention specifically the baptism of children because its absurdity was obvious to everyone, everyone understood it (and understood it until the VIII-IX centuries; and then for some reason lost the understanding…). It’s like saying: “everyone in the household of Stephanas defended their doctoral dissertations” – it’s understood that infants and children are not included, so there is no need to emphasize: “everyone except for the children”; or to say: “everyone in this household is already married” – it’s obvious that there is no need to specify – “except for children and infants”! Everyone knows that infants do not marry – well, this is obvious to everyone, self-evident (there is no need to prove it). And baptism is to defend a “Doctoral Dissertation on acquiring God-accepting humility” in the school of catechumens, it is to enter into marriage with Christ, to conceive from the Holy Spirit! Therefore, in apostolic times, there could be no talk of baptizing children (at that time it was complete absurdity), but centuries passed, and this (baptizing children) became a great virtue, a good deed!? Be watchful! God allows everything! The Lord warned about various heresies, false teachings, the spirit of deception… Be watchful! For example, what was “skubalon” for the apostle Paul, for today’s “Christians,” “Orthodox” – this is a great shrine, a sign of Orthodoxy, and modern “Christians” believe and teach (if anyone still teaches anyone anything at all!?) their followers so!?