This easily proved and unassailable fact strikes the death blow to the false doctrine of infant-baptism. Baptism to be Scriptural and effective, MUST BE PRECEDED BY BELIEF. Belief cannot be dispensed with.

1. General references to the necessity of belief.

Paul says (Heb. 11:6), "...without faith (belief) it is IMPOSSIBLE to please him (God) ..." and further, "...he that cometh to God MUST BELIEVE ..."

And to the Romans (1:16): "... the gospel of Christ ... it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that BELIEVETH ..."

And in support of the necessity of belief he goes on to quote from Habakkuk (2:4): "... the just shall live by his faith (belief)."

Writing to the Thessalonians, he refers to "salvation ... through ... belief of the Truth" (2 Thess. 2:13).

2. Baptism specifically and inseparably associated with belief.

But we are not left with these general expressions. We find the necessity of belief inseparably linked with the ordinance of baptism in several places, and we are not given the slightest justification or loophole for separating them, or considering one as effective without the other. Again quoting Paul, this time to the Colossians (2:12): "...[Ye] are buried with him (Christ) in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the FAITH (belief) of the operation of God ..."

Peter says (1 Peter 3:21): "...baptism ... answer of a good conscience toward God ..." -- necessarily implying knowledge and belief.

Christ, when he parted from his disciples, commissioned them to go into all the world and preach the Gospel, and he added (Mark 16:16): "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."

In Acts 18 we are told of Paul's preaching at Corinth in Greece, and the circumstances that occurred in connection with it. Then (verse 8): "... and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized."

They heard, they believed; they were baptized, and that is the order we find invariably followed in Scripture. There is never a hint of baptism without previous belief.

Some time earlier, north of Corinth, in Philippi, Paul was thrown into prison for his preaching. An angel released him, and being impressed by the miracle, the jailor asked Paul (Acts 16:30): "... what must I do to be saved?"

Paul answered [verse 31]: "... Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ ... and thou shalt be saved ..."

And the record continues [verses 33-34]: "And he [the jailor] ... was baptized ... believing in God with all his house."

In Acts 8 we have the record of Philip preaching in Samaria. In verse 12 we read: "But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized..."

Here we are told what it was necessary to believe in apostolic times -- the "things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ." These things, sad to say, are like the divine ordinance of baptism, neglected and rejected by the churches of today.

Baptism, as we have seen, must be the "answer of a good conscience" (1 Peter 3:21), and it operates "through faith" (Col. 2:12). Infant baptism is unknown to Scripture and is utterly incompatible with all that the Scriptures teach concerning baptism.