# Defense Against The Opponents By Thomas Van ImbrœCk. · Page 1 of 4 [Previous page: CONFESSION OF THOMAS VAN IMBRŒCK, CONCERNING BAPTISM.](/en/stories/mm-confession-of-thomas-van-imbrck-concerning-baptism/part-4/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: DEFENSE AGAINST THE OPPONENTS BY THOMAS VAN IMBRŒCK.](/en/stories/mm-defense-against-the-opponents-by-thomas-van-imbrck/part-2/) In the first place, our opponents say, it is written: “Suffer little children to come unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 19:14. Now, if they have the promise, why should they not also receive baptism, which is less than the promise? Answer.—We believe and confess that infants are saved on account of the promise; but that salvation depends on baptism, we do not confess; for when Christ promised the children the kingdom of God, they were not baptized, nor did he baptize them, but he embraced them, and spoke kindly to, or blessed, them. Mark 9:36,37. Christ also states the reason why the children are acceptable to God, since he sets them as examples for adults, and admonishes us, that we should be like them, for thus he says to his disciples: “Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this 358 little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matt. 18:3,4. Hence, since we are admonished to become as children, it is incontrovertible, that as long as they remain in a state of innocence, God holds them guiltless, and no sin is imputed to them; and although they are of a sinful nature, partaking of the nature of Adam, there still remains something in them which is pleasing to God, namely, innocence and humility; however, they are saved only through the grace of Christ. But if some condemn infants, if they die without baptism, it is a despising of the blood of Christ; for the sin of Adam and of the whole world, is reconciled through the sacrifice of Christ, and no sin from Adam is imputed to children; how then can children be damned? Who will accuse the children, for whom Christ shed his blood? Who will condemn them, to whom Christ has promised the kingdom of God? Who will deny the holy Scriptures, which declare so emphatically, that the sin of Adam and of the whole world has been taken away; the handwriting of the law, which was against us, blotted out, and nailed to the cross, and that grace has abounded over sin, and the life of Christ conquered death? Hence, he who says that children are condemned, or accuses them on account of original sin, denies the death and blood of Christ. For, if the children are condemned because of Adam’s death, then Christ died in vain, Adam’s guilt is still upon us, and not reconciled through Christ, and grace has not abounded over sin through Christ. God forbid. For the grace of God has richly appeared to all men. Tit. 2:11; Rom. 5:18. All malediction, curse, and the sin of the whole world have been taken away through Christ, and as adults are saved through faith, so children are saved through their innocence; but all through grace. An answer, then, remains yet to be given, why, if they are saved, they should not be baptized. In the first place, because we have no command from Christ for it. Abraham had received a command from the Lord, to circumcise all males on the eighth day. Now, he had received no command respecting females, nor did he follow his own opinion, but, according to the command of God, caused only the male children to be circumcised; and circumcision was the sign of the covenant which God had established with Abraham; and still, the women were included in the covenant as well as the men. And afterwards, when Israel was in the wilderness, and had grossly sinned against the Lord, so that God said, they should not enter into the promised land, and this on account of their unbelief, he (the Lord) said: But your children which now know neither good nor evil, they shall possess it. Now, if the children, whom the Lord had commanded to be circumcised on the eighth day,[210](/en/stories/mm-footnotes/part-14/#Footnote_210) obtained mercy from him, and he promised to give them the land, and that they should possess it, how much more should now his grace be upon the children for whom Christ died? In the second place, our opponents say, that the Lord said to Nicodemus: “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” John 3:5. From this, they say, it follows, that no one can enter into the kingdom of God, except he be baptized with water. Answer.—These words of Christ must not be understood with reference to children; for the passage which the Lord spake to Nicodemus, namely: Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God, declares differently; for here we hear that Christ presented to Nicodemus regeneration, which takes place only through the word of God, as has above, in my confession, been sufficiently explained; and then Nicodemus said: How can a man, when he is old, enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born again? ## Original source [Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_358) [Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855) [Previous page: CONFESSION OF THOMAS VAN IMBRŒCK, CONCERNING BAPTISM.](/en/stories/mm-confession-of-thomas-van-imbrck-concerning-baptism/part-4/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: DEFENSE AGAINST THE OPPONENTS BY THOMAS VAN IMBRŒCK.](/en/stories/mm-defense-against-the-opponents-by-thomas-van-imbrck/part-2/) --- Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-defense-against-the-opponents-by-thomas-van-imbrck/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+Defense+Against+The+Opponents+By+Thomas+Van+Imbr%C5%93Ck.+%C2%B7+Page+1+of+4&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0ADefense+Against+The+Opponents+By+Thomas+Van+Imbr%C5%93Ck.+%C2%B7+Page+1+of+4%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-defense-against-the-opponents-by-thomas-van-imbrck%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-defense-against-the-opponents-by-thomas-van-imbrck%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+16th+century+%28source+section%29%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)