Page "Infant baptism" Paragraph 27

Infant baptism is particularly illustrative of the Methodist doctrine of prevenient grace.

The principle is that The Fall of Man ruined the human soul to such an extent that nobody wants a relationship with God.

In order for humans to even want to be able to choose, God must empower their will ( so that they may choose Christ ) which he does by means of prevenient grace.

Thus God takes the very first step in salvation, preceding any human effort or decision.

Methodists justify infant baptism by this principle of prevenient grace, often arguing that infant baptism is God's promise or declaration to the infant that calls that infant to ( eventually ) believe in God's promises ( God's Word ) for salvation.

When the individual believes in Jesus they will profess their faith before the church, often using a ritual called confirmation in which the Holy Spirit is invoked with the laying on of hands.

Methodists also use infant baptism symbolically, as an illustration of God approaching the helpless.

They see the ceremony additionally as a celebration of God's prevenient grace.