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The next earliest mention of infant baptism is A.D. 200 in [[Tertullian]], in his [[treatise]] ''On Baptism''. The very first words of ''On Baptism'' show the doctrine of "regenerative baptism"  

The next earliest mention of infant baptism is A.D. 200 in [[Tertullian]], in his [[treatise]] ''On Baptism''. The very first words of ''On Baptism'' show the doctrine of "regenerative baptism"  

:{{cquote|Happy is our sacrament of water, in that, by washing away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free and admitted into eternal life! … [''And further on he says''] All waters, therefore, in virtue of the pristine privilege of their origin, do, after invocation of God, attain the sacramental power of sanctification; for the Spirit immediately supervenes from the heavens, and rests over the waters, sanctifying them from Himself; and being thus sanctified, they imbibe at the same time the power of sanctifying.<ref>See the article [http://shamelesspopery.com/does-tertullian-reject-infant-baptism/ Does Tertullian Reject Infant Baptism? Joe Heschmeyer - Shameless Popery (shamelesspopery.com)] —''a critical clarification of the context of Tertullian's treatise.''<br>See the text: [http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0321.htm Tertullian: On Baptism (newadvent.org)]</ref>}}  

:{{cquote|Happy is our sacrament of water, in that, by washing away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free and admitted into eternal life! … [''And further on he says''] All waters, therefore, in virtue of the pristine privilege of their origin, do, after invocation of God, attain the sacramental power of sanctification; for the Spirit immediately supervenes from the heavens, and rests over the waters, sanctifying them from Himself; and being thus sanctified, they imbibe at the same time the power of sanctifying.<ref>See the article [http://shamelesspopery.com/does-tertullian-reject-infant-baptism/ Does Tertullian Reject Infant Baptism? Joe Heschmeyer - Shameless Popery (shamelesspopery.com)] —''a critical clarification of the context of Tertullian's treatise.''<br>See the text: [http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0321.htm Tertullian: On Baptism (newadvent.org)]</ref>}}  

His treatise on baptism shows throughout that baptism saves from sins and that infant baptism is a practice accepted in the early church. The [[Ante-Nicene Fathers|early Church Fathers]] are unanimous in their belief in regenerative baptism, that Baptism actually saves us (as 1 Peter 3:21 explicitly says), by causing us to be born again by water and the Spirit (John 3:5); that it actually washes away our sins (Acts 22:16; Ephesians 5:26), and creates in us a clean heart (Hebrews 10:22), making us new creatures (2&nbsp;Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15), enabling us to approach God (Hebrews 10:22), all of which is prophesied by Ezekiel 36:25-27.{{cquote|Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.<br>A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.<br>And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do ''them''.<br>—Ezekiel 36:25-27 (KJV)}}Whole families who converted to Christ had all of their members baptized into him, including infants, that they all might belong to God.<ref>1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:27.</ref> All who were in immanent danger of death were immediately baptized, using available water, even if only a few drops; and if they were unconscious, all who were unable to request baptism, including infants, to save them from damnation. Tertullian does not denounce the practice of infant baptism but urges that the sacrament be delayed until after the period of innocence because it is holy, and even much later, even in the case of adults, especially the young and unmarried, and elders, because of the danger of committing a mortal sin, which some at that time believe cannot be forgiven after baptism, based on their particular controversial interpretation of Hebrews 6:4-6.<ref>It has been said that this is why [[Constantine]] delayed his own baptism until just before he died.</ref> The references to (i) being enlightened, (ii) tasting the heavenly gift, and (iii) becoming partakers of the Holy Spirit, and (iv) falling away, are interpreted in general by all as references to Baptism, Communion, Confirmation and [[Apostasy]] respectively.{{cquote|For ''it is'' impossible for those who were once enlightened [Baptism], and have tasted of the heavenly gift [Eucharist], and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost [Confirmation],<br>And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,<br>If they shall fall away [Apostasy], to renew them again unto repentance [Confession]; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.<br>—Hebrews 6:4-6 (KJV)}}Not everyone agrees with Tertullian's recommendation that baptism is best delayed, because of the belief that baptism actually cleanses the soul, washing away sins. "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Acts 22:16. The controversial opinion of some moral rigorists that ''no mortal sin can ever be forgiven'' was rejected in the condemnation of the heresy of Novatianism,<ref>See [http://earlychristianwritings.com/novatian.html Novatian - Early Christian Writings- New Testament (earlychristianwritings.com)]<br> [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11138a.htm Novatian and Novatianism - Catholic Encyclopedia (newadvent.org)]<br> [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Novatian Novatian (orthodoxWiki.org)].</ref> in favor of the Catholic doctrine that there is no sin that cannot be forgiven by Christ in the [[Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation|sacrament of confession]] before death.<ref>See [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_john/5-16.htm 1 John 1:8-10 and 1 John 5:16.]</ref> The only exception is [[blasphemy]] against the Holy Spirit.<ref>Matthew 12:30-37; Mark 3:28-30; Luke 12:10; John 8:42-50.</ref> The predominant orthodox catholic doctrine held that as people spoke against Jesus, so they speak against his body, against his household the church (as Novatian did).<ref>1 Timothy 3:15; Matthew 10:25; 12:24, 27; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:14-23.</ref> As blasphemy against the Son of Man is forgiven, so blasphemy against his body the church is forgiven. As blasphemy against the Holy Spirit in Jesus is not forgiven, in this world or in the world to come, so blasphemy against the Holy Spirit of his body the church, as the One working <ref>1 Corinthians 12:6; Philippians 2:13; Romans 8:1-14.</ref> in the sacraments and ministries of healing and attested miracles in his body,<ref>1 Corinthians 12:4-28.</ref> is not forgiven, in this world or in the world to come. As blasphemy against the Bride of Christ is forgiven, so blasphemy against the Spirit dwelling in Her and ruling Her, as being in reality the evil spirit of [[Antichrist]] and [[Satan#Beelzebub|Satan]], is not forgiven, in this world or the world to come.<ref>Matthew 5:11-12; 1 Peter 2:4-10; John 3:29-36; Revelation 19:6-9; 22:14-15; 17.</ref> {{cquote|If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy ''are ye''; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you''':''' on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.<br>—[https://www.biblehub.com/1_peter/4-14.htm 1 Peter 4:14 (KJV)]}}

His treatise on baptism shows throughout that baptism saves from sins and that infant baptism is a practice accepted in the early church. The [[Ante-Nicene Fathers|early Church Fathers]] are unanimous in their belief in regenerative baptism, that Baptism actually saves us (as 1 Peter 3:21 explicitly says), by causing us to be born again by water and the Spirit (John 3:5); that it actually washes away our sins (Acts 22:16; Ephesians 5:26), and creates in us a clean heart (Hebrews 10:22), making us new creatures (2&nbsp;Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15), enabling us to approach God (Hebrews 10:22), all of which is prophesied by Ezekiel 36:25-27.{{cquote|Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.<br>A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.<br>And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do ''them''.<br>—Ezekiel 36:25-27 (KJV)}}Whole families who converted to Christ had all of their members baptized into him, including infants, that they all might belong to God.<ref>1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:27.</ref> All who were in immanent danger of death were immediately baptized, using available water, even if only a few drops; and if they were unconscious, all who were unable to request baptism, including infants, to save them from damnation. Tertullian does not denounce the practice of infant baptism but urges that the sacrament be delayed until after the period of innocence because it is holy, and even much later, even in the case of adults, especially the young and unmarried, and elders, because of the danger of committing a mortal sin, which some at that time believe cannot be forgiven after baptism, based on their particular controversial interpretation of Hebrews 6:4-6.<ref>It has been said that this is why [[Constantine]] delayed his own baptism until just before he died.</ref> The references to (i) being enlightened, (ii) tasting the heavenly gift, and (iii) becoming partakers of the Holy Spirit, (iv) falling away, and (v) repentance, are interpreted in general by all as references to Baptism, Communion, Confirmation, [[Apostasy]], and Confession, respectively.{{cquote|For ''it is'' impossible for those who were once enlightened [Baptism], and have tasted of the heavenly gift [Eucharist], and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost [Confirmation],<br>And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,<br>If they shall fall away [Apostasy], to renew them again unto repentance [Confession]; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.<br>—Hebrews 6:4-6 (KJV)}}Not everyone agrees with Tertullian's recommendation that baptism is best delayed, because of the belief that baptism actually cleanses the soul, washing away sins. "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Acts 22:16. He held the opinion that baptism alone, which could not be repeated, is the only, unique and singular means of forgiveness of sins. The controversial opinion of some strict moral rigorists that ''no mortal sin can ever be forgiven'' was rejected in the condemnation of the heresy of Novatianism,<ref>See [http://earlychristianwritings.com/novatian.html Novatian - Early Christian Writings- New Testament (earlychristianwritings.com)]<br> [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11138a.htm Novatian and Novatianism - Catholic Encyclopedia (newadvent.org)]<br> [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Novatian Novatian (orthodoxWiki.org)].</ref> in favor of the Catholic doctrine that there is no sin that cannot be forgiven by Christ in the [[Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation|sacrament of confession]] before death.<ref>See [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_john/5-16.htm 1 John 1:8-10 and 1 John 5:16.]</ref> The only exception is [[blasphemy]] against the Holy Spirit.<ref>Matthew 12:30-37; Mark 3:28-30; Luke 12:10; John 8:42-50.</ref> The predominant orthodox catholic doctrine held that as people spoke against Jesus, so they speak against his body, against his household the church (as Novatian did).<ref>1 Timothy 3:15; Matthew 10:25; 12:24, 27; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:14-23.</ref> As blasphemy against the Son of Man is forgiven, so blasphemy against his body the church is forgiven. As blasphemy against the Holy Spirit in Jesus is not forgiven, in this world or in the world to come, so blasphemy against the Holy Spirit of his body the church, as the One working <ref>1 Corinthians 12:6; Philippians 2:13; Romans 8:1-14.</ref> in the sacraments and ministries of healing and attested miracles in his body,<ref>1 Corinthians 12:4-28.</ref> is not forgiven, in this world or in the world to come. As blasphemy against the Bride of Christ is forgiven, so blasphemy against the Spirit dwelling in Her and ruling Her, as being in reality the evil spirit of [[Antichrist]] and [[Satan#Beelzebub|Satan]], is not forgiven, in this world or the world to come.<ref>Matthew 5:11-12; 1 Peter 2:4-10; John 3:29-36; Revelation 19:6-9; 22:14-15; 17.</ref> {{cquote|If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy ''are ye''; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you''':''' on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.<br>—[https://www.biblehub.com/1_peter/4-14.htm 1 Peter 4:14 (KJV)]}}

==Controversy based on interpretations of Scripture==

==Controversy based on interpretations of Scripture==