First, we believe that the Scriptures clearly teach that children of at least one Christian parent should be baptized, otherwise we wouldn’t do it. The Belgic Confession is a summary of what we believe the Bible says, but not every article takes the time to directly quote and defend fully from the Scriptures what we believe; in that sense it’s more of a reference tool, a starting point.

Second, here is a brief overview of the Biblical support for infant baptism. There is a lot packed into a few lines here, so please take the time to read the Bible references with the statements carefully:

God made this gospel promise to Abraham and to his children, “If you put your faith in My justifying grace alone, you will be saved” (Genesis 12:1-7; Genesis 15). God signed and sealed this promise with circumcision to Abraham (Romans 4:11) and to all who would live in the community of that promise (Genesis 17:9-14), infants included. God repeated this very same promise, dressed in New Covenant langauge, to that continuing community (Acts 2:38). God accesorized this old promise dressed in New Covenant language with a New Covenant sign and seal, baptism (Acts 2:38, 41, with Romans 6:4 and 1 Peter 3:21). As expected, the new sign and seal extends to everyone who would live in the community of the promise until glorification (Acts 2:39), infants included. Lydia knew from biblical history that if the promise was for her, it was also for the children of her “household” (Acts 16:14-15).

Third, the statements in article 34 do not mean that infants and children are saved through baptism. Baptism does not equate with salvation. Sadly, there are baptized children, just as there are baptized adults, who reject Christ and are not saved. Note that the confession calls baptism is a “sign and sacrament” of that which Christ has done for us. So someone (child OR adult) can have the water of baptism wash away dirt from their bodies but NOT have the blood and Spirit of Christ wash away their sins from their souls. If a person does not have true faith in Christ, their baptism profits them nothing good. So we make an important distinction between the sign (water) and the thing signified (the blood of Christ); and you can receive one without the other.

Fourth, when you say that “the order is always salvation first, then baptism follows,” that is true (in the sense you mean it) for adults. We agree that adults must profess faith before they are baptized.
But you should not assume, just because that is true for adults, that children are not also being baptized because they belong to those who have made this profession. In fact is it very strange to assume that in the “household” baptisms of the New Testament, as in Lydia’s case, that there were no children being baptized. “Household” is a word that carries with it the Old Testament understanding, that of the head of a household professing faith, and all those in it being comprehended together.

Fifth, I encourage you to poke around the website to find sermons on the topic, or to listen to the sections on the sacraments in the “What is the Reformed Faith?” lessons, also on the website. It’ll help you understand how we understand the Bible on this point.

Last, one other thing, I wanted to point out that the official stance of the vast, vast majority of churches who rebelled against Roman Catholicism and its anti-biblical traditions, and who rejected its traditionalism and manmade worship, the greatest champions of the Scriptures in the last 700 years, believed that the Bible taught infant baptism. Now that doesn’t make it correct of course, but I usually point that out to people in order to encourage them to give the idea a fair hearing. Sometimes the issue is a little more complex than people are led to believe by their churches, and we hope you’ll continue to give us a hearing.

Again, Yolanda, thanks for being in touch. Come visit us sometime if you are nearby!