Periodically, the question arises, “Does baptism make a boy into a man?” By this, additional questions are implied that have some ramifications: “May a woman continue to teach a Bible class in which a boy has been baptized?” “When a boy is baptized, does it necessitate his use in any area of service where adult male members may serve (e.g., serving communion, leading prayer, leading singing, preaching, making decisions for the church in business meetings)?” What can be gleaned from the Scriptures?
Passages that identify “men and women” as those who become baptized believers (Acts 5:14; 8:12) do not fully answer the question. However, we can glean from such verses that: (1) both sexes of humanity are equally afforded redemption in Christ (Galatians 3:27-28), and (2) that these individuals must be mature enough to repent and believe prior to baptism (Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16).
In the Old Testament under Judaism, one became a child of God or was placed into a covenant relationship with God at birth. However, one was not considered a man until he attained the age of 20 (i.e., old enough to go to war, Numbers 1:20). Further, priests could only be appointed and serve between the years of 25 and 50 (Numbers 8:24-25). Principles that we can glean from these references are that: (1) Simply being a child of God does not necessarily qualify one to be used in any and all aspects of service. (2) A degree of maturity is required to be of special service to God (e.g., qualifications for elders and deacons include being old enough to have a wife and children).
Common sense alone would argue that a boy who is baptized is not thereby a man as far as candidacy to be either a husband or a father. Why, then, ought one to think that baptism turns an eight-year-old or thirteen-year-old, etc. into a man whereby he can assume with equality the roles of service entertained by adult Christians?
While our Christian young men of any age might well be used to lead singing or prayer, serve the communion, etc. (as they are able), neither biblical nor secular proscription pronounces adult maturity upon a child just because he has been baptized. Neither biblical nor secular perspectives surmise that a baptized youngster is thereby somehow mystically qualified to direct the affairs of the church (along with adult Christian men in the absence of elders).
The following article from the Gospel Gazette Online archives may also proved useful.
https://www.gospelgazette.com/gazette/2000/mar/page13.shtml
