Jesus came preaching the Kingdom of God saying, ‘Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’ (Matt 4:17, 23; Mk 1:15l; And He said it is for this that He was sent (Lk 4:43). He commanded to pray for God’s Kingdom come (Matt 6:10; Lk 11:2). And when talking of infants, He said, 

Lu:18:15-17: And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. 

M'r:10:13-16: And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. 

M't:18:1: At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?M't:18:2: And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,M't:18:3: And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. M't:18:4: Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. M't:18:5: And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. M't:18:6: But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.M't:18:3: And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. M't:18:4: Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 

M't:18:10: Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. 

Joh:3:3: Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Joh:3:5: Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Joh:3:6: That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 

M't:18:3: And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, (born again) ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

In the early Church this passage Lu:18:15-17 was understood as a command to bring the infants to Christ for Baptism. The very first time this passage shows up in Christian literature, it is used in reference to Infant Baptism (Tertullian, De Baptismo 18:5). Even though Tertullian espoused a later baptism for children, he acknowledged that Infant Baptism was already the universal practice and does not try to avoid the interpretation of this verse's reference to Infant Baptism. The Apostolic Constitutions (c. 350) taught that children should receive baptism based on the words of Jesus, "Do not hinder them".

The infants of the Kingdom have their angels in heaven always in the presence of Our Father in heaven (Mt 18:10).

The King of the Kingdom says ‘let the children come to the King for of such is the Kingdom (His Kingdom; the place where He is King) and continues to say that ‘Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein’ i.e., the adults need to convert and become as these and receive the Kingdom to enter the Kingdom. He does not say ‘let them reach the age of reason and come to me’ but that as infants themselves He takes them in His arms and blesses them because they are of His Kingdom. 

How does one suppose infants or children to be ‘Of the Kingdom’ or ‘receive’ or ‘enter’ the Kingdom if they are not subject to baptism.

Throughout Christian history, only a very few have opposed Infant Baptism. The opposition resides mainly in those of Anabaptist heritage which originated in the sixteenth century and who were strongly opposed by Reformers Martin Luther and John Calvin who both taught and practiced Infant Baptism. The Anabaptists' opposition to the baptism of infants lies mainly in their belief-unsupported by Scripture and with no supporting evidence from the practice of the early Church-that one has to be of sufficient age to exercise personal faith in Christ and make a personal confession at baptism. Nowhere is this taught in Scripture that only adults can receive baptism. To hold this extreme view is to be outside the continuity of historical Christianity.

Fundamentalists conclude the passage refers only to children old enough to walk, and, presumably, capable of sinning. Then is the Lord saying that the Kingdom belongs to those who are likely to sin? Or is He saying it belongs to those who are free from sin? The text says ‘little children’ and or infants. The text in Luke 18:15 says, "Now they were bringing even infants to him" (Greek, Proseferon de auto kai ta brephe). The Greek word brephe means "infants"—children who are quite unable to approach Christ on their own and who could not possibly make a conscious decision to "accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior."

And that is precisely the problem. Fundamentalists refuse to permit the baptism of infants and young children, because they are not yet capable of making such a conscious act. But notice what Jesus said: "to such as these [referring to the infants and children who had been brought to him by their mothers] belongs the kingdom of heaven." The Lord did not require them to make a conscious decision. He says that they are precisely the kind of people who can come to him and receive the kingdom. So on what basis, Fundamentalists should be asked, can infants and young children be excluded from the sacrament of baptism? If Jesus said "let them come unto me," who are we to say "no," and withhold baptism from them?

Also, the Lord continues to say the adults need to become like these children in order to enter the Kingdom, children are the examples of what the Kingdom is to be. ‘Unless you convert and become as these to receive, you cannot enter.

On examining the language used by the several evangelists in regard to this occurrence, it is evident that the children here spoken of were young children, infants, such as the Saviour could "take in his arms."

M'r:10:16: And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

Infants, the Lord says, are to belong to the Kingdom. They are the greatest in the Kingdom of God. Being much displeased because of His disciples hindering the children from going to Him Jesus says; 

Suffer the little children to come me the King, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. (M'r:10:14). 

The language which our Lord himself employs concerning them is remarkable. "Of such is the kingdom of heaven." That is, theirs is the kingdom of heaven, or, to them belong the kingdom of heaven. It is precisely the same form of expression, in the original, which our Lord uses in the commencement of his sermon on the mount, when he says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven;" "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:3, 10). According to Jesus little children not only can believe but can have a faith superior to adults. 

Mk 10:13-16 Jesus clarifies that children are Of His Kingdom while the adults need to convert and become as children to receive and enter into His Kingdom. The Lord says about the infants as ‘Of such ‘is’ the Kingdom as to mean that they are of the Kingdom in the present state as they are, not that ‘Of such shall be’ as to point to in the future, but that of such ‘is’, while of the adults He goes on to say that they ‘should’ or ‘must’ convert and come to the state as to which the children are to receive and enter the Kingdom. Adults are thus asked to become or convert to children to receive the Kingdom. How do you suppose that the children are of the Kingdom without being subject to baptism of the birth from above by the Holy Spirit when the Bible clearly defines that ‘That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit’ John 3:6. And that, ‘ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you’(Ro:8:9).Children and those converting to childlike are the ones fit for the Kingdom or ‘Of the Kingdom’ and for this reason the adults ‘convert’ and become like children and then receive baptism, while children being in their child stage are ‘Of the Kingdom’ and so fit to receive baptism. Not that children should go away for the time being and return when they reach the age of reason. According to Jesus one must be born of water and Spirit to enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus did not give exceptions for infants. 

John 3:3-6 adds the grownups are to become ‘as children’ and be born of the Spirit to enter the Kingdom. The Lord adds, that whoever receives one such child receives the Lord and the Father. We see in the Bible that in keeping up with the second part of Lord’s command here, the adults are received into the church, the Lord’s Kingdom on earth on converting ‘to children’ and are baptized to be born of the Spirit. But the first part of the command that children are ‘Of His Kingdom’ is bluntly neglected and baptism denied to infants by protestant churches. What does it mean when the Lord Himself declares children as those who belong to the Kingdom. 

Other references to the ‘Kingdom’ in the Bible. 

M't:21:43: Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 

M't:23:13: But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. 

M't:12:28: But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 

Lu:11:20: But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. 

In Matt 13:41 He talks of angels being send on the last day to ‘gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity’. 

Lu:17:20: And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Lu:17:21: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. 

Lu:22:29: And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; 

Ro:14:17: For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 

Jas:2:5: Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? 

The "Kingdom of God" is identified with the "Church" in Matt.16:18-19: "on this Peter I will build my church... I will give you, Peter, the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven" . 

The word ‘Kingdom referred to in the Bible is 

1. The abode of God and the saints
2. The reign of God in us.
3. The church
4. The kingship of God

Of such is the Kingdom, does the Kingdom here mean the of heaven above? Then it implies He wants these children up there? Kill them all because He wants all of them there. But He refers to the Kingdom generally i.e. the One Kingdom, heaven and earth together as seen in Hebrews 12:22, 23 where He reigns whether it be within a person or where a person be.

How are children ‘Of the Kingdom’ in the Protestant sense?

Children were members of the old kingdom from 8 days old. This same Kingdom is taken from the old husbandmen and handed over to the new (M't:21:43). The children brought into the Temple for the Lord to bless them were also Jewish infants / babies. These are said not to be hindered from coming to Him. Children in the Old Testament were part of ‘the house of Israel’ as well as of the covenant of God. The prophecies of Isaiah, Ezekiel, all point to the redemption of the house of Israel and children were part of it from 8 days old. 

Lu:18:15: And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.Lu:18:16: But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.Lu:18:17: Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. 

Of which state of the Kingdom is Jesus referring to in the verses above. A Kingdom ‘received’ and one entered’. For any one of it Baptism is the basic requirement. 

Protestants misjudge the verses in the Bible and claim that because the Bible says, only those who believe and are baptized will be saved as in Mk 16:14-16 and later point out that due to this infant baptism is wrong because children do not have the ability to hear and believe or confess before their baptism. But what does the Bible clearly state. The Bible says, Yes, you cannot enter the Kingdom unless you receive it as children, you cannot receive it unless you ‘convert’ and become as children. Thus you need to believe first to convert and then receive the Kingdom through baptism. But for children, as said above it is different. They are already ‘of the Kingdom’ even before hearing and believing. They do not need to convert and become as children because, they are already children of the Kingdom. They are fit to receive the Kingdom. So, as the Lord said ‘do not hinder, or forbid them from receiving the Kingdom.

The members of the kingdom which I am come to set up in the world are such as these, as well as grown persons, who convert and become as children. Such are subjects of the Messiah's kingdom. And such as these it properly belongs to.

"instead of the children first becoming like them (adults), they (the adults) must themselves become like the children". He took them up in His gracious arms, put His hands upon them and blessed them, to show that they were thereby made capable, AS INFANTS, of the Kingdom of God. And if so, then "Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?" (Ac 10:47).

Kingdom of heaven / of God in the Bible refers where God exercises his rule, thus means His church, His Kingdom above and His rule inside each being. In Mr 10:13 – 15 the Lord says specifically that children should not be hindered in coming unto Him because ‘Of such’ i.e. children and those childlike, it is the two categories of people who are eligible to enter into the kingdom i.e. 1) children and 2) those converted and become as children. Then why deny baptism to children and permit only to those who convert and become as children when the Lord says both are of the Kingdom. A similar situation is seen at the time God established His covenant with Abraham. Abraham believed God and circumcised himself, while Isaac his son was circumcised when he was only 8 days old. Circumcision of the Old Testament is the forerunner of baptism of the New Testament. Similarly among the chosen race of the Old Testament, the Jews, children were circumcised at 8 days and those converting from another belief or paganism to Judaism were baptized as per Old Testament rites after hearing and believing. 

The church on earth is also part of God’s kingdom in heaven. Both together form His big fellowship, ‘fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God’ (Eph:2:19); mount Sion, and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, with an innumerable company of angels, (Heb:12:22), the general assembly (Heb:12:23). The Father’s family is the ‘the whole family in heaven and earth’ (Eph:3:14). So there is no two Kingdoms of God but one family. 

Eph:2:18: For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Eph:2:19: Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; Eph:2:20: And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; Eph:2:21: In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: Eph:2:22: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. 

1Co:12:12: For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 1Co:12:13: For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 

Eph:4:4: There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; Eph:4:5: One Lord, one faith, one baptism, Eph:4:6: One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 

Lu:20:38: For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him. 

Joh:10:16: And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

The Lord said ‘Of such is the kingdom’. And He also asked us to pray ‘Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven’. Then are the children on earth to be left out or need it be as the Kingdom in heaven.

Jesus owned them as members of his church, as they had been of the Jewish church. He came to set up the kingdom of God among men, and took this occasion to declare that the kingdom admitted little children to be the subjects of it, and gave them a title to the privileges of subjects. The kingdom of God is to be kept up by such: they must be taken in when they are little children. We must receive the kingdom of God as little children. He received the children, and gave them what was desired; He took them up in his arms, in token of his affectionate concern for them; put his hands upon them, as was desired, and blessed them.

Now the scripture was fulfilled (Isa. 40:11), He shall gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom. He took up these children, not complaining of the burden, but pleased with it. He put his hands upon them, denoting the bestowing of his Spirit upon them (for that is the hand of the Lord), and his setting them apart for himself. He blessed them with the spiritual blessings he came to give. we do not read that he baptized these children, baptism was not fully settled as the door of admission into the church until after Christ's resurrection; but he asserted their visible church-membership, and by another sign bestowed those blessings upon them, which are now appointed to be conveyed and conferred by baptism, the seal of the promise, which is to us and to our children.

St. Paul declares that ‘any man that have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His’. 

Ro:8:9: But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 

Children are holy enough to receive the Kingdom, while the adults needed to repent and believe (convert and become as children) to receive the Kingdom. Since Jesus is the Savior of the world, He wants to save them, too. “Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish” (M't:18:14). John 14:6 "No one comes to the Father except through me." 

How are we to come to Jesus in the New Covenant? Jesus proclaimed that we must come to him as children, Matthew 18:2-5. Notice that we must come to Jesus in the New Covenant, as children. It would be strange to say that we must come to him as children, but then exclude the very children he proclaims that we must be like, from entering communing with him through baptism!!! Children and, those who convert and become as little children (Matt 18:3,4; Matt 19:14; Mark 10:14, 15) are those said to be acceptable to the Kingdom of heaven. Adhering to this, those who convert and become as little children are permitted to receive baptism by all churches, then why hinder children from being baptized when Christ says they and the converts are acceptable to the kingdom of heaven. 

This definitely has baptismal implications, especially since he says in my name. In Acts 2:38 it is used of baptism in Jesus name. The New Testament talks about people being baptized "in the name of Jesus," , or Jesus Christ. There are four such passages (Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:48, and 19:5); it means to baptize in the authority of Jesus. Thus, when Jesus uses the phrase to welcome the children in my name, he definitely has in mind, that this would be a reference to baptism.

The Catholic Church is merely continuing the tradition established by the first Christians, who heeded the words of Christ: "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God" (Luke 18:16).

Christ Reigns!!