Grace and Peace to you!
In our Confirmation classes, youth learn that Christians honor and keep sacraments. Youth also learn about how Lutherans define the word “sacrament”: a sacrament is an act that is commanded by Christ, uses a material or earthly element, and through connection with God’s Word is the bearer of God’s promise. We also talk about how different Christian faith traditions observe different sacraments and that Lutherans have two sacraments: Holy Communion and Holy Baptism.
Holy Communion is a frequent part of our worship services while Holy Baptism is not as frequently celebrated. Be that as it may, our baptism is the beginning of our Christian journey of faith that goes with us every day. Our faith journey, in our baptismal waters, helps to define our relationship to God and to one another. Our baptism is something that we return to daily as we return to the waters of our baptism to be cleansed from our sins.
Baptism, while common across Christian denominations, can be a subject of disagreement between some Christian churches. There are some who claim that baptism is a symbol; that baptism is an outward expression of our faith and commitment to God and that any words or phrases that talk about baptism is merely symbolical.
The sixth chapter of Paul’s letter to the Romans contains words which convince me that baptism is more than just a symbol. Baptism, beyond the pouring of water, contains many actions. “All of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death.” This is an action that puts us into Christ. “Therefore, we have been buried with him through by into death” This is another action and the result of these actions is…”so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” And there is another result of this action. “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”
These are all actions: baptism into Christ, into his death, into his resurrection. A symbol does not put you into anything. If we Christians symbolized the death and resurrection of Christ, where then would our hope be if his work was but a symbol?
Baptism is God’s guarantee to us. It is a function of God! It is a divine spiritual means, one that derives its power from a connection with Christ and his death and resurrection. It is one that affects in us a death to sin and brings to us a new life. Best of all is that we do not have to be continually re-baptized just as Jesus does not have to continually go back upon the cross.
It is so comforting to know that God has given to each of us something physical that touches us and as it touches us just once, it conveys God’s promises and accomplishes his work all the days of our life and beyond. It is comforting to know that God gave us the gift of baptism so that we are redeem from sin. I know that if I tried to avoid sin on my own, I would be helpless against its grip. But in baptism, God gives to each of us Christ – who has conquered sin. So even in times when I may fail, he does not. God’s promise is attached, and it remains perfect and enduring. Since we die to sin, we believe that we shall also live with Christ for all eternity.
In Christ!
Pastor Bakker
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. Romans 6:3-5 (NRSV)
In our Confirmation classes, youth learn that Christians honor and keep sacraments. Youth also learn about how Lutherans define the word “sacrament”: a sacrament is an act that is commanded by Christ, uses a material or earthly element, and through connection with God’s Word is the bearer of God’s promise. We also talk about how different Christian faith traditions observe different sacraments and that Lutherans have two sacraments: Holy Communion and Holy Baptism.
Holy Communion is a frequent part of our worship services while Holy Baptism is not as frequently celebrated. Be that as it may, our baptism is the beginning of our Christian journey of faith that goes with us every day. Our faith journey, in our baptismal waters, helps to define our relationship to God and to one another. Our baptism is something that we return to daily as we return to the waters of our baptism to be cleansed from our sins.
Baptism, while common across Christian denominations, can be a subject of disagreement between some Christian churches. There are some who claim that baptism is a symbol; that baptism is an outward expression of our faith and commitment to God and that any words or phrases that talk about baptism is merely symbolical.
The sixth chapter of Paul’s letter to the Romans contains words which convince me that baptism is more than just a symbol. Baptism, beyond the pouring of water, contains many actions. “All of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death.” This is an action that puts us into Christ. “Therefore, we have been buried with him through by into death” This is another action and the result of these actions is…”so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” And there is another result of this action. “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”
These are all actions: baptism into Christ, into his death, into his resurrection. A symbol does not put you into anything. If we Christians symbolized the death and resurrection of Christ, where then would our hope be if his work was but a symbol?
Baptism is God’s guarantee to us. It is a function of God! It is a divine spiritual means, one that derives its power from a connection with Christ and his death and resurrection. It is one that affects in us a death to sin and brings to us a new life. Best of all is that we do not have to be continually re-baptized just as Jesus does not have to continually go back upon the cross.
It is so comforting to know that God has given to each of us something physical that touches us and as it touches us just once, it conveys God’s promises and accomplishes his work all the days of our life and beyond. It is comforting to know that God gave us the gift of baptism so that we are redeem from sin. I know that if I tried to avoid sin on my own, I would be helpless against its grip. But in baptism, God gives to each of us Christ – who has conquered sin. So even in times when I may fail, he does not. God’s promise is attached, and it remains perfect and enduring. Since we die to sin, we believe that we shall also live with Christ for all eternity.
In Christ!
Pastor Bakker
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. Romans 6:3-5 (NRSV)