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What is Baptism? In the baptismal service, we begin by quoting Jesus' Great Commission from Matthew 28. The purpose of this is to remind us that Baptism is not our idea, but God's idea. Based on His command we are to see Baptism, not as something we do, but as something He does. We, of course, are involved. We come forward to be baptized, or we bring our children to be baptized. But when we do this, we should remember that what is important is what God is doing. In Baptism, He comes to us and washes away our sins. He places His name on us and thus makes us members of His family. There are two more quotations from the Bible in the baptismal service to remind us of what God is doing in Baptism. In the book of Acts, after urging his audience to be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins, Peter says, "The promise is for you and your children." And in his first epistle, he wrote, "Baptism now saves us." Baptism is not a good work we perform, but it saves us because God uses it as His instrument to deliver His gifts to us. Jesus has won forgiveness for all people. However, if this work is not delivered to us and grasped by the hand of faith, then it does us no good. In Baptism, Jesus delivers His gifts of forgiveness, life and salvation to individuals. And He pours out His Spirit upon us so we would hold on to His gifts. It is because Baptism delivers Christ's gifts and creates the hand of faith that clings to these gifts that Peter can say "Baptism now saves us." In Martin Luther's day, many groups rejected the idea that Baptism could save. As Luther put it in the Large Catechism, they "loudly proclaim that Baptism is merely an external form and that external forms are useless." Luther responded, "Well, be it external as it may, nevertheless here stands God's Word and command that institutes, establishes, and confirms Baptism. And what God institutes and commands cannot be useless; it is altogether priceless and precious." It may appear insignificant to us, but what counts is what God says about it. Today just as in Luther's day, many fail to see the importance of Baptism. Often this is a result of their belief that God does not use agents or instruments to deliver His gifts to us. From their point of view, the treasures Christ won for us are like provisions stored up in a warehouse. They believe Christians can only point people to these provisions and invite them to come. And Baptism and the Lord's Supper are viewed as signs or ways of pointing people to God's provisions in Christ. The Bible is filled with examples of God using instruments to achieve His goals. God saved Noah and his family by using an ark that floated on the flood waters (Genesis 6-8). The Lord used a bronze snake to heal His people in Numbers 21. In Elisha's day, the Lord used the Jordan river to cleanse Naaman of his leprosy (2 Kings 5). Jesus used mud and water to heal a blind man (John 9). It should not surprise us that the Lord uses instruments today. God can, of course, do what ever He wants. He can act directly to rescue His people. But He often uses an intermediary. He works through people and things to accomplish His goals. The most important Agent God has chosen to use is Jesus Christ. And He also has chosen to work through the Gospel and Baptism to deliver Christ's work to us today. What then is Baptism? Luther answers, "It is not simple, ordinary water, but water wrapped in God's Word and thus made holy. It is nothing else than a divine water, not because the water in itself is something more special than other water, but because God's Word and command are added to it." It is God's word that makes Baptism so precious and this is what we rely on. We trust that God will keep His promise and count us as His adopted children. |
