Stoned-Campbell Disciple

Ancient baptistry in Avdat Israel, note the cruciform shape.

Avoiding Unbiblical and Sectarian Extremes

Christians often have seriously flawed theology. Anemic theology can express itself in legalism, sectarianism, and even liberalism.

Baptism is one such subject in which deep flaws occur. Some both within Churches of Christ and without (especially Evangelicals) will claim that baptism is a work of human righteousness.  Some in Churches of Christ do this in order to insist on the “necessity” of baptism.  Evangelicals do it to protect a misunderstood doctrine of grace alone.

Almost certainly the social context of these Christians is the lens thru which they view baptism and not Scripture or the history of the church. Martin Luther once said that “Baptism is grace clutching you by the throat!” Luther believed that baptism was part of “Grace Alone!” That is healthy biblical view.

Scripturally, Baptism is not a HUMAN work.  There is in fact “work” that is done in baptism but it is hardly anything humans can take credit for. The work done in baptism is not by “me” but by God through his Holy Spirit. Thus our flawed, and incorrect understandings, thankfully, do not undermine it.

We are not saved by correct doctrine but by faith in the God of all Grace made visible in the Messiah Jesus. We are not saved by the precision of our obedience. Baptism proclaims that all human work requires a death sentence.  We trust in Jesus. Baptism is GOD’s work, God’s grace and it is “received” thru simple faith, not a flawless doctrine of baptism.

Faith in Jesus is the only requirement for baptism in the New Testament.

Every verse, related to baptism, in the Epistles of Paul or Peter are written to the already baptized not potential candidates for baptism.

These texts are teaching disciples what happened in their baptism.  Not one verse on baptism in the Epistles represent a condition of knowledge for a candidate prior to being immersed. This is an indisputable fact.  We grow in our understanding of the work of God in baptism but there is no requirement to understand anything other than faith in Jesus the Messiah as a condition for baptism.

baptism, being crucified with Christ

Baptism the Work of God, Dripping in Grace

So here is a short “theology” of the Grace of Baptism …

Baptism proclaims our understanding of God’s GIFT of forgiveness, grace and liberation of all thru the only Son, Jesus the Messiah, regardless of the enormity of the guilt, even to those who hands were still dripping with the blood of the Crucified, even to the religious terrorist Saul. “Dripping in grace.”

Baptism proclaims that rebirth is possible. Rebirth. Starting over. Being born again. Born radically from above by God. The fundamental reorientation of our life is not a dream but a reality. The washing of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit. The old Self is crucified and the raised from the grave in the New Creation. “Dripping in grace.”

Baptism makes repentance a verb and shows the change in how we see ourselves. We now see ourselves as dead to the reign of Sin. Baptism proclaims a vision of the new Self. It is the reference point for all future living under the reign of God. Like our physical birth, it is the day we look back to remember just who we are. Baptism is the ultimate expression that we are not Captain of our own lives and our desperate need for the miracle of a new Self. Baptismal identity is cruciform identity. Christian identity is “dripping in grace.”

Baptism proclaims our promise and pledge to God to be his in word, life and deed. It proclaims our trust, our faith, indeed even our Love for our Lord as any marriage ceremony and ring proclaims our devotion to our wives.  Baptism proclaims our wedding to the Lamb … “dripping in grace.”

Baptism proclaims our union with and incorporation into the Messiah. That is we are grafted into the the Body, the People of God, the Spirit immersed and filled new creation humanity. Baptism is the union of our personalities with the person of Jesus. “Dripping in grace.”

Baptism is the proclamation of what life is “about.” It is the archetype of our life, the cruciform pattern, that is pressed into our being. Baptism is the physical enactment of both what happened – the death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah – and what is meant to happen in our life, that is the putting off of rebellious fallen world allegiances and allowing God to clothe us in resurrection living and values. Baptism is a means, not an “end.” “Dripping in grace.”

Fourth century AD baptistry in Tunisia, North Africa

I believe that baptism is not insisted on arbitrarily as some matter of divine fiat or assertion of sovereignty. It is insisted upon because grace is necessary. God insists on it because we need it in our very souls. There is nothing that could imprint upon our lives the Spiritual truths baptism not only proclaims but accomplishes through God’s own Spirit:

1) we must die to Self to enthrone Christ;
2) we must be cleansed;
3) we must be resurrected into the new creation;
4) we must be incorporated into the people of God.

Baptism changes our lives by the power of God working in us and upon us when we receive his promises in simple faith. Baptism is not magic rather it is grace. We do not have faith in baptism any more than Noah had faith in the ark but rather the faith is in God. Dripping in grace.

See the following passages follow the order of the paragraphs above: Acts 2.14-41, Acts 22.16; John 3.1-21; Titus 3.3-8; Romans 6.1-14; 1 Peter 3.8-22; Galatians 3.26-28; 1 Corinthians 12.12-13; Ephesians 1.22-23; Colossians 2.9-3.17.

Never sell out what God does because some one turns baptism into a sectarian club!!! Do not run from the beauty of God’s gracious work because of some sectarian legalism embraced by some.  Baptism drips with God’s working, powerful, active grace. Recognizing that baptism is a “sacrament” … that is fundamentally a GOD centered moment rather than a HUMAN centered activity … will keep us from turning baptism into either magic or legalism.  Be Blessed.

This entry was posted on Monday, October 17th, 2016 at 9:41 am and is filed under Acts, Baptism, Church, Faith, Forgiveness, Grace, Martin Luther, Salvation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.