Baptism - going the whole way!

 

What is Baptism?

Very briefly I believe that it:

• identifies the believer with the Godhead - Father, Son and Holy Spirit
• identifies the believer with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. 
• is an act of obedience for the believe. 
• is a public testimony and an outward confession of an inward experience. 
• is a picture representing profound spiritual truth of new life in Christ.

Who is to be baptised?

I believe that the act of baptism, whether in a river, a bucket, a swimming pool or a dustbin (I have seen them all) is for those able to make a confession of faith for themselves. This may be at quite a young age, but the person being baptised needs to be in a position to understand what he or she is doing. This is different from being able to fully grasp the importance of what they are doing or the full ramifications of it, which no one of us truly ever knows!

Six simple steps with huge ramifications!

I was visiting a church where the ‘renewal of baptism vows’ was mentioned. The wording used was very good … 

In baptism, God calls us out of darkness into His marvellous light. To follow Christ means dying to sins and rising to new life with Him. Therefore, I ask:

• Do you reject the devil and all rebellion against God? I reject them.
• Do you renounce the deceit and corruption of evil? I renounce them.
• Do you repent of sins that separate us from God and neighbour? I repent of them.
• Do you turn to Christ as Saviour? I turn to Christ.
• Do you submit to Christ as Lord? I submit to Christ.
• Do you come to Christ, the way, the truth and the life? I come to Christ.

Simple!

Though it is good to reflect on what is being said here if we are to be vibrant believers and a vibrant Church.

Firstly, by way of clarification, Christ is who He is. Our convictions or perceptions about Him do not change who He is, neither does how we relate to Him. However, our convictions and how we relate to Him does affect the nature of our relationship with Him and the fruitfulness that flows from it. So, let’s go through the steps again and consider what we are saying and consider honestly how far in the process we truly have come.

• Do you reject the devil and all rebellion against God? I reject them.

If we do not see the need to come to Christ we will not even get this far, so we are recognising that to live without Christ in the world is rebellion, therefore a step towards a loving God requires a step away from the current pattern of life. A new life is indeed that, it is not a polished up old life but a radical change. As Tozer gently puts it “Christ did not go to the Cross to have his life redirected" and neither do we.

• Do you renounce the deceit and corruption of evil? I renounce them.

Recognising that what we are turning from is not simply external acts, but the very nature of who we are. We are not sinners because we sin, we sin because we are broken people in need of healing and wholeness.

• Do you repent of sins that separate us from God and neighbour? I repent of them.

Recognising the influences upon us we take responsibility, before God, for who we are and for what we have done/do. Whatever the context of life it is us who choose how we respond.

Thus far we are recognising what we are coming from and, from that, we then come to Christ full of hope that He has the power to sort it all out for us - wholeness instead of brokenness.

• Do you turn to Christ as Saviour? I turn to Christ.

So with joy we turn to Him - wonderful saviour. There is a transaction and an impartation that takes place - grace and forgiveness, a lightness in our spirits and a joy and peace that floods the heart, as our spirits burst into life in Christ and we have someone else in charge of our lives.

• Do you submit to Christ as Lord? I submit to Christ.

What? Hang on? I thought I was being released from the burden of being in bondage to the devil and corruption of evil? I thought I was being set free?

Indeed, we are, but we have been delivered from one Kingdom (darkness) into another Kingdom (light) and both kingdoms have Kings who exercise their power and dominion over their kingdoms. As Norman Grubb once put it ‘there is no such thing as an independent self’, there is no kingdom between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness, no no-mans' land for us to dwell in, and this is where the rubber hits the road.

As we turn to the next stage, it necessitates submission to the new King, Jesus. The perfectly loving and benevolent King, who knows us completely and is in the business of transforming us. He is Lord, He is King of His Kingdom - as we enter so all we bring becomes His - time, ambitions, talents, resources. They become His to do with as He desires and as He instructs.

But wait, have we been tricked? 

No, it is perfect freedom to submit joyfully to the Lord. It is bondage to try and do so half-heartedly, trying to hold back and keep what we think is rightfully ours to own and possess, it is the road to joyless christianity.

• Do you come to Christ, the way, the truth and the life? I come to Christ.

So, knowing His character enables us to take that step of faith in submitting to Christ because baptism is our declaration and acknowledgement of who He is - the way, the truth and the life. 

If He is the way, why would I not follow? If He is the Truth then why would I not do as He says? If He is the life, in all His abundant fulness, why would I not want it? 

Why would I content myself with holding back and nibbling crumbs when there is a feast to enjoy!

Sadly, many do!

Foundation to wholehearted living...

The Bible refers to worldly Christians, to the half-hearted and the lukewarm. I believe this matter of submission and of acknowledging and living with Christ as Lord is the key to unlocking the fulness of life that we have been promised and, which so many long for. Our approach to baptism is key in setting us off on the right course.

Press on!