Here is the chapter on baptism. Let me know what you think.
Chapter One: Let Me Tell You a Story
Chapter Two: The Story from Above
Chapter Three: The Story from Below
Chapter Four: Jesus–The Center of the Story
Chapter Five: Conversion: Becoming a Part of the Story
For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
Colossians 2:12 (NLT)
At the center of the conversion experience is the ritual of baptism. Baptism is no more important than faith, repentance, or a life spent imitating Jesus. Yet, baptism has historically been treated as a special moment in the conversion experience because of the way it draws all the different elements of conversion together in a concrete way.
A River Runs Through It
Water is an ordinary element of creation that is repeatedly connected to the creative and saving activity of God in the gospel story.
In Genesis 1:2, creation begins with God hovering over the waters. In Genesis 6-9, Noah and his family are saved from the evil around them by water. God cleanses his world with water. In Exodus 14, Israel is saved from Egypt by crossing through the waters of the Red Sea. (See also 1 Cor. 10:1-2). In Joshua 3, Israel enters the Promised Land by crossing through the waters of the Jordan River. In Leviticus, the dipping or washing of unclean things in water was necessary for ritual purity, which was essential to being in the presence of God at the Tabernacle.
Jesus used water as a symbol of salvation. In John 4:13-15, eternal life is compared to water that quenches our thirst once and for all. In John 7:37-39, Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as a stream of living water.
A Portal Into the Story
It?s interesting how these themes show up when the writers of the New Testament talk about baptism.
In Mark 1:9-11, Jesus is baptized as he is getting ready to begin his public ministry. At his baptism, two significant things occur. He is empowered by the Holy Spirit so that he is equipped to carry out his ministry and God the Father affirms him as his Son.
In Acts 22:16, baptism is described as a ritual bath that cleanses Saul of his sins when he calls on the name of the Lord (See also Acts 2:37-41).
In John 3:5-8, baptism is referred to as a new birth or an act of new creation by the power of God. God hovers over the waters of baptism just as he hovered over the waters at the creation of the world (See also 2 Cor. 5:17)
In 1 Pet. 3:20-21, baptism is connected to the story of Noah. The water of baptism saves us from the evil around us just as the flood saved Noah and his family. In baptism, we experience a salvation moment.
Of course, it?s not the water or the act of being dipped in it that has the power to save. The power comes from the resurrection of Jesus. In Romans 6:3-4, baptism is described as the way we identify with the key events of Jesus life that make salvation possible. Baptism is a concrete way for us to connect with, re-enact, and even participate in Jesus? death, burial and resurrection. Baptism is our portal into the gospel story.
In baptism, Jesus? story becomes our story. We are baptized ?into Christ.? ?In Christ? is where all the blessings associated with salvation are found. (Check out Eph. 1:3-14 for a list of these blessings)
In Ephesians 4:3-6, baptism is named as one of the things that unify us with other followers of Jesus. We may have different backgrounds. We may speak different languages. We may tell different conversion stories. But one thing we share in common with all followers of Jesus is our baptism experience. We?ve been made one with Christ and each other through baptism (See also 1 Cor. 12:13 and Gal. 3:26-28).
The Genius of Baptism
Baptism helps to make our conversion experience a memorable one. Over time, the emotional intensity of our conversion will recede. We may struggle to recover the spiritual surge we felt when we turned our life over to God. But we can never forget what it was like to be dipped in water while believing that something cosmically significant was happening in us and to us.
Our baptism reminds us that that our conversion was a real event and not just an ethereal emotional experience that eventually dissipated. It?s a definitive marker in our journey that we can return to and reflect on.
In our moments of doubt, discouragement, and weakness, baptism is a reminder that our sins have been forgiven, the Holy Spirit lives within us, and that we are a part of the Body of Christ.
The memory of our baptism won?t let us forget the kind of life we committed to live at our conversion. The context for many of the references to baptism in scripture are situations where the original readers are being called back to a gospel-focused way of life. (list scripture references from Rom, Gal. etc)
The argument goes something like this: Can we continue to live in our sin? Can we continue to treat each other badly? Can we stop relying on God to save us? Absolutely not! We?ve been baptized. We?ve crossed the line, let?s live like it. Let?s become who we are in Christ.
Should I be baptized?
If you haven?t already been baptized, you may be wondering if you should be.
If you believe that Jesus is the resurrected Lord, if you are trusting Jesus to save you from the guilt and shame of your sin, if you?ve committed yourself to following the teachings of Jesus or if you already consider yourself to be a follower of Christ, then of course, you should be baptized.
Is baptism something I ?HAVE TO? do in order to be a Christian?
It?s a common question that completely misses the point of what the Bible says about baptism. Having someone who wants to follow Jesus ask if he ?has to? be baptized makes about as much sense as a groom asking his bride at their reception if he ?has to? go on their honeymoon.
Baptism is not a duty; it?s a privilege. It?s not a burden; it?s a gift from God.
Baptism is not a ?have to,? it is a ?get to.?
If you want to follow Jesus and haven?t been baptized, please consider continuing your journey into the gospel story by stepping into the water.
Baptism is but one way we relive the gospel story. In the next chapter, we?ll explore how a meal keeps us from forgetting the essence of the story.
Telling Stories, Asking Questions, Learning Lessons
This is one of the best descriptions for baptism that I have read. You are really on to something.
Looks good. I especially like what you have to say about baptism making the conversion experience more memorable.
One suggestion: were I writing this, I’d probably spend a bit more time talking about baptism as a burial experience in which a person has decided to die to their old way of life. One thing that really helped me understand what it is to follow Jesus is Romans 6.
Die to self, live for God.
Anyway, you’re doing a good job with this – keep it up!
A while back I told my little family here at Oakhaven that I was finished with using the talk of the necessity of baptism and what we “must do” to be saved. I gave them permission to kick me in the seat of the pants (figuratively…or literally if that’s what it takes) if I revert back to the language of “must”, “requirement” and “have to”. It’s something you get to do. It’s an invitation to intimacy with Jesus in a moment can be secure in the poverty we bring to the equation and the riches He brings. We die, He brings us to Life.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m big on baptism….but bigger on the saving power of God evidenced in THE resurrection. With a symbol like that, who could resist?
I really like the marriage analogy. I think that is a powerful way to deal with the “have to” vs. “want to” debate.
I would love to see (maybe as a seperate resource though) a deeper discussion of the Exodus narrative and its impact especially in Paul’s writings in Romans. Concepts like being the people of God even in the wilderness, sacrifice, faithfulness, and what the committment to die to oneself really means.
Thanks for working on this. From what I’ve read so far I’m excited to see and use the finished product.