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Holy Baptism

Holy Baptism. Part 2: Biblical Origins (cont.) & Baptism in Church History. Baptism: The Story So Far. John’s Baptism Baptism “turns us around” onto a new path Jesus’ Baptism Our baptism commissions us for service just as Jesus’ baptism commissioned him for ministry

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Holy Baptism

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  1. Holy Baptism Part 2: Biblical Origins (cont.) & Baptism in Church History

  2. Baptism: The Story So Far • John’s Baptism • Baptism “turns us around” onto a new path • Jesus’ Baptism • Our baptism commissions us for service just as Jesus’ baptism commissioned him for ministry • Baptism unites us with the suffering service of Christ

  3. Baptism: The Story So Far • The Great Commission • Baptism is integral to the church’s disciplizing mission and includes teaching about Jesus • Romans 6 & Colossians 2 • Baptism unites us with the crucifixion of Jesus and promises eternal life • Baptism empowers us for new life in this age

  4. Baptism After the Resurrection • Colossians 3:1-17 • Baptism drafts us into the struggle between the old age and the messianic age • This struggle plays out in the arena of daily life • We are united in this with all Christians • This is nothing less than a new and different lifestyle

  5. Baptism After the Resurrection • Acts 2:37-47 • Baptism initiates a radical and complete change of lifestyle • This lifestyle is marked by key practices of faith • This lifestyle is intensely communal

  6. Baptism After the Resurrection • Acts 8:26-40; 9:18-20; 10:24-48 • Baptism is sign and seal of conversion • Conversion happens by: • Power of the Word • Action of the Holy Spirit

  7. Baptism in the NT: A Summary Jesus’ “baptism” (both his baptismal commissioning at the hands of John and his crucifixion) is the basis for conversion and initiation not because Jesus was converted or initiated, but because these Messianic acts demonstrate God’s self-offering for the world. Thus, the initiative in baptism remains firmly with God.

  8. Baptism in the NT: A Summary Baptism is a means of God’s grace, a free gift on behalf of the world. Human beings require conversion because, in our universal sinfulness, we are enslaved to self-preservation, self-justification, and destructive self-deception.

  9. Baptism in the NT: A Summary Church membership without conversion does not address this bondage. We must be converted from this self-slavery to the self-offering freedom which characterizes the reign of God. Church membership without conversion is about self-preservation, not self-offering.

  10. From the NT to Luther • Through the 3rd Century, the church’s teaching on and practice of baptism continued to emphasize repentance, teaching, initiation into the Christian community and conversion to a new way of life • Christianity’s outlaw status within the Roman Empire served to reinforce this teaching

  11. Constantine Changes Everything • 313: Constantine issues the Edict of Milan, commanding official toleration of Christianity and other religions • Constantine himself “converts” • Calls Council of Nicea to establish unified Christian Doctrine • 380: Theodosius makes Christianity the official religion of the empire

  12. Constantine Changes Everything • In less than 70 years, the church moves from an illegal sect to the state religion of the world’s superpower • Doctrine is codified for the sake of unity • Guided by Augustine et al, the church moves from being a community anticipating the reign of God to a salvation institution • What is the minimum necessary for salvation?

  13. Constantine Changes Everything • Confirmation by bishop becomes separated from baptism • Infant baptism becomes the norm • Conversion in the NT sense drops out of the picture entirely • Baptism becomes a form of “eternal life insurance”

  14. Baptism in the Catechism • Q. What is Baptism? • A. Baptism is not just plain water, but it is water used according to God's command and united with God's Word. • Q. Which Word of God is this? • A. The one which our Lord Christ spoke in the last chapter of Matthew: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

  15. Baptism in the Catechism • Q. What does Baptism give? What good is it? • A. It gives the forgiveness of sins, redeems from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe it, just as God's words and promises declare. • Q. What are these words and promises of God? • A. Our Lord Christ spoke one of them in the last chapter of Mark: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; but whoever does not believe will be damned.”

  16. Baptism in the Catechism • Q. How can water do such great things? • A. Water doesn't make these things happen, of course. It is God's Word, which is with and in the water. Because, without God's Word, the water is plain water and not baptism. But with God's Word it is a baptism, a grace-filled water of life, a bath of new birth in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul said to Titus in the third chapter…

  17. Baptism in the Catechism • …“he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is most certainly true.”

  18. Baptism in the Catechism • Q. What does such baptizing with water mean? • A. Such baptizing with water means that the old Adam in us should, by daily contrition and repentance, be drowned and die with all sins and evil lusts; and that a new man daily come forth and arise, who shall live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

  19. Baptism in the Catechism • Q. Where is this written? • A. St. Paul writes, Romans 6:4: “We are buried with Christ by baptism into death, that just as He was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

  20. The Reformers and the Church “Likewise they teach that one holy church will remain forever. The church is the assembly of saints in which the gospel is taught purely and the sacraments administered rightly (i.e., according to the gospel)…” Augsburg Confession, Article VII

  21. What the Reformation Recovered • Understanding of Baptism as union with crucifixion of Christ • Promise of eternal life based solely on divine initiative • Baptism as calling into ministry

  22. What the Reformation Missed • Emphasis on conversion was changed to daily repentance • Because of “Christian Europe”, emphasis on Christian community was not recovered • Missional emphasis was not recovered • While Luther saw baptism as foundation for the life of faith in this life, this emphasis was soon lost again in later generations

  23. The End of Christendom • After the Enlightenment, the church begins to lose its central place in Western culture • With the rise of secularism and pluralism, the church begins to focus on service to its members • How do we provide a convenient service to the clientele? • Outside worship, in private, when convenient

  24. Next Week: Renewing Baptismal Theology & Practice

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