Baptized as a Baby, and it Counted!

I was at a hospital in metro-Detroit to visit a man who was dying.  His son was a member of my congregation, but the man, himself, was somewhat disconnected from his Roman Catholic upbringing.  The son was distraught, concerned for his father’s health and salvation, so he had asked me to come.  So there I was. 

What I hadn’t been told was that the man had a daughter who was a born-again, re-baptized, non-denominational Baptist who was adamant that her father’s baptism didn’t count because he was an infant when he was baptized.  It was like stepping into a Cold War meeting of the U.S. and Soviet Union; thick with tension, each party waiting for the other to flinch, and my presence was just the spark needed to get things going. 

I began to speak to the man about God’s faithfulness and the gift God gave him in his baptism, and that’s when the daughter went off.  She began lecturing and saying that her dad’s baptism was invalid because he was a baby, he wasn’t immersed, and baptism can’t give faith or forgiveness.  I could see the questions and fear in the old man’s eyes, and I made a decision.  I excused myself and asked the children to come in the hallway with me and we had a stern talk about not upsetting their dying father. 

The daughter got in my face and cited this past week’s gospel lesson (Luke 3:15-22) to prove that baptism must be done by immersion and only for adults.  It was a militant stance, and as I stepped into the theological debate I knew two things:  (1) she would not be convinced, no matter what Bible verses I pointed her to because she had put human traditions over God’s Word and (2) this conversation was not going to serve God’s kingdom or the old man in the hospital room. 

Sigh!

Baptism is a great gift God has given us.   It is far more than a nostalgic moment where we offer our children to the Lord.  God places His name on those who are baptized and fills them with the Holy Spirit.  He creates faith, washes away sin, and gives us all His gifts.  (Titus 3) Baptism saves.  (1 Peter 3:21)  The reason it saves is because it delivers the benefits of Jesus’ death and resurrection to us.  (Romans 6:3-7)  What is more, our Lord Jesus commands baptism as part of making disciples – not choosing to be disciples – but making disciples.  (Matthew 28:19-20)

Brothers and sisters, I urge you to cherish your baptism.  Turn there when you feel doubts about your faith, or have questions about your salvation.  You are baptized!  God has touched you to mark you as His own, and to give you all of the benefits of being His child!  Then share the good news of what God has done for you so others can know God’s love and blessings in their lives, too!  (And if you’re not baptized: why not?  Let’s talk about that!)

Questions to Ponder

-          Who did people wonder John might be?

-          How does John describe Jesus in Luke 3:16?  What does this mean for Jesus’ baptism?

-          Where do we see each person of the Trinity in Luke 3:21-22?

-          When and where were you baptized?  How old were you?  Who was there?  What do you know about that day?

-          How might knowing that God was at work in your baptism comfort you when you have doubts, troubles or struggles?

-          Which of the passages cited above is the most meaningful or challenging to you?  Why not memorize it and meditate on it?