In last Sunday’s service, we had the great joy of baptizing 3 people: two middle-aged women and an 8-year old boy. We practice believer’s baptism in our church as well as full immersion. A baptismal service is always full of joy and excitement at our place of worship. But it would be inaccurate to describe it as a “sentimental” ceremony.
A Public Declaration Of Loyal Commitment And Love
Many people’s perception of the baptismal ceremony is that it is a “cute” ritual but that it’s not really connected to the everyday realities of life. I believe one of the primary reasons that many people hold this view is that the majority of Canadians have attended baby baptisms but were never taught the Christian meaning of the ceremony.
In a baptismal service, a declaration is being made by the baptismal candidate before God and people that he/she belongs to Christ. Let me compare a baptism to a wedding. In a wedding ceremony, the wedding rings outwardly testify to the promises and vows that are being made between a bride and groom. A marital covenant is being entered into and a new life is beginning on the wedding day. It is a public declaration of loyal commitment and love to each other before family, friends and God. There is much joy in a wedding service but there is also a seriousness to what is taking place. It is a holy and life-changing decision to get married to a particular person.
Similarly, in a baptismal service, a new life is beginning between the baptismal candidate and the Lord. The act of immersion into water is an outward symbol of the new relationship that is being entered into with Jesus Christ, our Bridegroom. He has given Himself to us to the point of dying for us on the cross. At the Last Supper, on the night He was betrayed, Jesus took the cup of wine, and said “This is the new covenant in my blood, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”. There is nothing “cute” about what our Bridegroom had to do to make a relationship with God possible.
In a Christian baptism, the believer is making promises and vows to the One who died, was buried and on the third day rose from the dead. He/she has become united in a new covenant with Jesus. We go down in the water, signifying our death to our old life, and we rise out of the water to a new life with Jesus as our Lord. This new life also testifies to the Spirit of Jesus indwelling our inmost being, which occurred when we trusted Christ as our Saviour. Baptism is a joyful testimony to God’s grace and also a solemn testimony to our promise to be faithful to Jesus as Lord. “Cute” would seem to be an inappropriate adjective to describe this public act before God and others.
From The Mouth Of Babes
After Sunday’s baptism, in our fellowship time, a mother of a young boy shared with me the comments of her child. After observing his classmate get completely immersed in water and seeing the water splash all over, he turned to his mom and verbally expressed how this was anything but a gentle act. The mom, who is not a Christian, thought her son had a deep spiritual insight to what was taking place. I totally concurred with her assessment of her child’s observation. I believe the baptismal service made a great impression on them.
In Christian baptism, the believer is declaring that the deepest part of their identity is connected not to the job they hold or what country they were born in, but to the God who has revealed Himself decisively in Jesus, who calls us His beloved sons and daughters. This the Good News of Jesus Christ!
QOTD: Is Jesus your Bridegroom? If so, are you faithfully living out your baptismal vows and promises to Him?