At Amity Church of Christ, we have designated Sunday, June 26th, as Baptism Sunday this year. It will be a great time for those who have been baptized to reflect on the significance of their baptism, and it may be a time for those who have not been baptized to do so!There are pros & cons to having a Baptism Sunday. The whole idea would've seemed nonsensical to the early church. First century believers were baptized just as soon as they could get to water (Acts 8:36). The Philippian Jailor and his household believed on the name of Jesus, and in the "same hour of the night" they were baptized (Acts 16:33). Since the early church understood baptism as a part of the conversion process, "for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38), baptism were never put off for any length of time. Converts beleived, repented and were baptized (cf. Acts 2:41; 8:12; 18:8).
Today, many people give little thought to baptism. The centuries have served to weaken the significance of baptism in the conversion process, especially in Protestant and Reformed thought. As a church that identifies with the American Restoration Movement, we seek to simply follow the Bible when it comes to baptism. So, we baptize believers by immersion (Acts 2:41; 8:38-39; cf. Mark 16:16). Dr. John Castelein offers a succinct summary of the Christian churches and churches of Christ view of baptism:
This is a good summary of our view. And, it calls into question the validity of a Baptism Sunday. So why are we doing it?
Baptism is a religious act involving much water performed before witnesses. In this public act, God enters into a covenantal relationship with an individual, and, in turn, that individual knowingly and willingly accepts God's offer of restored fellowship.
In baptism God acts. God's sovereign act is to bestow on the repentant believer the spiritual blessings achieved by Jesus Christ in his voluntary sacrifice for our sins on the cross. We believe that in the NT plan of salvation baptism marks the point in time when God, because of his grace--and for no other reason--cleanses and forgives penitent believers of all their sins. It is the occasion when God incorporates them into Jesus Christ and instills his Holy Spirit in them. This divine transposition involves a dying to the sinful self and a rising up of a newly born person in Christ.
From the human side, an individual submits to a physical action in baptism. We believe it marks the time when the individual appropriates for himself or herself the promises of God's Word. The Bible tells us why a person wants to be baptized: because one hears and believes the gospel, because one puts one's trust in Jesus' death that atones for one's sins, because one desires to obey Jesus' commands to repent and to be baptized, and because one surrenders as an apprentice (disciple) to Jesus' authority and example. At baptism one renounces allegiance to sin and Satan and calls on Jesus' name as one's new Lord (the "Good Confession" or "Profession of Faith").*
First, we do not want to put off anyone from being baptized. Anytime a person comes to faith in Jesus, we stand ready and willing to assist that new believer in Christian baptism. Nonetheless, we have several folks who fall into that strange and vague category of the "regular attender." This is not how we hope to function as a church. We want everyone to be a "member," and contributing their gifts and talents to the ministry of the church (See 1 Corinthians 12:12-19). The NT teaches that believers begin their new relationship with God, and are incorporated into the Body of Christ, through baptism in the name of Jesus (Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:26-27, etc.). So, it is unhealthy for the church to attempt to function with with "regular attenders" who are not baptized "members."
Second, we want to highlight and emphasize baptism. Since baptism has lost significance for many believers today, we want to stem the tide of neglect by raising the issue. Designating June 26th as Baptism Sunday is simply one way to do this.
Third, we believe raising the issue in such a visible and significant way will give the members an opportunity to ask questions and consider what the Bible says about baptism.
For these reasons, we believe that the Pros outweight the Cons of a Baptism Sunday. What do you think?
*Castelein, John D. "Believers' Baptism as the Biblical Occasion of Salvation," in Engle, Paul E. & John H. Armstrong (Eds.). Understanding Four Views on Baptism. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007, 129-148.
The one problem I have with waiting for a preassighned day for Baptisms is because in Mark 16:16 Jesus Says "He who has believed AND is baptized shall be saved" Now the death of Jesus was of no value unless he was raised from the grave. So here lies the question, was mans sins removed at the point of the last breath of Jesus or at the poit he exited the grave. But no matter which, mans sins were only forgiven by the death AND ressureaction of Jesus. So getting back to Mark 16:16 Mark uses the word "AND" I have two children, a Boy AND Girl but until we knew the sex of the last child I could not say I had a boy and a girl. Mark also goes on and says in short that it takes both believing AND baptisim to be SAVED. So by waiting a week or a month to be baptized I feel puts your salvation in unnessasary jeporady. Now I do belive there may be circumstances that may hinder a speedy Baptism and of course then we leave it to God to decided the heart of the new believer. plus with all the examples we have of baptisims done asap I think in every instance we need to baptize the believe just after the point of belief.
ReplyDeleteGreat comments, anonymous!
ReplyDeleteI agree that we must help people to see the connection between their baptism and the "new life." St. John Chrysostom, the fourth century bishop of Constantinople, summarized the transformation of identity in these words:
"He takes you down into the sacred waters, at the same time burying the old nature and raising 'the new creature, which is being renewed after the image of the creator.' ... And another man comes up out of the font, one washed from all the stain of his sins, who has put off the old garment of sin and is clothes in the royal robe."
As I said in the post, we are not holding anyone back from baptism. You are absolutely on the mark to place baptism just after the point of belief. Our hope is that a Baptism Sunday will raise the issue for folks that have not given it the proper consideration. It is certainly not the only day we want to baptize people. May God send us believers to baptize everyday!
Thanks for the good comments!
The problem that I worry about with a scheduled Baptism Sunday is that people tend to get lax about getting baptized if they have at an earlier point decided to turn there life around and dedicate it to the Lord. I once new a man who told me the date & time he accepted jesus as his savior and actully felt like he was saved and his baptism was a formality although he was finaly baptized about 2 months later. So if we consider Mark 16:16 as the words of Jesus then when Jesus said Believe "AND" Baptized then until both acts are acomplished in my thoughts by what I read my freind wasn't saved until both acts were completed, Another thought is that when jesus took his last breath it was important to get his body off the cross and buried, had he not been buried swiftly he would have not risen in 3 days. I just think a Baptism Sunday will in the end take away its importance and soon will become optional.
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