Let me firstly say, Thank you to all who are reading this blog and following along in my exploration of various theological and spiritual issues. I’m trying to blog Monday, Wednesday and Friday of each week. Though, we’ll have to wait and see how this goes over time. I hope that you’ll find here an encouraging word about Christian faith and seeking holiness.
I’m going to begin a series on the sacraments. My plan is to deal with baptism this week and Holy Communion next. I’d love to hear your comments and attempt to answer any questions that you may have. I am convinced that as protestants we have often lost the strength of a sacramental faith. Part of that is where I live, in the heart of the Bible belt we are surrounded by non-sacramental churches. Our Baptist sisters and brothers do not believe in sacraments. They recognize two ordinances set forth in the gospel.
Let me begin by saying that we, United Methodists, are a sacramental church. Though, at times in our history one would have been hard pressed to prove so. Early in American Methodism, the sacraments were sacrificed. That was partly a method of survival. The Church of England bore a lot of negative connotations for many patriots. Then there was the radical shift away from sacramentalism that was simply a part of the protestant revolt against anything that looked ‘Catholic.’ I am not so convinced that this is a good thing. I’m pretty sure that it was a moment of frustration and anger that resulted in throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
Let me begin by defining the term ‘sacrament.’ A sacrament is commonly defined as an outward sign of an inward and spiritual grace. Though that definition won’t help many folks. A sacrament is a ‘sign-act’ through which God’s grace is poured into the lives of believers. In baptism the sign is of course the water , the act is the pouring out of water and words of holy baptism, and the grace is the grace of adoption and inclusion into God’s people (I’ll give more details about this in another blog).
Throughout the history and the life of the church, the waters of baptism have been the beginning of the Christian journey. One of the theologies that we combat, particularly where I live, is the notion that baptism is our act on God’s behalf. However, that is not a sacramental view. Baptism is not our act on God’s behalf, rather it is God’s act on our behalf. Recognizing baptism as God’s action in our lives radically transforms how we understand what happens in baptism. Moving from something that we do for God to something that God does for us is incredibly significant.
Baptism has from the earliest times of the Christian faith marked the beginning of the Christian journey. It was even in the book of Acts understood as the principle sacrament of Christian conversion and initiation into the Christian family. As a matter of fact baptism and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit were incredibly significant signs of Christian faith. In Acts chapter 10, Peter is surprised by Cornelius’ conversion by the fact that the holy spirit is poured out on a gentile before his baptism. This is one of the motivating factors in why Peter endorses the acceptance of Gentile as converts to Christianity. The last verse of that chapter says that Peter gave orders that Cornelius and his household should be baptized.
Baptism is the starting place for our journey with the Lord. It is the place where God’s Holy Spirit is poured out upon us and we are claimed as God’s sons and daughters.
Immediately after the water has been applied and the words of baptism spoken, hands are laid on the recipient and our liturgy says,
The Holy Spirit work within you, that being born through water and the Spirit, you may be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Baptism begins the journey of discipleship with Jesus. Whether that be as an infant born into a Christian family or as an adult claiming faith for ones self. We begin the walk of discipleship at the font with the application of water and the invocation of the Spirit. (To be continued…)
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