This sweet little girl is Aria.  She is our friends’ daughter and I also have the pleasure of babysitting this lil’ peanut during the week as well.   On Friday, we decided to take some photos of Aria in her christening gown.  It was so cute as her dress was one great big POOF.  Man, if only every baby was as easy as her…all you had to do was just talk to her and she’d just break out in huge smiles.  EVERY photographer’s dream, I tell ya!  Aria definitely made my job easy that day! lol  Here are a few of my faves:

It’s snowing, the first snow this year. And it’s a good one too. No cheap handful of flakes pretending that winter has come. This is the real deal. Big fluffy flakes accumulating on the pine boughs and the grass, and intermingling with the seeds in the bird feeder. Tufted Titmice have been buzzing the feeder all morning long.

I saw the moment when the snow began, the moment when grey and dreary drizzle gave way to slow moving snow dust. So often it has been said that winter is the dead season, and then spring represents new life. But that view has always felt wrong to me. Winter is mystery, a pivotal point between dying and new life. The death occurs in autumn as the trees lose leaves, as the grass turns brown. Sometimes that dying process is beautiful as the leaves turn through shades of fire, but the end result is lonely barrenness, scarcity, as the days grow shorter and shorter. I find it amazing that the equinox, which reverses our shortening of days toward the lengthening of them, occurs at the beginning of winter. Winter is not an end, but an ushering in, a beginning of the life in spring that is to come.

These seasonal transitions remind me of baptism, of transformation. Autumn is like the plunge into the waters, into the death of self, and of course spring is the rise into new life. But winter… winter is the washing, the pause at the bottom of the baptismal pool, the snow whiteness of cleansing, the moment of anticipation, a climax. It is the end and beginning suspended together in that pause; the end of one act, the beginning of another. Of course, immersion is the tradition of baptism that I so closely know. But I see parallels in the other traditions of baptism to winter and snow as well. Sprinkling and pouring easily fit, as the snow moves down over us from above. In infant baptism, I am reminded that God’s work in me is His gift, transformation is His doing. As the fresh snow falls as a gift to my heart, all I can do is receive it as such. Just as the wind directs the course of the snow, the Spirit blows upon us, directing God’s transformation to us, and within us. New life is His work, and I am to receive it as a gift, just as our faith communities receive the infant in our midst into our family of faith as a gift from God, and in baptism make the commitment to come alongside the family and to bring that child up in the ways of God. New life is His work, and I am to receive it as a gift, just as we receive Christ in his infancy during Christmas.

Of course I know that Christmas and the celebration of Christ’s birth was assigned to December 25 as a way to divert attention from the pagan celebrations of the equinox, but how appropriate it is, that Jesus’ birth is celebrated at the time when the days begin to lengthen again. How right that advent, the season of anticipation, occurs at the end of autumn, and then ushers in winter, the season of transformation. The snow falls and the world waits as Jesus becomes a man, his life here on earth a kind of winter in the history of humanity, a season between death and life, moving out of the old covenant and into the new. His ministry begins, the stage is set, the transformation is coming. In His death, our way to new life is paved, and then up from the grave He arose, leading us into redemption and restoration through the experiences of Lent and Easter. Spring builds in our hearts.

I was reminded in Ethics this past week that baptism isn’t a one time event, but is instead a continual washing of our hearts, an ongoing transformation… a process of Jesus’ work within us. The seasons remind me of the continuity of his making me new, of the way I need his washing, the cleansing of my inner death and darkness, and the pure whiteness of his presence within me. I’m reminded that my heart moves through cycles of growth and change as He makes me holy.

Maybe some part of me has always somehow known that wrapped up in the mystery of winter and anticipation of spring was something truly beautiful that my heart still struggles to fully express. I have always loved the first snow, and the second… the third. In the multitude of blanketed whiteness, each individual intricately formed flake exists. Together, all the flakes appear as a field of white, but each was singly fashioned, unique and beautiful. I am reminded of the baptismal practices of old, and the tradtion that some churches still carry on today, that the baptized are then clothed in white. Baptized infants still wear christening gowns. The fallen snow is reminiscent of the great cloud of witnesses, the royal priesthood building up through time, caught in the process of transformation and being made holy. The fields are white for the harvest as we bring the kingdom here on earth and await our King, anticipating His coming and the final harvest of us, his fruit, into full redemption and restoration with Him in the new kingdom.

At any rate, the snow today reminds me that God is moving in me, that I still need His ongoing cleansing in my life, and that His works are beautiful in my life and in the life of His Church on earth

I miss the give-and-take world of theological inquiry I often found in a number of periodicals that have become too expensive for my budget or can only be reached by a long trip to a library–or are going out-of-print. At the same time, it’s hard to find theological inquiry in the official Catholic press.  But you can’t stop people from thinking and I’m wondering if we are taking our thinking to the world of blogs.

I find I’m looking these days at the blogs from America Magazine and Commonweal as almost required reading. Today in America’s blog James Martin, SJ, writes about whether we should baptize children whose parents are not very interested in the church, and Austen Ivereigh has one on church marriage. Both hot pastoral topics. The blogs, written by people from different specialties and interests, cover a wide range of topics, from health care to Christian unity to religious toys for Christmas. They’re often followed by comments from readers pro and con. Welcome to the interactive world!

The church is healthy, not only when it prays and acts justly, but when it thinks. Is the church thinking making its way to blogworld?

While reading many posts on the internet, found the following and when: I, Me, my, myself and-I-I-I, will become US, WE…?

Something I posted over at Andrew Fuller Study Center:

—————

Clark says: “Baptists were not recognized as Reformed. Why not? Because paedobaptism was regarded as essential to the Reformed faith.”

Okay. And why should I care if this notion of “REFORMED” faith is something I fit into as Clark says I should? Brothers, let Clark have his playpen-understanding of “REFORMED”. Let him kick and scream that we are “have-not’s”. Let him have his corner. Let him make more of “REFORMED” than the essence of Christianity…Christ crucified, our only boast.

Of course we are thankful for the Gospel-awakening that took place during Reformational times. We’d be arrogant if we didn’t appreciate and learn from the unveiling of the Gospel in those days. However, shame on us (!) if we fail to keep our focus upon Christ alone, boasting about Him!

Let’s bear with our brother, Clark, who sees us as misfits, stepchildren, stillborns. He will bear (even so now) the consequence of clinging more tightly to a debatable doctrine, than he does us in Christ.

Let’s bear our brother up in prayer before the Father of all believers.

(((PS…Clark’ demeanor reminds me of my own when I’m peeved at those I once stood with, whom I once thought well of, but afterward see them as betraying me in this way or that.)))

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christine Jerrett at Central United Church, Sarnia on November 22, 2009

Scriptures: Jeremiah 18: 1-11
2 Corinthians 4: 1-11

For the past twenty-seven years, I have had the privilege of baptizing people. By far, the vast majority of those people have been infants and young children. That is just the way we do it in our tradition.

As you know, some segments of the Christian church only baptize people who are old enough to choose baptism for themselves. Years ago, I was on a study tour. Among the group of us on the tour was a young Mennonite woman. Another member was an older Greek Orthodox professor, a doctor of the Church. Throughout the trip, the Mennonite woman would engage the Greek Orthodox professor in conversations about faith. She kept wanting to know when he had become a Christian. In her tradition, parents would bring their babies to the church for dedication. It was not until those children were older that they would choose to follow Jesus and then be baptized. The Greek Orthodox man had followed the pattern of his tradition: he had been baptized when he was eight days old and then had grown into the faith that had been claimed for him by his parents. He would say to the young Mennonite, “I have never known a time in my life when I wasn’t a Christian.” In the same way that he learned to speak Greek and English by living in a home where Greek and English were spoken, so he learned the moves, the patterns, and the convictions of being a follower of Jesus by living in a home and by being part of a community where people showed him and taught him what following Jesus was like. Along the way, he had to integrate those moves and patterns into his own life, but he had “never known a time when he was not a Christian”.

When we baptize infants and young children, we remind ourselves that faith is first of all not something that we earn. It is not something that we achieve. Faith is first of all a gift from a gracious God. “You did not choose me,” said Jesus, “but I chose you” (John 15:16 NRSV). “By grace you are saved through faith,” says the apostle Paul, “and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8 NRSV).

These babies whom we baptized this morning did not earn their way into God’s loving embrace by being good enough or by making the right decision. They were brought here, carried in their parents’ arms, dependent upon others, and we declared that each one is a “child of God, disciple of Christ, member of the church”. Every time we do that for a little baby, we adults are reminded that we, too, are being held in the loving arms of God who claims us as God’s own and never lets us go. We are prone to measure ourselves and others by what we have achieved and what we possess; yet, here, we are reminded that the most elemental truth about us is the unconditional love of God. This is our core identity.

One of the challenges of being baptized followers of Jesus is that, for the rest of our lives, we hold that truth in tension with another truth. Baptism not only gives us our identity. Baptism also gives us our vocation, our ‘assignment’ as Karl Barth called it.

We laid hands on the heads of these infants and said, “May the Spirit be upon you.” Then, our diaconal minister anointed them with oil. These are both ancient signs of God’s call upon God’s people to holy work. The God who claims us in baptism is not remote and distant, leaving this world to its own devices. God intrudes into our world, incessantly seeking to reclaim God’s children who have wandered away. God ceaselessly works to heal the brokenness that this world inflicts upon us. By giving us the gift of the Holy Spirit in our baptism, God enlists us in that holy work. Our lives get caught up in the great purposes of God for the world.

In our tradition, being chosen always includes being given an assignment. When God showed up at Abraham and Sarah’s tent and said, “I have chosen you to be my people,” God also said, “You have been chosen so that the world will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:1-2).

When God led a group of Egyptian slaves out into the desert and gave them God’s Torah, they became a community whose assignment it was to show the world by their life together that it is possible to create a society where people treat their neighbours with dignity, respect, and justice.

When God entered human history as a Jew from Nazareth named Jesus, he gathered his disciples and said to them, “Let me tell you why you are here. You are here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth..You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world.” (Matthew 15:13-14, The Message). Later, Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, astounded that “God has so generously let us in on what he is doing” (2 Corinthians 4:1, The Message).

We are not here, in the Church together, just trying to get our spiritual needs met. We are not here just trying to keep a religious institution going. We have been claimed by God. We are here together, in community with one another, in order to show the world what kind of people God can produce when they live by worshipping and trusting God in spirit and in truth; when they act in the world only after listening to God; when they live in response to the Holy Spirit. The modern era in which we live shapes us as autonomous, separated individuals. It undermines people’s commitment to communities. Our life together is to be a blessing to this community and to the world.

It is so easy to forget that, to get distracted doing other things. It is so easy to get discouraged when we run into hard times. Says Paul, “We carry this great treasure, this Message from God that is a blessing for the world, but we carry it in the ‘unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives’ (2 Corinthians 4:7,The Message).” He is using an image that the prophets and psalmists used in the First Testament. It is the image God used when God told Jeremiah to go down to the Potter’s house and watch the potter at work. Jeremiah saw that the clay did not always turn out the way the potter intended. Sometimes the pot was misshapen or malformed. That did not stop the potter. He did not give up on the clay. He simply started over, using the same clay, to make another pot. Jeremiah concluded that God is infinitely resourceful and creative. God can use our ordinary, imperfect lives. The problem comes when we, who are the people of God, forget who we are and what we are for. The most important thing going on in any situation is what God is up to. The problem comes when we, whom God has set apart for God’s purposes, stop listening and paying attention to the God who is sovereign, who directs history. Jesus warned us, “If salt loses its saltiness, it is good for nothing and gets thrown into the trash-heap of history” (Matthew 5:13).

Even though the church is under a great deal of pressure these days, it is a great time to be the church. Granted, there are some things that are not so great. We hear Paul describing the church as being “surrounded and battered by troubles…not sure what to do…spiritually terrorized…thrown down and mocked” (2 Corinthians 4: 7-12, The Message). More and more we’re coming to know what that is like. Increasingly, Christians are being pushed to places where they are paying a price for being followers of Jesus. Increasingly, churches are asking how much longer they can keep their doors open and pay the bills and have enough people in worship on Sunday. All that is hard. I hear the discouragement in many of your conversations. However, such experiences are also forcing us to get clear again why we are here. We are having to articulate for ourselves and for others what the assignment is that God has given us — not the role the culture has assigned to us in order to serve its agenda. The work God has given us is to be a sign, witness and foretaste of the kind of community that is possible for those who are learning to worship and trust God in all things.

We need to remember that. We need to figure out what that looks like in this time and in this place. So, we return to our baptism again and again. We hold onto the God who has laid hold of us. We worship, we pray, we listen, we learn to tell each other the truth in love. Then we shall discover that, “we may be surrounded and battered by troubles, but we are not demoralized; we may not be sure what to do but we know that God knows what to do; we may be spiritually terrorized but God has not left our side; we have been thrown down, but we have not broken” (2 Corinthians 4:7-12, The Message).
Most of all, we discover that we hold a great treasure. We may hold it in “the unadorned clay plots of our ordinary lives, [but] the supreme power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Corinthians 4:7,The Message).

Our God says, “Light up the darkness” (2 Corinthians 4:5, The Message). By God’s grace, by grace alone, we shall fulfill this high and holy calling, for we are children of God, disciples of Christ, members of the Church.

We are now in the Advent season, the beginning of a new Church Year. What is advent? The word advent is derived from the Latin adventus, which means “coming” or “arrival.”  In the societies of the Roman empire, the word adventus referred to the arrival of a person of dignity and great power — a king, emperor, or even one of the gods.  For Christians, Advent is the time when the church patiently prepares for the coming of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. Advent is the first part of a larger liturgical season that includes Christmas and Epiphany and continues until the beginning of Lent. Even though Advent occurs in the month of December and is usually considered to be a prelude to Christmas, it is not simply about waiting for the birth of Christ.  Advent is as much about preparing for Christ’s return on Judgment Day.  Indeed, the Advent season focuses on Christ’s threefold coming — past, present, and future.  First, we remember the Lord’s humble first coming in Bethlehem two thousand years ago.  Second, we give thanks for His present and continual coming to us through Word and Sacrament.  Finally, we look forward with hope and longing to His second coming in glory to judge the living and the dead on the Last Day.

————————————————————————————-

How many of you like video games? Maybe you have a favorite game? Whether it be on Wii, Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo DS, or a computer game like mine.

My all time favorite game is King’s Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow. I really love the whole King’s Quest Series, but number six is my favorite. The series is about the royal family of a kingdom called Daventry, and it’s different adventures to save the family and the kingdom. Fictional characters like Beauty and the Beast, Rumpelstiltskin, Little Red Riding Hood, Count Dracula, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and many more make appearances throughout the series. There are puzzles and riddles to solve. The first game came out before I was born, in 1984. King’s Quest VI came out in 1992, when I was about 5 or 6. (In chapel I asked the kids that were 5 to 6 years old to stand up to show the difference from when it came out to now) I played it the first time when I was their age, and by the time I was in 8th grade I knew how to solve all of the puzzles and save the princess and kingdom of the Green Isles on my own. And I still love to play this game when I can. You could ask my college roommate about her watching me as I made it to meet the Lord of the Dead (that was her favorite part). And I even played it over Thanksgiving break. Even though I now have the entire hard, longer path memorized. Well, there’s one tricky part in the labyrinth that I don’t always remember which way to go… but other than that I have it down.

And by now, I’m guessing you are all wondering why I’m talking about my favorite game during Chapel. It’s not to talk you all into playing it some time.

The last couple times I played this game, I started asking myself why even though I have it memorized I still enjoy playing it when I can. That got me to thinking about when I would originally play it. When I was little (well, and even still now) my dad worked shift work. Meaning he either works 7am-7pm or 7pm-7am when he works. And playing the King’s Quest games and a few others was a special time when my dad, my little sister, and I would have time together. When we were really young we would each sit on one of his knees, when we got older we would drag chairs from the dining table around the computer. Playing these games was a special time that showed me and reminds me how much my dad loves me. And as much as I know that he loves me, he loves me even more than I can understand.

Can you think of a similar story for yourself? Think of your parents, grandparents, a sibling, maybe a close family friend. Someone you know loves you a lot.

That person isn’t the only one who loves you that much. God loves each and every one of us so much that He sent His Son down to earth to be born, live, die, and rise again. Just so you could be with Him forever. Remember how I earlier told you about what Advent means? As we prepare for the birth of Christ, we can remember that was one of the ways that God showed us His love. As we hear His Word and see the things He gives us each day, that is another way He shows His love. And as we wait for Christ’s returning we can see that as a way He shows us His love so that we can be with Him.

Today is also Baptism Remembrance Chapel. Just a little bit ago, those who had December Baptism birthdays were up here to remember their baptism. In baptism, we are baptized “in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” By being baptized into God’s name, we are becoming His children. Baptism is another way for us to see God’s love.

I’m sure we could all think of more ways that we can see God’s love to us every day. You may be familiar with this verse, but I think it sums up what I’ve been saying, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)”

As much as my dad loves me, God loves me even more. That is so awesome to think about, and yet it’s true for you guys too. My challenge to you guys is to think that over as you go about that today, and share that love with someone else.

“JOHN TRULY BAPTIZED WITH WATER, BUT YOU SHALL BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT NOT MANY DAYS HENCE” ACTS 1:5. Are you aware of the fact that there are “many baptisms”? There is a baptism into the remission of sins, personal covenant baptism, baptism of Christ unto penal death, baptism of the apostles, Ritual baptism, baptism by one Spirit into one body, Into the Triune Godhead, etc. One baptism? If there is only ONE baptism, why is the church so confused over the method of baptizing? Some denominations believe in the sprinkling of infants, but how does the Bible square with that practice? “Lydia and HER HOUSEHOLD were baptized….Yes, I baptized THE HOUSEHOLD of Stephanas” Acts 16:15 and 1 Corinthians 1:16. It is more than obvious that Lydia’s little children were not baptized by immersion. The Greek word for household means a family with small infants. As for the household of Stephanas, Scripture never mentions if that specific person was baptized by the Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 1:17), but it is clear that Paul baptized the household. Again, the Greek word (oikos) refers to not only minors, but children of even the youngest age.

The Baptist church strongly believes in immersion as its mode of Baptism whereas the Presbyterian Church USA sprinkles infants in their baptism ceremonies. If that were not enough, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) practice the unScriptural baptism for the dead (1 Corinthians 15:29). By unbiblical, please note the shift to the third person in that text which disassoicates Paul from that practice. The early church father, Tertullian, referred to that practice as heresy. Mormons believe that living Mormons could stand in for their departed lost ones in order to bring them into the kingdom. Again, this is just another example of extra-biblical revelation to justify the persons doing such things.

The one baptism referred to in Ephesians 4:5 is known as SPIRITUAL BAPTISM. It occurs when a person places their fatih in Jesus Christ. Water is not needed to accompany this procedure. “BURIED WITH HIM IN BAPTISM, IN WHICH YOU WERE ALSO RAISED WITH HIM THROUGH FAITH IN THE WORKING OF GOD, WHO RAISES HIM FROM THE DEAD” COLOSSIANS 2:12. This is a reference to real baptism by the Holy Spirit and not a ritual baptism in water. It is into the benefits of the death of Christ. “FOR BY ONE SPIRIT WE ARE ALL BAPTIZED INTO ONE BODY, WHETHER JEW OR GREEK, WHETHER SLAVE OR FREE, AND HAVE ALL BEEN MADE TO DRINK INTO ONE SPIRIT” 1 CORINTHIANS 12:13.

Even Acts 1:5 implies that John baptized WITH water and not necessarily IN water. The apostolic teaching supportsthis in that baptism meant a union with Christ. “ALL OF YOU WERE BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST HAVE CLOTHED YOURSELVES WITH CHRIST” GALATIANS 3:27. These texts equate baptism with “uniting with” and not a mere ritual dipping or immersion.

Acts 2:41 records that 3,000 souls were baptized but in what water source in Jerusalem? How could 12 disciples possibly administer baptism by immersion to so many people? Pouring water over them could make that much easier not to mention sprinkling. Real baptist CANNOT be accomplished through the means of human administration. It must be accomplished through the Holy Spirit. The result is placement into the ONE BODY of Ephesians 4:5. The efficacy is complete and total and this universal and unfailing efficacy goes beyond the power of any humanly administered ordinance and is therefore a reference to real and not ritual baptism.

In the text from 1 Corinthians 12:13, please take notice of the fact that water is found nowhere in that verse or in the immediate context. It is the baptism of all regenerate persons who are under the influence of the Holy Spirit and subject to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It is a baptism of unification, by the distribution of appropraite and varied gifts to EVERY member of the Body of Christ as distinguished from the baptsim of regeneration (Titus 3:5), which unites the individual soul to Christ and makes one a participant in His redemption. The Holy Spirit continues this work of “double baptism” of the individual INTO Christ and of all INTO one body.

You might be asking yourself why spiritual baptsim is rarely, if ever, preached from the pulpit today? Good question! It would seem that we are so intent on dipping people into the faith without the people even knowing what they are being dipped into! In the early church, baptism was not taken as lightly as it seems to be taken today. There must be instruction given regarding baptism and what the process entails, for if we fail to do this, baptism just really becomes a ritual without any significance. But, there is even a more serious problem in the church.

Baptists hold their views on baptsim, Roman Catholics have their doctrines, and the list goes on and on. Why not simply dig out the biblical truth about baptism? Those who place ritual baptism and tradition over that of the word of God are placing themselves in jeopardy. “JOHN TRULY BAPTIZED WITH WATER (not necessarily IN water), BUT YOU SHALL BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT”. Remember! Ritual baptism has a human equation to the ceremony that we can observe in countless churches today. In so doing, the natural element water is ritually utilized but this must be distinguished from REAL baptism where a human administrator is not needed.

There are several factors in Acts 1:5 that are worth mentioning. No human agent is found in Spirit baptism. The element water is not mentioned at all. And, the result accomplished by this baptism goes far beyond what can be claimed by a humanly administered ritual. A failure to observe such distinctions has resulted in a distortion of this ordinance of Christ into an entity that was never intended. The apostles were never commissioned to baptize with the Holy Spirit as this was accomplished directly by Christ (John 1:33 and Acts 2:17). Matthew 28:19 speaks of ritual baptsim with water as the element, which human administrators do practice. But, Spiritual baptism is under the direction of Jesus Christ alone.

Immersion, sprinkling, or pouring are not the issue here as each is accomplished through human hands. Of the three, however, I hold with baptism by immersion, but they are all ritual baptisms. Water, in and of itself can never take away the remission of sins. But, spiritual baptism occurs when a person places their faith in Jesus Christ. Following that conversion, one may choose to obey the ordinance of God and partake in a ritual water baptism as a sign of obedience, but again, and we say so to declare the importance of the fact that water of itself cannot take away the remission of sins. I hope and pray that this message has helped you understand the practice of baptism.

My wife and I decided before we had children that we were going to raise them in a secular environment and not indoctrinate them into any religion.  Our son was born just under a month ago, and last week my mother requested that we get him baptized.  My original answer was no, he is not going to be raised as a christian, so there is no reason he should have to get baptized.  My mother then asked us to do it for her, that she wants him to be blessed.  She then said she wanted to throw the party for him, and it is a great way to start his college fund because of all the money he will get in checks and bonds.  I paused before answering because she was right that it would be a good start at his college fund.  I told her that we would think about it and let her know.

Baptizing our son would make us hypocrites.  To subject our son to a religious ritual would go against what we are going to teach him as he grows.  It would undermine anything we tell him in the future.  His confidence in himself would not be as strong because even though we will show and teach him that all religions are just mythology, he will still have it in the back of his mind that he was forced to take part in a ceremony.

Also, to do this for only the sake of money would be taking advantage of my friends and family.  If they want to believe in a higher power, thats their opinion.  We don’t, and to take advantage of their beliefs and traditions for monetary gain is immoral and unethical.  I have never asked for handouts, and I would never trick people I care about into giving them to me.

What if we give in and have him baptized?  Will we be asked to out him into a religion course in order to go through first communion and then confirmation as well?  We want our son to grow up unheeded by religious dogmas.  We want him to think freely and rationally. And just to go a little further, what if we have more children?  Are we then expected to baptize and religiously indoctrinate them also?

If in the future when he is old enough to decide things for himself he decided he believes in god we will support him, but we will not indoctrinate and brainwash him.

but not from me. I’ve been intrigued at the in-house debate of whether or not a credobaptist can use the  word ‘reformed’ to describe himself or herself. Richard Muller and R. Scott Clark would be two of the leading voices prohibiting the use of this word in this way. If you’ve listened to James Dolezal’s defence of credobaptism, he says he is credobaptist because he is reformed. Anyhow, here is a helpful article by Michael Haykin on this from an historical point of view.

These cookies were made for a friend of mine for the baptism celebration of her second child. She has the most beautiful boys! I was honored to make these cookies for the big day!

Photo: Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio pictured at the Vatican in April 2005

Sandro Magister has a fascinating post about Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires who, if reports are to be believed, came second to Joseph Ratzinger in the conclave voting.

According Magister, Cardinal Bergoglio is leading a controversial campaign to baptise children in Argentina even if the parents are unlikely to bring them up in the faith. He argues that this attempt to safeguard Catholicism as “the Church of the masses” is in line with Pope Benedict’s teaching.

He quotes the cardinal as saying:

This podcast is the fourth in a series based on the 8-day guided retreat I gave this past summer at St. Ignatius Retreat House on the theme, The Gift of an Awakened Heart. In the first podcast in this series, I identified some qualities of an awakened heart and talked about what it means to live out of that awakened heart. The second and third podcasts looked at the misconceptions and wounds that inhibit our ability to fully open our hearts to the world.

This podcast seeks to help us get in touch with our call to gift the world with our awakened hearts, to know that we are each individually called by God to go out into the world. The vehicle I use for doing that in this podcast is our baptism vows. Reflecting on the radical nature of the three promises first made on our behalf at our Baptism, and remade by us each time we recite the Creed, helps us get in touch wil our call to gift the world with our love.

The length of this podcast is 19:11. You can stream it from the icon below or can download it here. (Remember that you can also subscribe to Creo en Dios! podcasts on iTunes.)

1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 

1:2 Grace be to you, and Peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in Love:

1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will: (1—See at the end)

1:6 To the praise of the glory of his Grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved.  

1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his Grace; 

1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; (2—See at the end)…

1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

1:10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:  

1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

1:12 That we should be to the praise of his Glory, who first trusted in Christ.

(1:18)…”the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the Glory of his inheritance— of the Saints.

1… On predestination, see notes on Romans 8:29,30 and Ephesians 1:5. Note the important assertion here that God did not base our predestination on His ability to foresee our decision to accept Christ, but simply according to…

 2…Imagine that all wisdom and prudence would also be a giant step toward the Truth and Wisdom in the strength of the Simple Truth of Life and Christ’s Grace.

 3…We can see and also know that the way to life, on this Planet and the eternity of  Life in the Heavens, is Respect and Understanding and Peace and Love and love…”ain’t nothing better and Love is keeping this old world together”…Amen

This month, Matt and Shaun talk about upcoming interviews, discuss some of their latest reads (see links below) and answer your questions on various forms of baptism.

Upcoming podcasts: Beginning next year, we’ll be interviewing Jim Belcher on his recent book, Deep Church; Jason Stellman on his book, Dual Citizens; and Jack Kinneer about Two Kingdom theology.  Please feel free to leave questions you’d like us to ask in the comments below.  Also, this book and these posts by Michael Horton are helpful preparation for understanding the Two Kingdom discussion. (Thanks, Justin)

Books we recommend:
Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller
Christ Centered Worship by Bryan Chapell
A Praying Life by Paul Miller
Christ and Culture Revisited by Don Carson

Be sure and leave your comments and questions, including those for our upcoming guests.  As always, thanks for listening!  We pray this podcast has been beneficial in your pursuit of God through His ordinary means.

Let your friends know you can listen right here, download directly from this link (right click and save), or subscribe on iTunes.

There is much debate and confusion concerning water baptism. This is sad because the subject is such an important aspect of Christianity. Only by going to the Bible and studying all of the passages that relate to the issue can we get at the truth. When we do this, we find the answers to five fundamental questions.

Question #1: Who Is Qualified For Water Baptism? 

The Bible plainly teaches that only born-again Christians can rightly submit to water baptism. To be born again, one must put saving belief (faith) in Jesus Christ (John 1:12-13; 3:3; 3:16-18; 1^st John 5:1). Born-again Christians are people who have heard the gospel of Christ, seen themselves as sinners bound for hell, understood that Jesus died to pay the debt for their sins, and genuinely believed in Him as their personal Savior. This belief (faith) in Jesus brings eternal forgiveness and salvation to the individual (John 3:16; Acts 10:43; Romans 1:16-17; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1^st John 5:1,13).

Such “believers” are qualified for water baptism because they have experienced Holy Spirit baptism (Matthew 3:11; John 7:37-39; Acts 1:5; 10:44-48; 1^st Corinthians 12:13). Holy Spirit baptism is God the Holy Spirit taking up residence within the person who has put saving belief in Christ. This happens at the initial moment of the saving belief. Actually, it is Holy Spirit baptism that produces the “new birth” that makes one a born-again Christian. It is nonsense for people to claim to be Christians if they haven’t experienced Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 11:15-18; 15:6-8; Romans 5:5; 8:8-11, 8:14-16; 1^st Corinthians 6:19; 2^nd Corinthians 1:22; 3:3; 5:5; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30; 1^st Thessalonians 4:8; 2^nd Timothy 1:14; 1^st John 3:23-24; 4:12-13).

All of this means that the common practice of baptizing infants is wrong. Likewise, it is equally wrong to baptize any adult who hasn’t put legitimate saving belief in Christ. The fact is that anyone, regardless of age, race, or religion, who hasn’t been baptized with the Holy Spirit has no business whatsoever being baptized in water. This is why water baptism is oftentimes rightly referred to as “believer’s baptism.”

Question #2: Does A Person Have To Submit To Water Baptism To Be Saved?　

The answer is, NO. In the New Testament there are over two-hundred verses that teach that salvation comes through belief (faith) in Christ. Many passages use the word “faith,” while others use words such “belief,” “believe,” or “believed.” Obviously, these words are interchangeable.

If water baptism played any part whatsoever in salvation we would find it consistently mentioned in the Bible whenever the plan of salvation is presented. What we find, however, is the exact opposite. For example, the apostle Paul said that he didn’t do much baptizing (1^st Corinthians 1:13-17). He also didn’t mention water baptism when he gave the Corinthians his definition of the gospel (1^st Corinthians 15:1-11). Paul’s words and actions seem very strange if water baptism is required for salvation. Paul was like Jesus, who Himself didn’t baptize anyone (John 4:1-2).

It’s true that Peter mentioned water baptism in the invitation he gave in his sermon on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:37-38), but he didn’t mention it in other sermons he preached (Acts 3:12-26; 5:29-32; 10:34-43). As a matter of fact, the Bible even points out that those who were saved after hearing the Pentecost sermon were saved by belief (Acts 2:44).

To contend that water baptism is vital to salvation is to create two plans of salvation. The people of the Old Testament age, not being baptized, would have been saved in a different way than the people of the New Testament age. Furthermore, the believers who lived during Christ’s earthly life did not experience Christian baptism. This group included the apostles. Many of these believers were baptized in the Jordan river by John the Baptist, but John’s baptism was not Christian baptism. When an individual was baptized by John, that individual was simply making a public profession of repentance (Matthew 3:4-12; Mark 1:4-5; Acts 10:34-37; 18:24-25; 19:1-5). This repentance was supposed to prepare the individual to accept the Messiah, who was soon to come and offer salvation (Matthew 3:11-12; Luke 7:24-30). This explains why John was hesitant to baptize Jesus (Matthew 3:13-14). John knew that Jesus had no sins to repent of and that He was the Messiah.

Still, despite the fact that they did not experience Christian baptism, the Old Testament believers and those who believed during Christ’s earthly life were saved (Psalm 23:6; Luke 7:37-50; 23:39-43; Hebrews 11:1-40). There is even an entire chapter (Romans chapter 4) of the Bible that is devoted to the teaching that salvation has always been through saving faith in the one, true Lord.

Question #3: Why Should The Christian Submit To Water Baptism?

Water baptism is a beautiful object lesson. First, it shows what has happened in the Christian’s earthly existence. In going under the water, the Christian is publicly saying, “I am now dead to sin” (Romans 6:1-2; 6:6-7; 6:11-14). The waters of baptism have even been called “a liquid tomb.” In coming up from under the water, the Christian is saying, “I am now alive to walk in the newness of the Christian life” (Romans 6:4; 6:6; 6:8; 6:10-14).

Second, water baptism shows what will happen in the Christian’s eternal existence. In going under the water, the Christian is publicly identifying himself or herself with Christ’s death and burial (Romans 6:3-5; 6:8). In coming up from under the water, the Christian is publicly identifying himself or herself with Christ’s resurrection from the dead (Romans 6:5; 6:8-9). By submitting to water baptism, the Christian is saying, “I know that Christ will not leave my body in the grave. My body will one day be gloriously resurrected, just as His body was” (1^st Corinthians 15:20-24; 15:42-50).

Understanding how water baptism is a two-fold object lesson makes it easy to see why Jesus commanded that those won to Him should submit to it (Matthew 28:19). The Bible even says that a Christian can be saved from a guilty conscience toward God only by submitting to water baptism (1^st Peter 3:21). If the Christian refuses water baptism, he or she will eventually feel guilty about the disobedience (Luke 6:46; John 15:14; James 4:16).

In the days of the early church, those who believed in Christ as Savior were expected to immediately submit to water baptism (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:37-41; 8:12; 8:26-40; 9:17-18; 10:44-49; 16:14-15; 16:25-34; 18:8; 19:1-7). Keep in mind that the early Christians had no church buildings, pews, aisles, or altars. Therefore, a public water baptism was a profound way for an individual to openly show that he or she was believing in Christ as Savior (Matthew 10:32). For that matter, it still is!

Question #4: What mode of water baptism is correct?　

Total immersion is the only mode of water baptism that is described in the Bible. This is plainly seen in passages which describe John the Baptist’s baptisms as well as Christian baptisms (Matthew 3:13-16; John 3:23; Acts 8:35-39). The modes of sprinkling and pouring are not scriptural.

Keep in mind that the object lesson is what makes the mode so important. Water baptism is supposed to show the Christian’s death and burial to sin as well as Christ’s own physical death and burial. Total immersion in the water is the only mode that truly pictures death and burial. When we bury a corpse, we don’t just sprinkle or pour a bit of dirt over that body. Instead, we immerse that body completely in the ground.

Question #5: What Words Should Be Said During Water Baptism?　

Frankly, the exact words don’t seem nearly as important as the mode. Jesus told His followers to baptize “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Peter told a group of Jews to be baptized “in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:38). Later, he told a group of Gentiles to be baptized “in the name of the Lord” (Acts 10:48). Paul baptized a group of believers “in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:5).

Most churches use the Matthew 28:19 words. This verse is one of the Bible’s proof texts that God is one God who exists in three distinct personages. In the verse, Jesus says to His disciples, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name (singular) of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” You see, there is no need to immerse the believer three times into the water. To do so is to confuse the fact that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are One. It is also to miss the fact that corpses aren’t buried three times.

I know, I know. Thanksgiving was last week and it’s soooo unoriginal to write about being thankful during the Thanksgiving holiday. (That’s why I waited several days) We were heavily into the Thankschristmas season, when the first of two events reminded me to be thankful for my calling to ministry.

Numero uno,  My wife works in retail at a popular women’s clothing store. This particular company had a program called friends and family where employees would recommend, you guessed it-friends and family to work during the busy “black-Friday” weekend. I became an employee at a women’s clothing store for exactly 4 1/2 hours! Due to my lack of being a woman, and little knowledge of women’s fashions, I worked in the stock room. (Actually that was the deal, the only way I would work there is if I was in the back never to see the front!) I enjoyed my time and even enjoyed the lack of responsibility, after all I folded clothes for 2 of those hours. I realized though that I don’t miss working a “secular” job. The other employees were great everything went well, but it reminded me that I really love what I do!

El number duo, last Sunday morning was baptism Sunday at our church. I love baptizing people! I love the fact that you physically see people taking the next step in their relationship with Christ. The thing about this particular Sunday that made it one of those “moments” was the fact that I was baptizing my own 8 year old daughter! It was incredible to have her in my baptism class (the 2 Sundays before baptism kids and adults attend classes to help them understand what baptism is) and watch her go through the process of baptism. She was scared and excited (mostly scared) through the actual baptism, but I was a proud dad and pastor.

These two moments reminded me of what I really already knew. I love being a children’s pastor! I know there are a lot of things that frustrate us, and stress us out, and beat us down. At the very least though we’re going through all of this for an eternal investment, not just a money goal for the holidays! My point is this, if things aren’t going well and you feel like throwing in the towel, DON’T! Just sit back, close your eyes, and remember some of those “moments” that have made ministry fun and a blessing in your life. In fact it would be great if you would share some of those here, it may be just the encouragement someone else needs!

I used to have a great need to be exposed to contemporary worship for spiritual filling.  That need was replaced by an increased intrigue in good preaching.  Now my interests have been guided to new horizons: the sacraments. 

Sacrament, taken from the Latin sacramentum, literally means “a consecrating.”  It is an act in which God particularly conveys his divine grace.  John Wesley called this a “means of grace.”  The two sacraments in the United Methodist Church, communion and baptism, carry incredible significance.  In baptism, it is the dispensing of God’s grace upon a person for the washing away of sins and the public acceptance of Christ’s lordship through the upbringing of the Church.  It is important to remember that baptism is something done to a person, not done by a person.  Infant baptism, a more controversial practice among Christian circles today, is the celebration of prevenient grace.  Upon an infant’s baptism, the Church shares the joy of God’s pursuit of the little one so that one day they will make their own decision of faith.  For the adult, baptism serves as a celebration of receiving justifying grace –that is where an individual invites Christ to be their Lord and Savior and thus are transformed into a new creation in God.  If baptism truly is a sacred moment, then it should only be done once –making it a “once in a lifetime” event.  What a special rite it is, then, to administer this holy act!  While serving in a non-denominational ministry at a school in Haiti, I had the privilege of baptizing some of my students who wanted to “accept Christ.”  In the moment of baptism, I sensed the reality of God’s presence and power upon me and those children.

Communion is the spiritual reminder of Christ’s sacrifice that draws each believer in close bond with God.  Like baptism, I believe that God enters into the partaking of bread and wine, making the event holy and sacred.  Just as Christ shared the Last Supper with his disciples, communion is to be shared in the presence of multiple believers.  It is not something to be conducted alone.  In an age where worship differs according to taste, Communion serves as a means by which all those in the Body of Christ can share together in Christian unity.  Communion is straight forward.  There are no tricks or gimmicks. It is the mystery of God’s divine grace encapsulated in a stale wafer and a shot glass full of juice. Communion is so mystical I know it can’t be about me. 

Although I believe communion and baptism to be sacred events, they mean little if they are not accompanied by the steady commitment to grow in discipleship.  I have met many individuals who have been baptized and who take communion regularly, yet fail to show evidence that their faith is important to their lives.  They do not engage in prayer, do not read their Bible, and rarely attend church; yet they are convinced that they are faithful believers because of their participation in the sacraments. 

What is your take on the sacraments?

My photo friend Scott Thomas in upstate New York asked me to enter his photo challenge and submit a photo that exudes “November”.  Well, that assignment is over, but yesterday on the drive home from church I saw this scene in an estate in Apopka Florida that look to me as close to what November could look like – with the fall colors – as much as Florida can drum up – since things are a bit tropical-looking down here.  The temperatures have gone down into th 40s over the last couple of weeks – and it is SO REFRESHING!  I’m sending this to Scott anyway and hope you all like it as well.

Autumn in Central Florida

The ride yesterday was because of these two little guys.  They were baptized in Christ yesterday.  Matthew and Anderson (with their Mommies) – we love you!

Anderson and Matthew

Today, in our 7th grade pre-Confirmation class, we discussed our unique identities, our stages in life, vocations, marriage and closed with the story of St Agatha.  Lots of interaction and discussion, full of the Lord’s blessings!

–3 BIRTHDAYS … each begins a new life

• –Physical B-day … start earthly life
• –Baptism B-day … start Christian spiritual life
• –Death B-day … start our heavenly life

Who Am I? (back page of journal)

• –Birth name, Nick names, “Hats” (our roles)
• –Spiritual names? What does God call you?
  • (we’ll find out as we try different prayers)

VOCATION = “a call” by God to holiness

• ”Primary” Vocation …
  • –“to be a beloved child to our heavenly Father”
• “State of Life” Vocation … which one?
  • –Single, Consecrated Single
  • –Married (husband/father, wife/mother)
  • –Religious sister or brother
  • –Priesthood (clergy, deacon)
• “Service” Vocation … career, ministry, etc.

Sacrament of Marriage … purpose is …

• –Pro-create (open to children),
• –Educate (evangelize your Catholic children)
• –Holy Mate (get your spouse to heaven!)

St Agatha (3^rd century virgin martyr) a beautiful young girl who consecrated herself to Jesus and resisted the advances of a nobleman. He imprisoned & tortured her (even cut off her breasts), but she stayed faithful to God.  Died in prison. Feast on Feb 5. Patron of breast, nurses, (bell-makers & bakers – due to statue plater).