Baptism

Jesus said: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18-20

The pastor opened up once more in his sermon yesterday the debate on baptizing, the water or the name, babies, believers, unbelievers, and questions about the baptism commanded by our Lord as we read in our scripture passage for today. Well, I am here! The Monday morning pastor, and I can...give only my testimony. 

As an infant in the care of my dear mother, I may have been baptized or dedicated, as dunking babies underwater was seen as risky in some times and places, unto the Lord and I can testify that I had no choice in the matter and don't recall a thing about it. In the case of infants, I think that baptism is more for the parents than the baby as infants can hardly make a public statement to their acceptance of our Lord's salvation unless something like, "Bwaaaaaa!" is a statement to that effect. 

As a youth, I seem to recall that at least one baptism was done at a vacation Bible School in one or both Baptist churches in town. Again, so little memory of it that I cannot tell you the age I was nor whether it was the full dunk, partial dunk, or a sprinkling of the water. Again, in the case of children it seems to be more out of a sense of duty toward the command of our Lord Jesus by the teachers, parents, or pastor than a statement by the child, this child at least, of his salvation by our Lord. 

As a teenager, and on the young side of it at that, I was full-dunked at Lake Alice by the pastor of our church, but it was not done properly by me, and the fault is mine. At that age, I sought attention for myself in all manner of ways, some better and some worse. The baptism gave me the opportunity for some attention and I took it. Only partially might that time have been a public statement of my salvation. I am certain that my decision was not made fully understanding what salvation meant, and my swimming away from the dunking in a somewhat showy manner proved that I was both mentally and spiritually in teenage adolescence. 

At last, the fourth, fifth, or even sixth time that I approached the ceremony of baptism, I was of adult age and attended class with scripture research under the pastor's guidance. The ceremony was scheduled the next week, with admonition to pray often for the full week and cancel if insincerity was found. The church body turned out to bear witness, and this time was quite different from all other times before it. Someone or something did not want me to make this statement of faith in Jesus Christ, and anxiety came after me with a vengeance. However, through much prayer and some suffering, we made it through the ceremony, last, with my dear brother in Christ, Burt, assisting Pastor Doug, and the assault on me was taken away. This time I can testify it was genuine and appropriate, a true ceremony of baptism. 

Does this contradict or conflict with the sermon yesterday? No it does not seem so to me, though I am not the authority on baptism and only testify to the story I have seen Jesus write in me. 

My advice on baptism: don't count on the experiences of youth. Participate in an adult baptism including consultation with your pastor ahead of the event. Make it properly public as baptism is a public statement of your faith in Christ. And don't put it off! 

In the love of Christ our Lord,

Bucky