Random Notes (#62)

Has anyone spent much time researching and understanding the concept and idea of Baptism? For some reason it has moved to the forefront of my mind in the past few months on several occasions. Though I have the standard understanding of it (origins, design, and current use in our church) I do feel lacking in what I consider a clear "bible view". Not that of a denomination, but that of its uses and intent within a biblical context. Often I find that while denominations carry variations and do not agree on things, the bible does not hold more than a sole and solid view of many matters. When I need an answer this is where I go and so I went looking first by searching the bible for words like "baptize", "Baptism", and then after coming up with no hits I tried "Baptist" hoping for John the Baptist verses. Nothing came back... Honestly, I thought the search engine was broken, but it found all the other things I searched for after that. Making me wonder if I was being warded against the search itself by God, or another.

So I turned to a series of websites that I trust on presenting a clear view of these matters. These sites do not list a single view and claim that it is correct, but instead list what the groups believe and then list what the bible actually has to say about it. This leaves the process of understanding and decision to the reader (as opposed to the majority of opinion based sites) and is a decent backup when I can't find what I am looking for in the actual bible.

Anyhow, I guess this all came around because I have witnessed many debates over the years of whether we should be baptizing infants or not. This is one of the few debates I did not step in on which tells me I am still at odds with it to some degree. For example my church baptizes at infancy which is fine by me, but then does not promote it later when those persons are consenting. Truly, I would think that the act as symbolic or otherwise should be carried through by consent, not force, if it matters at all. (And I believe it does.) So does that make it wrong? No, again I have no beef with the practice, but I do think that their is merit to baptism as much today as back then and as such we must undertake it purposefully if at all.

Do I think it is required? Honestly, I have no reason to believe it is a requirement for salvation. No in fact, I do not believe it is a requirement for salvation at all as that matter rests in belief of Christ and repentance of sins, salvation is however followed by regeneration. The catch here is not in the goal of salvation, but in the power of the Holy Spirit and the regeneration aspect which follows. Do I believe that my infant baptism delivered me in some fashion to the God I now serve and that the Spirit dwells within me today? Yes I do, and it is visible in my past as a non-believer as well as what my life is becoming day to day as a believer. So does that mean that the Holy Spirit landed on me as an infant? Does this mean I do not need confess and submit of my own volition? Seeing as I have been saved, commissioned, and am in the processes of regeneration already and have bore wittiness to the Spirits work in my life I have to assume that none of these concerns matter now. That the process did in fact not require my consent those many years ago.

That does of course go against what I had always thought however and so it is not easy to truly take in. As such I hold concern that I might need to go through it again if only for myself, as a consenting adult. Not for salvation sake or for a show to the people, but instead so that I might worship God in this way. Submitting as a man willfully and joyfully.

These are just some thoughts that passed through my mind again today. If you have not been baptized then it is important you do even if you see it as symbolic alone, but if you have as a child then you are in the same spot I am. Grateful of course, but left without firm biblical understanding of your role now in this regard.

God Bless,
-Dan