Tag Archives: Baptism

The power of baptism isn’t in the water (1 Peter 3)

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waterApologies for being a bit sporadic in posting on this series on baptism. We’ll keep making progress, as best we can. The last passage we looked at was Colossians 2. Let’s move on to 1 Peter 3. Here’s the pertinent section:

“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.” (1 Peter 3:18–22)

It’s an interesting analogy, using the Old Testament in a way that most of us wouldn’t. Suffice it to say that Jewish hermeneutics allowed for more freedom in interpreting a text than most of us find comfortable. I don’t have a problem with that when it comes to New Testament writers, for I believe them to be inspired.

Note that Peter doesn’t focus on the saving ability of the ark that was built. He instead mentions the water. Then he compares that water to the water of baptism, saying that baptism also saves.

When we read commentators, this is where things get weird. The troublesome phrases tend to be: “not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.” Peter is saying that the saving power of the water of baptism is not it’s physical power (i.e., the water isn’t magic), but it’s spiritual power.

But some take Peter to be denying the necessity of baptism in water. (Truly amazing, since the imagery behind all of this is water!) Revisionists will say, “Aha! It’s not about the removal of dirt from the body. That means it’s not ‘water baptism’ he’s talking about. It’s spiritual baptism, our conscience appealing to God.”

Funny thing is, I’ve never met any person who practiced baptism who thought that the point was cleaning dirt off the body. Peter is merely emphasizing that the power of this physical act lies in the faith behind it, the same thing that Paul said in Colossians 2. It is the resurrection of Jesus that truly saves; our baptism in water is our connection with that resurrection, as Paul said in Romans 6.

That’s why I don’t get bent out of shape regarding what water we use. I’ve baptized in rivers and lakes. I’ve baptized in a bathtub. I’ve baptized in swimming pools. I’ve baptized in baptisteries of every shape, size, and color. The water is not the important thing.

I also don’t worry about who baptizes. The power is not in the hands of the one(s) helping the person go under the water. Nor do I worry about the minutiae. If their big toe was sticking out, I don’t feel like we have to dunk the person again. The water isn’t magic nor is the act, though they will probably appear so when viewed by outsiders. We know that the faith of the person, the heart appealing to God, is the engine behind baptism. None of it matters without God’s power and our belief in that power.

Baptism now saves us. Not because the water magically makes us clean. No, it’s because our symbolic burial and resurrection are an appeal to God for cleansing, an intentional connecting ourselves with the resurrection of Jesus and its power.

The power of baptism, from Colossians 2

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waterMoving through the New Testament passages on baptism, we next come to Colossians 2. Paul connects baptism with the concept of circumcision, when he says

“In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” (Colossians 2:11–15)

It’s been suggested that Paul here opens the door to infant baptism, given that circumcision was done eight days after birth. That’s taking Paul’s words a little too literally. But if you’re going to use this passage for infant baptism, you’re going to need to make that infant immersion (which some groups practice); there’s no getting around the imagery of burial in this text.

The passage also emphasizes the need for faith in God’s power. Any view of baptism that places importance on the one doing the baptizing or puts some sort of trust in the power of the water misses the mark on this one. Baptism is about God at work. Not man at work. Not water at work. God’s power.

It’s God who takes a dead person and makes them alive. It’s God who takes an unacceptable person and makes them clean. It’s God who takes a sinner and declares him just, canceling the debt of sin by sending Jesus to die on a cross.

Baptism has power because God has power. Our faith in that power makes baptism more than a symbol.

Ephesians 4 and the one baptism

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waterAfter last week’s excursus, we’re ready to return to our examination of what the New Testament says about baptism. The next passage to discuss is found in Ephesians 4:

“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4–6)

What’s the big deal about baptism? Why do some people talk about it so much? This passage helps us see why. When Paul wants to discuss the essentials of Christian unity, one of the seven things mentioned is baptism. In fact, we can go through the New Testament and note how many times baptism is mentioned compared with other Christian practices, like the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is mentioned much more frequently. Does that mean it’s more important than the Lord’s Supper? By no means. But baptism holds a central place in Christian doctrine.

One complication is the fact that the Bible mentions more than one baptism. There is John’s baptism. John said Jesus would baptize with the Spirit and with fire. Jesus spoke of his suffering and death as a baptism. Does that mean we can’t be sure of what Paul is saying here?

I think we can be sure. We’ve already seen that John’s baptism was superseded by baptism in the name of Jesus. And baptism in the Holy Spirit isn’t something we’re told to seek. God poured out his Spirit on all flesh, and we can now receive the Spirit in our lives by being baptized in water. Paul is talking about baptism in the name of Jesus.

It’s ironic then that baptism has often been a source of division, when it’s one of seven things that Paul points to that should be the basis of our unity. May we be drawn together through this reenactment of Jesus’ death, through this new birth into a renewed life. May the one baptism help us be one body.

Baptism, gender, and Galatians 3

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waterA post about gender differences in the church doesn’t really have a place in a series on baptism. Just as a talk about gender and the church doesn’t really fit a Bible lectureship about baptism and the Lord’s Supper. That’s how I see it. But not everyone shares my opinion.

The recent Pepperdine lectures were built around themes from John Mark Hick’s new book on baptism and the Lord’s Supper. I’ve read previous works by John Mark on these subjects, so I imagine this one should be excellent. Jarrod Robinson was invited to speak on Galatians 3:26-28 and titled his talk “Our Baptismal Vows.” He gave a talk that has garnered much attention, emphasizing his beliefs that there are no differences between what men and women can do in the church.

Personally I feel that Jarrod was set up to fail. Not that he didn’t give a very good talk. But his verse assignment pushed verse 28 to the forefront of the discussion. You either focus on the verse that discusses baptism or you expand your focus to include the whole paragraph. It’s either 3:26-27 or it’s 3:26-29. Otherwise, you’re turning what should be an exposition of Scripture into an agenda-driven talk. Which was what we got from Jarrod.

Not to say he didn’t do a good job. It was an effective talk. But it wasn’t Galatians 3.

(I should note that I raised these concerns in a group that John Mark Hicks is a part of. In response, he wrote a blog post on the subject. I think he’s reaching a bit to find a parallel between Joel and Galatians 3. It’s also hard to connect this reasoning with the topic under discussion in Galatians. But you can read his article and decide for yourself.)

The original hearers of the book of Galatians wouldn’t have heard the letter read and come away talking about 3:28. It’s a minor point in the letter. If anything, they would have discussed it in relation to their situation and the topic Paul was discussing… which was not about gender roles in the church (and was about whether or not believers had to be circumcised to be a part of the community of faith. Merely reading the verse with that in mind steers you in the proper direction)

Toward the end of his talk, Jarrod kept repeating the phrase: “We’re baptized believers. We’re better than this,” while discussing the limiting of the role of women in the church. An effective rhetorical device, but not one that leads to good examination of a text. I could say, “Let’s not just follow the whims of culture. We’re baptized believers. We’re better than this.” Good rhetorical device; less than helpful for improving understanding.

If you’d like to listen to Jarrod’s talk, you can see it on YouTube. Or search for it on iTunes.

I want to spend some time discussing this passage further before moving on to other passages on baptism (which is what we’ve been studying the last few weeks). I look forward to your comments, as always.

Clothed with Christ – Galatians 3

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waterAs we look at New Testament passages that teach us about baptism, it’s good to keep in mind that the main point of these passages isn’t baptism. That’s a striking contrast between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Where the Mosaic Law gave specific ordinances about worship and how it was to be carried out, the New Testament lacks such code. We’re not told who can baptize, where they can baptize, when they can baptize, what kind of water is to be used…

With that in mind, we turn to Galatians 3, a passage which not only isn’t about baptism, but isn’t about the role of women, despite any lectures you might have heard at Pepperdine or read in other places. The theme of Galatians 3:1-4:7 is this: “Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.” (Galatians 3:7) This passage is about who is a child of Abraham and, therefore, an heir of the promises made to Abraham. Any ideas we extract from these passages must be evaluated according to their place within that theme.

“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:26–29)

What is said about baptism is a part of this discussion. By being baptized into Christ, we cloth ourselves with Christ. This faith response makes us a son of God and “Abraham’s seed,” heirs of the promises made to Abraham.

I love that imagery… clothed with Christ. We used to sing a song when I was in college that says

I am covered over with the robe of righteousness that Jesus gives to me.
I am covered over with the precious blood of Jesus and he lives in me.
What a joy it is to know my heavenly Father loves me so he gives to me my Jesus.
And when he looks at me he sees not what I used to be, but he sees Jesus.