Theology Thursday
Q. 94. What is Baptism?
A. Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, doth signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord’s.
Westminster Shorter Catechism
I’ll never forget the first baptism at Village Church. I don’t think we get ‘monsoon’ in Wollongong. But we got one. It was wild. We could see it coming but it looked like maybe we would just avoid the worst. We didn’t. We copped it. We lost a few umbrellas. The hot chips got soaked. But we baptised one of God’s people. It was wonderful.
It was also one of those moments that brought us together. Almost as if God was baptising us as a Church. But that statement raises the question of what baptism is. This is where the Catechism is a helpful starting point. Let me pick up a couple of things.
In His kindness. God has given us baptism to help us remember the work of Christ. To experience physically, something of the spiritual reality and to remember that experience as an ongoing encouragement of God’s grace in Christ.
For Today:
Pray:
Passages: Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:38-42 & 22:16, Romans 6:3-4, Galatians 3:26-27
A. Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, doth signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord’s.
Westminster Shorter Catechism
I’ll never forget the first baptism at Village Church. I don’t think we get ‘monsoon’ in Wollongong. But we got one. It was wild. We could see it coming but it looked like maybe we would just avoid the worst. We didn’t. We copped it. We lost a few umbrellas. The hot chips got soaked. But we baptised one of God’s people. It was wonderful.
It was also one of those moments that brought us together. Almost as if God was baptising us as a Church. But that statement raises the question of what baptism is. This is where the Catechism is a helpful starting point. Let me pick up a couple of things.
- Baptism is a sign - Israel had circumcision as a reminder that they were God’s special people, it made them different to everyone else. Christians have baptism. It’s not just any sign. It’s a sign that reminds of Jesus' death and resurrection and that His death & resurrection has been applied to the life of the believer.
- Baptism is a seal - this is to say that baptism isn’t only a sign. It’s not simply a ritual like blowing out candles at a birthday party. Instead, the Holy Spirit works through the sacrament to confirm to us God’s grace in Jesus.
In His kindness. God has given us baptism to help us remember the work of Christ. To experience physically, something of the spiritual reality and to remember that experience as an ongoing encouragement of God’s grace in Christ.
For Today:
- If you have been baptised, do you remember it?
- Reflect on your baptism experience and what it means about who you are.
- Give thanks for the sacrament of baptism today.
Pray:
- Praise the Father that He gives us the sacraments to help us remember Him.
- Give thanks for Jesus who died so that we might be dead to sin and was raised as the first of us to be raised to eternal life.
- Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you and others remember your baptism and be reminded of Christ.
Passages: Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:38-42 & 22:16, Romans 6:3-4, Galatians 3:26-27
Posted in Theology Thursday
No Comments