. . . for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. 1 Peter 1:23

Baptism is for today

Baptism: past or present?

How often do you think about your baptism? How often do you talk to someone else about it? When you think about needing help from God, do you think to turn to your baptism?

For many of us our baptism is something that happened in our distant past, something we may have no memory of. As such, we do on always draw on its life giving power. We may tend to think of baptism as something that happened to us in the past, that kept us spiritually safe until we reached confirmation age. But baptism is so much more.

In the word of Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, we are reminded us the wonderful treasure baptism is as well as the daily power baptism has for us.

Luther’s First Question: What is baptism?

Answer: Baptism is not merely water, but it is water used according to God's command and connected with God's Word.
 

What is this Word of God?

Answer: As recorded in Matthew 28:19, our Lord Christ said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

Luther’s Second Question:  What gifts or benefits does Baptism bestow?

Answer: It effects forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and grants eternal salvation to all who believe, as the Word and promise of God declare.

What is this Word and promise of God?

Answer: As recorded in Mark 16:16, our Lord Christ said, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."
 
 

Luther’s Third Question  How can water produce such great effects?

Answer: It is not the water that produces these effects, but the Word of God connected with the water, and our faith which relies on the Word of God connected with the water. For without the Word of God the water is merely water and no Baptism. But when connected with the Word of God it is a Baptism, that is, a gracious water of life and a washing of regeneration in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul wrote to Titus (3:5-8), "He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life. This saying is sure.

Luther’s Fourth Question What does such baptizing with water signify?

Answer: It signifies that the old Adam in us, together with all sins and evil lusts, should be drowned by daily sorrow and repentance and be put to death, and that the new man should come forth daily and rise up, cleansed and righteous, to live forever in God's presence.

Where is this written?

Answer: In Romans 6:4, St. Paul wrote, "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."
 

Baptism is for Today!

Luther drew his words regarding baptism from the Scriptures themselves. Through his words we are reminded of the Scriptural truth about baptism.

• Baptism is powerful
  

• Baptism has the promise and command of God behind it.
  
• Baptism forgives sin because God uses it to distribute the grace earned by Christ on the cross.
  
• Baptism gives us forgiveness, life, and salvation
  
• Baptism lasts us a lifetime. Each day it is present and powerful in our lives so that the old sinful self should be put to death and the new self should rise to life.

 
Old Life and New Life

Lutherans can sometimes become a little confused on the topic of daily Christian living. We most certainly emphasize that we are forgiven by God’s grace alone and not by anything that we do or contribute. But that does not mean that God does not encourage or desire us to do good works.

God forgives by grace alone. But when God forgives, He also makes alive. Each day is a day lived under God’s grace.

Each day we face choices. Each day, our inherited sinful corruption is with us. Into the mix of our daily life is our imperfections and selfish sinfulness. What will we do.

Left to our own strength and will we would choose selfishness and sinfulness.

Each day God does more than just forgive us of our sins. With that forgiveness that guarantees us eternal life, comes strength to fight and heal sin in our daily lives. That strength comes to us not only from God’s Word, but also through our baptism. God’s action yesterday that carries blessing to every today.
 

Romans Chapter 6: 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. . . ..6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; . . . .17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
Romans 6

copyright Rev. David D. Reedy, 1998

Rev. David D. Reedy 2002

Prince of Peace Lutheran Church   

Dayton Tennessee   

423.775.4253

Prince of Peace is a LCMS congregation located in Rhea County Tennessee, serving the entire county of some 32,000 people.