Baptism

I grew up in a church that placed paramount importance on baptism. I am aware that different believers have varying opinions about its importance; in many cases, and on many issues, religious tradition has dictated to every one of us certain perspectives that we would be hard pressed to defend in any sensible way. And this seems to be the case regarding baptism, too.

Untranslated words (like baptism, Christ, Adam, angel, etc.) can be problematic for many reasons, and they should raise a red flag for readers of the Scriptures, because often their true meaning is masked or occluded by our modern understanding of the terms. When you see a transliterated word, BEWARE!

Be that as it may, this past Sunday as I witnessed the baptism (by immersion) of my oldest grandson, I was moved with emotion. His decision to follow Jesus and to be “buried with him in baptism” (Rom. 6:4) is a pivotal step in his life. I made my own decision at about 10 years of age, and I know that the journey that ensued after that time took me through the paradise of relative innocence to the confusing caldron of adolescence; then real adulthood slapped me around a bit and took me into the desert of despair, disappointment and addiction. Late in my forties a bright beam appeared, cutting through the fog of pain, a lighthouse calling me back to the security and safety of the shore. And I was once again united with the Savior I had knelt in front of decades earlier.

Not everyone’s journey is the same, of course. But everyone DOES experience great testing and trials. And what may have appeared to be a simple and natural decision (especially if you were raised among Christians, like I was) can slowly evolve, unobtrusively, into a fight for your very life. For me, that’s what it has been.

When Jesus was baptized this is what he experienced, too. Driven immediately into the desert for forty days (the Jews loved this number) of temptation (Matt. 4:1-11), Jesus wasn’t able to avoid this struggle either. NO ONE does. He stands strong on three of the most enticing fronts: hunger, power, and fame. But don’t think for a minute that it wasn’t a struggle for him. He prevailed. But it was a wrestling match. As in the garden before his betrayal, he prayed, but . . . he sweated (Lk. 22:44); you see, it was hard for him, too.

We pray for our grandchildren every day. We pray, in part, because we know the struggle that is ahead of them, the battle in which we are ALL soldiers. We gave my grandson a figurine after his baptism; it is a Roman soldier in full armor. When he looks at it he will call to mind the strong words of Paul:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes . . . . Stand firm, then, with the belt of truth . . . the breastplate of righteousness . . . feet fitted with readiness . . . the shield of faith . . . the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit . . . and pray . . . .”

Ephesians 6:10, 14-18 NIV

None of us can know exactly what is ahead of us in this life. But we can be certain there will be trials, tests, and struggles that will literally take us to our knees. We would like to avoid them. We would like to be able to help our grandchildren avoid them just as wanted our children to avoid them. But that is not an option. So . . . we put on full armor. And we pray.

There IS, by the way, an END to the struggle; there will come a day when the wrestling match will be called, our aching spiritual muscles put at ease. Wrongs will be righted, and evil will no longer even have an ugly head to raise. Until that day . . . we fight (1 Cor. 9:26-27).

We spread the news (the GOOD news), and we BAPTIZE, i.e. we unite ourselves with the One who has blazed the trail before us (Rom. 6:4; Heb. 10:19-22) and we anticipate the reunion of all reunions with those recipients for whom he has paid the ultimate price (Rom. 6:5).

Baptism marks a beginning. You are at the white chalk starting line, your shoes tied tight, but there is no need to crouch into position or place your feet in the starting blocks. No! This is not going to be a sprint; rather, a marathon. For some, an ultra marathon. But when you cross the finish line, no matter what your time is . . . it will be a joyous occasion.