Baptism
I have been thinking about baptism lately. Last month the Roman Catholic Church invalidated hundreds of baptisms. In broad terms, on one side, Rome teaches baptism is a work performed by the Church. On the other side, the Reformed teach that baptism is an work that the faithful perform to fulfill the ordinance from God. There are between the two ends, many and varying thoughts. I have been reading Luther on baptism, aside from the Small Catechism (which we read from this past Sunday), he has much to say. I hope you find this quote helpful:
Baptism is the work of the entire Holy Trinity, though the Persons are to be kept distinct. Nonetheless, there is but one God, just as the work which justifies us is the one work of the one God. Yet Scripture makes a distinction between the Persons… But why the Holy Scripture ascribes His role to each Person I do not understand but believe; no reason is able to grasp it… Scripture adds that the Holy Spirit renews men. This is done through the Son but also by the Father. The Father does it through the Son in the Holy Spirit. No one is able to fathom this… The Father is He from whom, the son He through whom, the Holy Ghost He in whom all was created. Yet creation is one work. Just so redemption.
Who, then, would despise the fact that God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are present? Who would call such water simple water? Do we not see what sort of spice God casts into this water? If you can cast sugar into water, it is no longer water but delicious claret or something else. Why, then, do we want to separate the Word from the water so entirely in this case and say that the water is simple water only, just as if God’s Word, nay, God Himself, were not present with and in this water? Not so; for God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are indeed in and with this water, as they were there on the banks of the Jordan when Christ stood in the water, the Holy Spirit hovered over it, and God the Father spoke. This is why Baptism is a water that takes away sin, death, and every evil and helps us to enter heaven and eternal life. Such a delicious sugar water, aromatic, and specific it has become because God Himself has entered it. He is in this water, this must be the real aqua vitae, “water of life,” which drives away death and hell and makes one eternally alive. [Quoted from What Luther Says Pless (p 48)]
Today, remember your baptism. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism. (Ephesians 4:5 EHV) In baptism you were also raised with him through the faith worked by the God who raised Christ from the dead. (Colossians 2:12 EHV)
Trust the Promises
Steve Skiver