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| Christ Humbles Himself in Baptism |
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The following is from a post I just made in regard to a guy sorting through his beliefs on baptism after a profession of faith vs infant baptism. I thought I'd post it here to share with others.
The original post can be found in 4th part of Barrett's blog http://www.mychurch.org/blog/44105/0728---Questions-on-Infant-Baptism-pt4#comment as he was working through a book defending the infant baptism side. He is apparently getting ready to read some material supporting the other side. Here is my post.
You're doing a great job sorting through all of this. I became Catholic about 9 years ago because of what I experienced through communion. I was terrified of becoming Catholic, but I had experienced Christ in a manner that I had only heard about before, and I was hungry for more. Other things I have come to terms with slowly.
Regarding their teachings on baptism, I couldn't find anything solid in scripture that concretely said that they were wrong, and their position seemed rather reasonable. The part I guess that really grabbed me had to do with the whole subject of grace. We either accept that it is freely given or we don't. Some of the discussions supporting baptism only after a profession of faith (credobaptism?) somehow struck me as implying that we didn't receive grace until we make a profession of faith. Which then begged the question, "What comes first: grace or faith?"
Perhaps clarifying your own answer to that question may help you identify where you really stand on baptism.
Another point to consider. As with communion, baptism is not magic. These physical things, the bread, the cup, the water, in and of themselves have no power. It is only when we recognize Christ himself that these things become effective. Remember, Jesus is God. He humbled himself to take on human form. He humbled himself to wash the feet of the apostles. Think about that. The God of the universe stooped to wash the dirtiest part of the people he called his friends. In the book of Revelation, Christ said to many who cast out demons and prophesied and preached in his name, "I never knew you." It's all about the relationship we have with our Lord Jesus Christ and how we respond to that relationship. Period.
Our Lord humbled himself before his apostles, and I believe that he continues to do the same for each one of us. When we recognize his presence, we see him look straight into our eyes on the way to the cross and we hear him on the cross say about us, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." When we recognize his presence, we experience him through the bread and the cup of communion.
And when we as parents recognize him, I believe that he accepts our infants into his family. And in so doing, something happens to the soul of that child to experience the presence, the love, of Christ himself. At some point along the way, that infant must decide to follow Christ. But until that day comes, I believe that the infant, the parents, and the witnesses experience the presence of Christ in a way that is different from communion, confession, marriage, or any other sacrament - we experience him accepting the weak, the frail, the inocent.
And when we experience him doing accepting people like this, it becomes easier for us to accept and to care for the older ones in the same condition: the poor, the elderly, the sick.
We are all one body in Christ, no matter how old...or how young.
Gene |
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| To add a comment to "Christ Humbles Himself in Baptism" |
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| October 24, 2007 |
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Gene, I have seen your comments on other blogs and have always thought your words are well reasoned and articulate, so I figured I would come and see if you were writing anything in a blog. I was pleased to see you have.
In the book of Revelation, Christ said to many who cast out demons and prophesied and preached in his name, "I never knew you." It's all about the relationship we have with our Lord Jesus Christ and how we respond to that relationship. Period.
I can't agree more here. If we don't have the relationship, we don't know Him. I have circled the infant baptism thing a few times, but ultimately come down on, I presented and dedicated my children to God when they were infants, and left the baptism to their choice when they came into the relationship with God for themselves.
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.
peace |
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| October 24, 2007 |
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Thanks, Glenn. I went round and round myself over many years. I'm kind of thinking God wrote the above. It's been a while since I wrote that. I just read it again and got goosebumps.
We really do have an awesome God!
Gene |
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