Baptism at Trinity
Baptism is a sacrament where water is used to signify and represent a true spiritual reality. Baptism is commanded by Jesus (Matt. 28:19) and practiced by all who follow him. At its heart, baptism is not something we do for God, but something God does for us—he cleanses us of our sin, he places his name on us, and he brings us into his family.
Baptism is both a sign and seal of God’s promises to us. As a sign, baptism is an outward symbol of what must happen to us inwardly if we are to know and love God —we must be washed clean of sin by the water of God’s Word and given faith by the Holy Spirit. To say that baptism is also a seal means that mysteriously in our baptism, God actually applies to us the truths symbolized in our baptism. More than a symbol, baptism is also how we claim the promise of salvation and call ourselves Christians.
What does Baptism Do?
Baptism primarily does 3 important things:
Firstly, in baptism, God gives his grace to us. It is a “means of grace,” that is, a way in which grace comes to the people of God.
Secondly, in baptism God marks us as those who belong to God. Just as parents name their children at birth, so in baptism God puts his name on us. We are baptized “in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”
Thirdly, baptism marks us with the sign and seal of God. Just like a married person wears a ring that signifies both to them and everyone else that they are spoken for, so we wear our baptism as a sign and seal that we belong to God. All who have been baptized, regardless of age, have received the mark of Jesus Christ upon their lives and are set apart for him. Baptism points primarily to God’s faithfulness to us in Christ, rather than our own.
While baptism contains a number of special blessings for the one who receives the sign and sacrament, there are a few important things to understand that baptism does not do. Baptism does not save those who receive the sacrament. While it represents what God has done, is doing, and will do in Christ for us, baptism does not give salvation.
Secondly, baptism does not represent an unbreakable bond between God and his people. While God will forever be faithful to his children, sadly, they will at times fall away from him. A baptized person may choose to walk away from the covenant blessings that come with a relationship with the living God. The book of Hebrews is full of such stories and warnings for those who belong to God.
Who Should be Baptized?
At Trinity we baptize both those who profess faith in Jesus if they have not yet been baptized in a Christian church, and we baptize children born to Christian parents.
While this practice, called infant baptism or paedobaptism, has been practiced since the earliest days of the Christian church and most worldwide Christians practice infant baptism, we recognize that it’s unfamiliar to many in our culture. Infant baptism does not save a child, but it does illustrate the saving nature of God’s grace, the blessings of being a part of God’s family, and the promise that those who are raised as Christians will one day take on that faith for themselves.
If you’re unfamiliar with infant baptism, here is a short summary of how God has placed his name on his people, from the Old Testament to now:
In the Old Testament, children born into the families of believing parents became members of the people of God by receiving the sign of circumcision. This took place on the 8th day after birth, long before those babies had any ability to choose to follow God themselves. In the New Testament with the coming of Jesus, we see an even greater application of God’s grace, extending beyond the Jewish people to Gentiles, so that the people of God are from all tribes, cultures, and languages in the Christian church.
From the Old Testament to the New Testament the sign of the covenant extends: In the Old Testament, the covenant sign of circumcisions was only applied to male children, but in the New Testament the sign of the covenant is replaced with baptism (Colossians 2:11-12) and applied to both genders. Jesus welcomes children into his family; he said “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14), and on the on the day that the believers first received the Holy Spirit, in response to the first Christian sermon, the crowds asked: “what should we do?” Peter’s response was “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself” (Acts 2:38–39).
Since the New Testament emphasizes continuity with the Old Testament practice of placing the covenant sign on children, and since the New Testament does not tell us not to baptize our children, it has been the practice of the Christian church since the earliest days to baptize children born to Christian parents. At Trinity we continue this practice of infant baptism, while also welcoming those who come to a different conclusion.
How is Baptism Done?
Throughout the history of the church, baptism has been performed in three different ways: immersion, sprinkling and pouring. Each of these modes of baptism is valid, and each emphasizes a different aspect of what is symbolized in baptism. Immersion symbolizes dying to ourselves and being raised to new life in Christ, sprinkling illustrates our sin being washed away, and pouring shows the Holy Spirit coming to rest on us. At Trinity, we practice baptism through the sprinkling of water.
Next Steps and an Invitation
Baptism can feel a bit odd or awkward in our western 21st century culture. We know that infant baptism might be different from your own experience with baptism and it might take some time to understand. Wherever you land, we invite you to bring your questions and hesitations to us.
If you would like to be baptized, please speak to the pastor or click the “Contact Us” button and let us know you’d like more information about baptism.
Because baptism is the sign of entrance into the family of God—his church—we baptize by sprinkling as a part of our normal Sunday morning worship service as the whole church is gathered together. Because of the importance of the church as a community, parents who would like to have their child baptized should be members at Trinity.
We’re so glad you’re a part of Trinity!
Grace and peace,
Bryce Hales