"So, as we turn from the confusion of the modern partial answers and search in the New Testament, three strands are evident in christian beginnings. Baptism is meant to denote all three. There is a human side, repentance and faith. There is the churchly side, baptism into the visible family of Christian people. And there is the divine side, forgiveness of sins and the reception of the Holy Spirit. All three are necessary parts of Christian initiation. We have become so impoverished in our understanding, and so distanced from one another through our denomination emphases, that we often fail to perceive the need for all three strands in the rope of Christian beginnings. Baptism brings us into the church. Baptism embodies our response to the grace of God. But if we are baptised in water only, and not in the Holy Spirit, we have missed out on the gift of God and content ourselves with the wrapping paper. All three are necessary... The 'one baptism' has all these strands to it. Don't be satisfied with less. Don't write off those who stress a different strand from you. A real Christian is a believer in Jesus Christ who has received God's Holy Spirit and has been baptised into his church."
Baptism; It's purpose, practice and power. Michael Green. pp8-9. Paternoster, USA (2006).
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2 comments:
A fine sounding argument which indeed has an appearance of wisdom.
If baptism meant all of those things than no one could deny its necessity for a Christian. However, the ceremony of baptism is unnecessary because Jesus Christ has done all the work for us at the Cross. All that is left for us is to be united with him through faith.
I take issue with the last sentence in particular. Allow me to highlight my objection with an analogy:
"A real Jew is a believer in God who has received God's Holy Spirit and has been circumcised." Substituting three words - what's true for the Jew is not true for the Christian. Col 2 is all about the futility of religious ceremonies for the Christian. In particular, speaking against circumcision and like ceremonies, because Christ did the work for us:
11In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature,not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
Here is one who states the case better than I: Colossians 2.11-12
Michael Green has committed a sin in judging that those who have not been baptised are not "real" Christians. Romans 12 speaks against such judgements. I will forgive him for such a trespass because God forgives my sin.
May I ask a few questions that you may consider answering?
Have you been baptised? If so, why? If not, why not?
I will concede to you that Greens use of the word real in the sentence you highlight is problematic, though his emphasis on the sacrament of baptism I believe to be corrent.
You wrote, "... the ceremony of baptism is unecessary..."
Why then does it form part of Jesus command to his disciples in Matthew 28 that forms the basis of their vocation.
Baptism is not considered (by Green or in the New Testament) a 'work' that is meritorious unto salvation [neither is circumcision for the Jew correctly understood might I add]. You are correct that Christ has fulfilled the law and atoned for sin at the Cross. In as much the thief on the cross next to Jesus was saved - no baptism.
Despite this the New Testament speaks of baptism as a powerful symbol of Christian beginning. (More from Green on this in future posts). In as much it was practiced by the apostles, and the early church, and throughout church history on those who become christians and the children of christians.
Colossians 2 is most certainly not about the futility of baptism.
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