Baptism As Epiphany

"A pastor stood by the grave side of a young mother with her husband and 3 children. The husband looked into the eyes of the pastor and demdanded; "Now tell me what you really believe, Pastor, Is this the end of everything. the way God meant it to be?"

The pastor said, "It’s not what t I believe that matters,.. you have the answer in your heart. You know deep in your heart, this is not the end. You haven’t stopped loving your wife. Do you think God has?? You know that life with God is eternal. God gave you that faith.. All YOU have to do my friend is believe what your heart already knows."

Yes,the claim upon us in Baptism is for eternity

In our baptism, we are also anointed with the Spirit. A sign of the cross is made to seal the covenant agreement made through the water and the word. Our sins are forgiven as it says in Titus 3:5 " He saved us not on tile basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the HoIy Spirit."

Our sins are forgiven, and at the same time, we agree, since that what an covenant is, an agreement between two parties, to fight against sin and to confess our sins daily to God so that he might drown them and raise out of the waters of our Baptism a new person. Baptism is not a magical rite which as Archie Bunker would say is a little religion just to be on the safe side, but in Baptism an agreement is made between us and God.

This agreement is for a lifetime. God agrees to forgive my sins, and I agree to fight against sin and when I do sin, to ask, God to cleanse me and renew me again in the waters of my Baptism. That is not to say we need to be Baptized each day, but each day I relive my Baptism in that God drowns my sinful self and raises up a new person.

So Baptism happends once, but I live in it daily. And if I don’t keep my part of the agreement, to confess my sins, to seek God’s forgiveness, then the promise of Baptism means nothing, because in my forsaking I also turn away f rom God’s action of forgivness.

Luther says in his works these ideas about Baptism: ’Therefore they greatly err who think that through baptism they have become wholly pure. They go about in their unwisdom and do not slay their sins, they do not admit that it is sin; they persist in it, and so they make their baptism of no effect....To them who do this not, seek forgiveness, God will not forgive their sins because they do not live according to their baptism and covenant, and hinder the work which God and their baptism have begun."

He goes on to say: "If any one has fallen into sin, he should the more remember his baptism and how God has there made a covenant with him to forgive all his sins’ if only he has the will to fight them even until death."

Luther, says further," So we find that through sin baptism is, indeed hindered in its work, in the forgiveness and the slaying of sin; yet only by unbelief in its operation is baptism brought to, naught."

Finally Luther says’"Sin remains in our flesh even until death, and works without ceasing; but so long as we do not consent thereto or remain therein, it is so overruled by our baptism that it does not condemn us and is not harmful to us, but is daily more and more destroyed until your death."

A baptismal covenant made with God and you is one of the most important things in your live. Live in your baptism.

Amen

Written by Pastor Tim Zingale January 7, 2002