A Methodist Looks at Baptism

Baptism is an essential part of the life of the Church. It is the act of initiation into The United Methodist Church.  As many people come to our denomination from other traditions or as new Christians, it is important that we clearly and lovingly communicate the Scriptural Wesleyan views of baptism.  We celebrate many commonalities with other Christian denominations.  More importantly, we seek to practice baptism in harmony with the Scriptures.

First of all, baptism is a sacrament.  The United Methodist Church recognizes two sacraments: communion and baptism.  The sacraments are defined as “an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.”  Thus, baptism is something that we can see happening in one’s life, while knowing that God is at work in one’s life in a unique way.

Scriptural discussions of baptism often begin with Jesus’ baptism by John in the Jordan.  In the passage, Jesus submits to baptism “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15).  There are three areas where we can examine this baptism in the context of Jesus’ time and our current church environment: John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance, Jesus’ baptism was an establishment of a covenant; John’s baptism concentrated on the past things, Jesus’ baptism was an initiation of New Life; John’s baptism was repeated often, Jesus’ baptism was once and only once.

John was not the first person to baptize others seeking to live a righteous life.  Between the times of the Old and New Testaments, some devout Jews practiced ritual cleansing similar to baptism.  One such devout community was at a placed called Qumran.

 Those who wanted to join the community participated in a special rite of cleansing with water.  These baptisms were repeated often and were a means of penitence and submission to God’s will.    Female converts to Judaism were expected to undergo a ritual cleansing.  Males were circumcised and ritually cleansed.   These Jewish ceremonial washings were administered to infants as well as adults.  These acts can be seen as a forerunner to the sacrament of baptism.

Daily ritual baptisms were also performed in John’s time.  Of their own initiative, people often attempted to wash away the mistakes since their last baptism (maybe just the day before).  Caught in a trap of attempting to attain self-righteousness, the people came to John asking what to do.  They came with the understanding that they were trying to wash away the sins since the last baptism (Luke 3:7-19).  He told them that Jesus was coming with a new baptism. That baptism was to establish a covenant with God and his people.  Much like we remember the covenant made of infants in circumcision in the Old Testament, as United Methodists, we remember this covenant with the baptismal right for infants.  Our liturgy reminds us that Jesus told us we are not to withhold the kingdom of God from little children; the kingdom of God belongs to them.  In remembering this covenant relationship, we also remember that the priests sprinkled the blood of the sacrificial lamb on the Ark of the Covenant.  Many remember this as they accept the sprinkling of water on a baptismal candidate.

John’s baptism focused on past things, Jesus’ baptism initiated a New Life.   When the people came to be baptized by John in Luke 3, he reminds them that they should put away the sins they’ve committed previously.  John encourages them to practice piety in their life and work.  But Jesus’ baptism was to new life.  Romans 6:3 reminds us that Christ was raised to a new life in the resurrection, so through baptism are we given new life.  Many people see baptism by immersion as a symbol of this dying and rising to new life.  Many United Methodists remember this as we recognize baptism by immersion as another acceptable form of baptism.  

At the baptism of Jesus and the baptism of the Ephesian believers in Acts 19:1-7 we see that the Holy Spirit is poured out upon those receiving the sacrament.  Many remembering this instance among others, as United Methodists recognize the pouring of water as an acceptable form of baptism.

John’s baptism was repeated, Jesus baptism was a one time event.  We’ve mentioned about that people came to John regularly for baptism for forgiveness.  However, baptism in Jesus is a one time event.  Paul reminds the church at Ephesus in Ephesians 4:4-5 that there is only one baptism.  Baptism is a one time event.

Often times, pastors are asked to “re-baptism” someone.  The person may say they don’t remember their baptism, or they didn’t “feel anything” or they were baptized in a different denomination.  To answer these issues, we must remember the first principle listed above: baptism is a sacrament.  That means that God is the initiator and the who one does the action in the baptism.  We may bring ourselves to baptism, but He is the initiator of the covenant and the one who performs the spiritual grace.  Therefore, if we were to “re-baptism” someone, we’d be saying that God isn’t true to His Word and didn’t do what He said He would do.  It isn’t necessary to try to “re-do” what God has already done.  

As United Methodists, we recognize that God acts in the lives of children as well as adults.  In Old Testament times, boys were presented to the priest for circumcision at eight days old.  This was as a recognition of the Covenant God initiated in the life of the child.   Even Jesus underwent this ceremony.  Now, all God’s children, boys and girls, can receive the initiation of the Covenant of Baptism.  

The Book of Worship reminds us that:

Our Lord has expressly given to little children
     a place among the people of God,
     which holy privilege must not be denied them.

Remember the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, how he said,
     "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them;
     for to such belongs the kingdom of God."

In the early church, entire households were baptized when a leader in the home responded to the Word of God.   The baptisms in Acts 10:47 and Acts 16:15, 33 describe three different occasions when large groups of people and/or entire households were baptized.  It can only hold that people of all ages, including children, would be included in these baptisms.  

Parents who present children for baptism are not just dedicating them to God.  They are, in fact, celebrating their one baptism .  This is an important life event--better said, the MOST important.  Parents should present their children in the congregation where they intend to raise their children.  After all, the entire church is promising to live and serve as examples for the family.  During the baptismal covenant, the parents are committing to live a life true to the Gospel.  They are promising to accept the guidance of the church.  They are committing to be faithful to God in their own commitment and to be faithful to the church through their prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.  This is much more than “getting the baby done.”  This is making a Spiritual promise before God and His Church.  Nor should baptism in the United Methodist understanding should not be confused with Christening.  The act of Christening is the public naming of the child.  While this is a part of baptismal service, is not the end of it.  The baptismal service is all three: a public promise to raise the child in the Scriptures, the giving of a Christian name, and most importantly the child’s one baptism.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, reminded the Methodists that no matter when we were baptized, do not to “lean on the broken reed” of our baptism.  This means that making a public profession of faith in Christ is necessary for one to be saved from sin and death.  True faith in Christ requires a broken and contrite heart and a confession of Jesus Christ as Lord.  This can be made a different ages and may be made at the time of baptism or by affirming the covenant made at our baptism through a confession of faith.  For those baptized as children, United Methodist congregations offer Confirmation.  Through Confirmation we learn WHAT we believe as Christians and WHY we believe it.  One does not have to complete the Confirmation course just to be a Christian.  But when completing Confirmation one should certainly have a firm understanding of the faith before making such confession before God and the congregation.  Remember, baptism is a mark of Christian discipleship.  The one receiving baptism may affirm that covenant immediately at the time of the baptism.  In the instance of an infant baptism, the person is expected to affirm the baptismal covenant at an appropriate age.  Maybe that is through Confirmation.  Maybe that is through another public profession of faith.

All of this must be practiced with the firm understanding that baptism is an act by which the baptized are received into the Body of Christ.  Baptized persons, regardless of their age, become members of the Church.  Therefore, baptism is a rite of the whole church, worshipping together.  Whenever possible, baptism should be performed in the public worship setting. If there are circumstances by which a person cannot be baptized in such a setting, the congregation should be made aware and recognized by the assembled worship community.

So, let’s review.  As United Methodists, we:

1. Recognize Immersion, Sprinkling, and Pouring all has valid Scriptural and Historical modes of baptism.
2. Remember Christ’s command to baptize and make disciples.  No matter what age someone is baptized, they (and the church) make a promise to live as Christian disciples together.
3. Understand that baptism is THE act of initiation into the Church.  It is God who takes this initiative, not the person.  Therefore, it need not be repeated.  
4. It is necessary that the baptized make a public profession of their faith in Christ.  This can be at the time of baptism, or at a later time--such as Confirmation.

If you have other questions about baptism, talk to your minister or other Christian mentor.  

Some links for further reading:

The United Methodist Church's home site for a discussion about Baptism can be found here.  (This includes several links to FAQ's about age, mode, and meaning of baptism.)

Read the full text of The United Methodist Church's understanding of baptism, "By Water and The Spirit" here.

Also consider these sources for further reading:

“By Water and Spirit,” The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church 2012.  Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 2012.

Campbell, Ted A. “Conversion and Baptism in Wesleyan Spirituality,” In Conversion in the Wesleyan Tradition, Kenneth J. Collins and John H. Tyson, ed. Abingdon Press: Nashville, 2001.

Campbell, Ted A.  Methodist Doctrine.  Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1999.

Staples, Rob L. Outward Sign and Inward Grace: The Place of Sacraments in Wesleyan Spirituality.  Kansas City: Beacon Hill, 1991.

The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church 2012.  Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 2012.

The United Methodist Book of Worship.  Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 1992.