A Baptismal Affront
For several reasons, I’ve been thinking often about baptism lately. These two beautiful children recently became my sister and brother in Christ. It involved a little water, a little oil, some vows made by parents and godparents, and some prayers offered. The courts of heaven and Apostles Anglican Church resounded with joy. Every baptism is a mystery and a wonder, perhaps especially the baptism of an infant. Nevertheless, the concept and practice of infant baptism is also an affront.
I find it insulting to claim that life is merely “dust to dust,” a universal mortality resulting from Adam’s sin. However, the church teaches that true life for everyone—from innocent children to hardened adults—is only through being “born again of water and the Spirit” in Christ.
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Infant Baptism: Affront or Image Bearer?
Infant baptism weighs in the balance and finds wanting all our cherished convictions about human nature. For example, the belief that each child is a tabula rosa on which we may write only the good and pure. Or, the idea that men are inherently good and pure from birth. Instead, every baptismal font proclaims that every infant presented there is a cracked and tarnished icon of God. An image bearer, yes, but one with the perfect image of a holy God.
Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
1 Peter 3:20, 21
Every selfish and errant choice every ancestor makes, near and far, throughout the world’s genealogy, distorts this image. They are begotten in sin, born in sin, and living in a sin-conditioned world. Every helpless, speechless child carried to the water by others, and spoken for by others, speaks volumes to us all. You are broken and powerless; you utterly depend on the gift and grace of the One.
Infant Baptism: The Sacrament Fully Realized
Baptism is never more fully sacramental than when an infant is presented. For there the work is clearly and solely God’s. No false pride of adult choice or will or wisdom. Instead, just helpless acquiescence to the weak ministrations of men and the mighty acts of God. Such a baptism shames us in our weakness and glorifies God in his strength. This strength is chiefly in love, stooping down.
If you do not find infant baptism an affront, I think you are not paying attention. It is a slap in the face of our culture, of any culture. Precisely in that lies the truth and the power and the beauty of this sacrament. It shows the depth of our vanity and the breadth of God’s love. Like the Prodigal cannot walk, as the Prodigal, to Him, yet He runs, as the Father, to us. We cannot repent, as the good thief, and yet He promises us paradise this day and every day. We cannot say the words of the vows, yet we hear God speak to us.
A thunderous whisper: “…You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22) If you do not find infant baptism an affront, and thereby God’s marvelous, joyful gift, you are not paying attention. Thank God for this sacrament.
Sign of New Life, Not a Mere Sign
Infant baptism is no less sacramental than adult baptism; it is not merely a sign or seal of something that will or might happen later.
Baptism is not only a sign of profession, and mark of difference, whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not christened, but it is also a sign of Regeneration or New-Birth, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church; the promises of the forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed; Faith is confirmed, and Grace increased by virtue of prayer unto God.
Article 27, 39 Articles.
Something happens when an infant is baptized, and I find no reason to suppose that this something is different in degree or kind from what happens when an adult is baptized. This includes new birth, new creation, forgiveness of sin, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and full membership in the body of Christ. If not these things, then what? If not these things, then why bother?
Some argue that an infant cannot have a personal faith in Jesus Christ and therefore cannot fully receive all the blessings of baptism. Perhaps the child gets only the promises of good things to come, awaiting their adult affirmation of faith? I cannot agree. There was faith abounding at the baptism of the infant.
An Affront: Faithless Parents & Godparents
This includes the faith of the parents and godparents that God loves this child even more deeply than their own human love. It also consists of the Church’s faith, which proclaims the Gospel in Word and Sacrament and intends for this child to be baptized. Additionally, the faith of the priest who prays, pours the water, and anoints with oil is crucial. Most of all, there is the faithfulness of Jesus, into whose death and resurrection this child is baptized.
Yes, at this moment, it might be vicarious faith. Mary’s and Martha’s faith was the faith that resulted in Lazarus’ life. Similarly, the faith of Jairus resulted in life for his daughter. Here was the faith of Tabitha’s friends that resulted in her life. Do we need to multiply examples? God honors faith. For some, adults obviously, baptism might be the result of a personal faith. For others, infants’ baptism might be the beginning and source of faith. God alone knows; we do not need to.
In his book A Place of Healing for the Soul, Peter France writes about his own struggle with faith before and even during his adult baptism into the Orthodox Church on the Island of Patmos:
Fortunately for me the Orthodox Church accepts that nobody is ever completely ready for or worthy of a sacrament. The ceremony that was taking place was a help in getting there rather than a celebration of arrival.
Peter France, A Place of Healing in the Soul
Is an infant ready or worthy of baptism? Of course not, but then, who is? If France is correct, then baptism for an infant is a help in getting there, rather than a celebration of arrival. It is a step toward expressing personal faith in Christ. It is for all of us.
Image by Creative Commons from Pixabay
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