What I would like to call "my journey of faith" began 50 years ago today on Sunday, August 16, 1959. It began at Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Claremont, Minnesota as Pastor Wilmer A. Schultz spoke poured water over my forehead and spoke words similar to these: "David Brian Turnmire, I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." Uncle Edward and Aunt Sylvia Wessel took a vow as my godparent sponsors to support my parents and me in my Christian upbringing. Now if I fully well realize that not every one of my family members and friends will share my beliefs. This is my journey of faith and there is no more appropriate day to begin a series of blogs reflecting that faith than the anniversary of my baptismal birthday.
Baptized into Your name most holy,
O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
I claim a place, though weak and lowly,
Among Your seed, Your chosen host.
Buried with Christ and dead to sin,
Your Spirit now shall live within.
Christ's command to baptize is clearly outlined in Matthew 28 where Jesus instructed his disciples: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." [Matthew 28:18b-20 NIV] In another context after the Easter Resurrection, Jesus rebukes His disciples for their failure to believe He has risen from the dead. "He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.' " [Mark 16:15-16 NIV]
Not only do those verses from Scripture lay out the baptismal commandment, they also serve as the basis for the ongoing debate over infant baptism versus age of accountability (or adult) baptism. For those who insist on baptism based on the age of accountability, does that mean that my baptism, or any of the millions over the centuries who have been baptized as infants, is not effective? Please note Jesus' words to His disciples in Matthew 28. He instructs His followers to go out and make disciples of all nations. How? By baptizing and teaching.
Jesus did not say, "go out and teach people and then when they reach an age at which they can answer for themselves, go ahead and baptize them". To those who would debate saying, "Where does Jesus command us to baptize infants?", I will say, "Where does Jesus forbid the baptism of infants?" Another argument would be that infants do not have the intellect to believe. Is it possible for an infant to have faith? Absolutely. The psalmist David confesses in Psalm 22, "You brought me out of the womb; You made me trust in you even at my mother's breast." [Psalm 22:15 NIV] David trusted in God from the time he was a young infant.
In fact, there is evidence of faith in one not yet even born. After Mary had been visited by the angel who announced the good news that she would be the mother of her Lord, she went on a trip to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who bear a special child of her own. "At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!' " [Luke 1:39-45 NIV] I do not believe that the inspired writer of Scripture would included such detail if it was like, as some say, the baby inside of her jumped because he heard a loud voice.
The power and effectiveness of Holy Baptism does not depend on us or how strong our faith is at the time of Baptism. God's Word is the power of Baptism. Water is the simple element that Jesus commands us to use along with His Word to baptize "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit". It is most certainly true that Lutheran Christians, for example, do not place enough emphasis or importance on the work of the Holy Spirit. However, I believe that at my Baptism when I was merely twenty days old, God sent His Spirit just as Jesus promised His disciples.
Martin Luther explained the power of Holy Baptism is his small catechism, which was intended as a help for the heads of household to teach their families. He answers the question: "How can water do such great things?"
"Certainly not just water, but the Word of God in and with the water does these things, along with the faith that trusts this Word of God in the water. For without God's Word the water is just plain water and no Baptism. But with the word of God it is a Baptism, that is, a life-giving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says in Titus chapter three:
'He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying.'
[Titus 3:5-8 NIV]
Luther's Small Catechism, 1986
Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO
"There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." [Ephesians 4:4-6 NIV]
I was there to hear your borning cry,
I'll be there when you are old.
I rejoiced the day you were baptized,
To see your life unfold.
I was there when you were but a child,
With a faith to suit you well;
In a blaze of light you wandered off
To find where demons dwell."
Until next time......
~ DB Turnmire
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart... [Jeremiah 1:5a-b NIV]
