Holy Baptism.
What Baptism Is.
What is Baptism?
_Baptism is not simple water only, but it is the water comprehended in
God's command and connected with God's word._
Which is that word of God?
_Christ, our Lord, says in the last chapter of Matthew: Go ye and teach
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Ghost._
1. After having explained the Lord's Prayer, our Catechism tells us
about _Holy Baptism._ You all, most probably, have seen children
baptized, and some of you, perhaps, also adults. You yourselves were
baptized in your infancy in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Ghost. You, therefore, should learn what Baptism is, and what
it gives and profits. Let us hear what our Catechism has to say about
this sacred act. In the first place, it explains _what Baptism is._
2. _"Baptism is not simple water only."_ In baptism there is indeed
_water._ The person to be baptized is sprinkled with water, with simple,
common, natural water. We must use water in baptism and nothing else.
_Water is the external means_ which God Himself has instituted for
baptism. But Baptism is not only water, it is more; _"it is the water
comprehended in God's command and connected with God's word."_ In
baptism there is both God's command and God's word.
3. Baptism is the water comprehended in God's command, that is, _we use
the water in baptism because God has commanded it._ Without this command
of God Baptism would be water only. Before our Lord ascended into
heaven, He gave His disciples this command: _"Go ye and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Ghost."_ Holy Baptism, therefore, is an act instituted and
ordained by God. For that reason we call it a _sacred act._ Christ gave
this command to His _disciples, to His Church, to all Christians._ The
called ministers of Christ, our pastors, ordinarily administer baptism;
but in cases of necessity every Christian can and should perform it.
Christ commands us to _baptize;_ that means He commands us to _apply_
the water _by washing or sprinkling the person to be baptized with
water, or by immersing him into the water._
4. _Baptism is the water connected with God's word._ The word which
Christ has commanded us to use in baptism is this: _"In the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost."_ This word must always be
connected with the water to make it a Baptism. _"Without the word of God
the water is simple water, and no baptism. But with the word it is a
baptism, that is, a gracious water of life."--We are baptized in the
name of the Triune God._ What does this mean? God's name is God Himself,
as we have learned in the Second Commandment. We are baptized in God the
Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. By baptism we are _received into
communion with the Triune God._ He gives Himself to us _as our Father_
and accepts us _as His children,_ He bestows upon us all His blessings,
all that He has done for us to save us. _With_ the word of God baptism
is indeed a gracious water of life.
5. Our Lord commands us to baptize _all nations,_ that is, _all human
beings,_ old and young, men and women. _"Preach the Gospel to every
creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."_ Mark
16,15.16. Baptism is necessary to salvation; consequently God wants all
who believe in Him to be baptized. But a _certain distinction_ should be
made. Those who are old enough to be instructed we baptize after they
have been _previously_ taught the main doctrine of the Word of God,
_confess their faith_ in Jesus Christ, and _desire to be baptized_ and
thus become Christians.
6. _Little children_ are baptized by us soon after their birth, before
they are able to learn the Word of God. We teach them after their
baptism in our homes and schools and churches. We baptize our little
children because in the word _nations_ the children, too, are included.
We baptize them because our Lord says: _"Suffer the little children to
come unto Me and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God."_
Mark 10,14. Christ bids us bring our little children to Him that He may
bless them. We can do this only by means of Holy Baptism. Without
baptism they are under God's wrath, and their sins are not forgiven. By
baptism the Holy Ghost Himself brings them to Christ and kindles in them
the true faith in Him. God becomes their Father, and they are made His
children.