Baptism: More Than "Just a Good Idea"

We need to take a step back and ask a really basic question:  "What is baptism?"

After a thorough examination of the Bible, the Reformer's gave this answer: "Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in and combined with God's word."

You see, there were baptisms before Holy Baptism.  "Baptism" means "to wash" and human beings didn't just start washing themselves 2000 years ago.  And it was inevitable that some humans would make a ritual or rite out of something that humans have been doing from the beginning.  In the Bible itself, we read about John the Baptist baptizing people in the river Jordan with a "baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins."  And there are indications that there were other "washing rituals" inside and outside Judaism.  Judaism and Christianity do not have a corner on the "baptism" market.

But that's why we need to mark a difference between just any baptism and Holy Baptism.  Holy Baptism is the baptism instituted by God in His Word.  Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Matthew:  "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." (Matthew 28:19)

In other words, Holy Baptism is God's invention, not ours.  We don't do it because "it seems good to us."  It's more than just a good idea.  We baptize (and receive baptism) because Christ commanded it!