Baptism, Once

Tuesday in our DISCIPLE Bible class one of the students asked, "So what's the deal with the United Methodist rule on baptism only once?" Here is my response...

• Baptism as a sacrament is an outward sign of a inward grace. Something we do publicly with normal every things (like water and people) that means something sacred/special and theological about our relationship to God and God’s relationship to us.

• Baptism is about forgiveness of sins, regeneration of new life, initiation into the Body of Christ, rejection of evil and sin, new birth through water and Spirit, AND work of the Holy Spirit to grant Spiritual gifts for the benefit of the congregation. (All these I can give you Biblical references to if you want them.)

• Baptism for infants, youth and adults is more about what God has done, is doing, and will ever do than about the person receiving baptism. This is where our Wesley emphasis on prevenient grace is very important. We believe that God’s forgiveness, mercy and love PRECEED us throughout our lives.. going before us to woo us towards God’s love. This is especially highlighted when we baptize children declaring very boldly that God’s love goes before (and with) this child throughout his/her life to draw him/her closer to God’s love.

If we believe these things about baptism then why do baptism again? If we would re-baptize does it activate/motivate God to love a person more? NO! Does it mean God has forgiven a person more or less? NO! Does it mean that the person being baptized again is more holy, more secure in their relationship with God? NO!

My experience over the years tells me that when folks seek baptism again is it not about an impoverished theology of who God is or what God is doing in the sacrament itself, but is it more about how that person is thinking and what has been happening in their life. Many times folks want a ‘memory’ of their baptism. This seems to be important for them. (They do not seem to pay attention that God has a memory about their baptism and wouldn’t God’s memory of it take precedent over a human’s memory?!)

It seems these folks want a re-dedication. They are seeking a moment of decision. Wouldn’t that moment of decision happen before the act/ritual of ‘rebaptism’ anyway?

Please do not misunderstand me- I think that moments of re-dedication, re-newal, re-commitment are VERY important along the way. I have found within my marriage that I often reclaim and recommit myself to my spouse. So why wouldn’t I do that in my loyalty towards God?

Perhaps if folks are seeking a vehicle to re-commit themselves then we need to incorporate that in our service of Holy Communion, or in call to prayer at the kneeling rail in worship to re-commit, or to simply invite folks throughout their journeys that when they feel inspired to re-dedicate themselves- that they do so in acts of service, kindness, giving and/or generosity.

When we offer an Baptism Re-newal service we use water in some way and say to folks, “Remember your baptism and be thankful.” I often tell the confirmands that we are not asking them to conjure up a memory of the event of their baptism… rather we are asking them to remember what they are a baptized person. Remember what God has done and is doing in your life. Remember God has a claim on you. Remember God forgives you and loves you. Remember to whom you belong.

Remember your baptism and be thankful!