Baptism and the Baptismal Covenant
Ever since the ratification of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer
we have been engaging more intentionally
with the concept of a baptismal covenant.
This is much more than we ever did with the 1928 version
of the baptismal liturgy.
It was all there essentially in the old prayer book in the questions asked
of the baptismal candidates and their sponsors,
but it was not organized and elucidated so clearly
in a way that unpacked the concentrated meaning of the one question
in the older liturgy, which was simply:
“Wilt thou then obediently keep God’s holy will and commandments,
and walk in the same all the days of thy life?”
It’s been almost 40 years now during which the new wording
in the form of the 5 questions following the Apostles’ Creed
has been used,
and the congregations of the Episcopal Church have found them to be
practical,
a significant teaching tool,
and a guide for personally living out the faith.
But a covenant has two sides to it;
It is an agreement by two parties with mutual contributions and benefits.
We’re going to baptize a child today
promising to raise him in the faith
so that he will live out his part of the baptismal covenant.
But let’s look also at the other side of the covenant and God’s part,
what it is that God does that is directed towards us.
The first thing that might come to mind is the forgiveness of sins.
That’s good,
but it’s just the beginning.
Forgiveness of sins was what John the Baptist was emphasizing by his baptism,
AND he made quite a point
about how the baptism of Jesus was going to be a whole lot more.
In baptism we then say
that we are being made a member of the household of faith.
Sure – but it’s more than just becoming an official member of the church.
The Apostle Paul says we are baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection.
In the waters of baptism
we are spiritually plunged into the heart of the mystery of our salvation
- the death and resurrection of Jesus –
and how in our identification with Jesus
his actions have an all encompassing effect
and we are engulfed by
the reconciling, healing and liberating power and love of God.
Totally new life we are given, and we are made a new creation,
set free from all sorts of conditions
that would hold us down and have deadly consequences for us.
Salvation addresses more than sin;
this includes addressing our addictions,
our delusion and spiritual blindness,
our relationship with everyone else and the whole of creation
and wherever in our lives there is less than wholeness.
Look at the Gospel lesson for today – Jesus’ own baptism.
What happens?
It’s not the baptism that John was carrying out on those who came to him
– a ritual washing clean from sin.
Jesus stands up in the water and the heavens open
and the Spirit descends like a dove and rests upon him.
The heavens open
and Jesus becomes the connecting point between heaven and earth.
He is the link, the ladder, like Jacob’s ladder
between our earth-bound thoughts and desires
and the revelation of God.
If what Paul said is true,
that we are baptized into Christ and into his Name
- and this has been a core teaching of the Church for the last 2,000 years -
then we can take upon ourselves
the revelation that came from God at the baptism of Jesus:
the words, “This is my Son, the Beloved, in whom I am well pleased.”
His baptism is our baptism.
His identity is our identity.
His Name is our Name.
Indeed in the rite of baptism, in the baptismal liturgy
when we present the candidates we give their first and middle names,
but not the last name, the family name,
because instead it is implicit, covertly understood
that the new family name is “Christian,”
a name we all share, those of us here who are also baptized:
Christian – little Christ.
God looks at each of us in our baptized state and says,
“This is my Son, my Daughter, beloved to me, my heart’s delight.
How can I be anything other than delighted in you.”
So the Baptismal Covenant has two side,
and it is a covenant initiated from God’s side:
“You are my beloved child.”
And we respond by expressing our faith and pledging ourselves
to continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship,
in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers
to persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever we fall into sin,
repent and return to the Lord
to proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ
to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourselves
and to strive for justice and peace among all people,
and respect the dignity of every human being.
We say these words along with baptismal candidates and their sponsors
as a way to embed within ourselves again and again
these basic and essential elements of Christian living
until we become conscious of them daily in whatever we are doing.
And this is one of those Sundays
that even if we didn’t have a baptism,
we would still renew our own baptismal covenant
because – always remember this –
God looks at each of us and says:
“This is my Son, my Daughter, beloved to me.
How can I be anything other than delighted in you.”
Receive the salvation abundantly offered
and live in the continuous New Creation of life in Christ.
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