Firbush Retreats Firbush retreats are organized and led by Robert T. Walker. Firbush retreats are designed to make the best theology accessible to as many people as possible and especially those not trained in theology and often not familiar with routine technical terms. They combine times of worship and prayer with reflection on a theme related to Torrance theology. For more information see https://tftorrance.org/firbush. ----------- Firbush Retreat Fall 2016 David J. Torrance, "Baptism in T. F. Torrance" https://tftorrance.org/firbushF2016 The audio recording for this presentation is available on the Firbush Retreat section of the website for the Thomas F. Torrance Theological Fellowship. The following AI transcript is too rough to rely upon, but perhaps useful for word searches and time-stamps. It is unretouched; if anyone wishes to listen to it and clean it up we will be happy to post an improved version (contact the webmasters). We invite speakers to send us slides for their talks, which we will post alongside the audios and transcripts. If any speaker wishes to have their talk removed from the website, just let us know and we'll take down both the audio and the transcript. ------------ 00:00-00:07 I feel that I must, because opening my bag, there were no notes. 00:07-00:20 So this is not quite cobbled together, but I've tried to recover what I can, and with 00:20-00:29 the notes I've made and one or two references which I might read, then hopefully we'll recover 00:29-00:33 the essence of what we can say. 00:33-00:47 There is a handout that, I'll just pass this round, I'll explain something about that in 00:47-01:03 a moment. 01:26-01:33 Just to explain what I've given you, the title of the talk is 'Baptism in T.F. 01:33-01:39 Torrance' and what I've done at the start is to just give some of the main references 01:39-01:40 that I've found. 01:40-01:48 There may well be others that I'm not aware of because, as we were hearing earlier, that 01:48-01:57 lots of the sacraments run right through T.F.'s writing. 01:57-02:05 So there are in fact many references, but ones that specifically deal with baptism. 02:05-02:21 In 1970 he wrote a large chapter on the one baptism common to Christ and his church, and 02:21-02:26 that is in the Theology in Reconciliation. 02:26-02:36 That's probably the more difficult of his writings to read, but it gives his mature 02:36-02:37 thought. 02:37-02:45 Earlier on, when he wrote in the 50s, I think it was published about 1960 or something, 02:45-02:51 his two volumes on conflict and agreement in the church, the second volume he put three 02:51-02:58 papers together in one chapter that he entitled 'The Sacrament of Baptism'. 02:58-03:02 These three papers were written, these are the dates not of conflict and agreement, but 03:02-03:10 56, 58 and 56, the origins of baptism, aspects of baptism and then the meaning of baptism. 03:10-03:16 That is very readable, very accessible to most folk. 03:16-03:21 It's just unfortunate that that's out of print. 03:21-03:32 In 1958 he was largely responsible for producing a book, The Biblical Doctrine of Baptism. 03:32-03:42 Now this is a study document that was produced at the end of reports linked with the special 03:42-03:46 commission on baptism of the Church of Scotland. 03:46-03:57 In 1953 the Assembly had asked for a fresh examination of the doctrine of baptism and 03:57-04:01 the fruits of that were published in successive assemblies. 04:01-04:06 In 1955 major documents were sent down to presbytries for study and comment and then 04:06-04:11 having received a great mass of comment and criticism, a study document was published 04:11-04:18 in 1958 and this is that book. 04:18-04:35 One of his earlier writings on this may not therefore give his best ideas or his best 04:35-04:44 thoughts on things but nevertheless because it sets things out in a very simple way, what 04:44-04:53 I've done is to take the contents page from there and I've used that as the bones really 04:53-04:56 for this talk. 04:56-05:01 It's also worth looking at, 'A Manual of Church Doctrine according to the Church of Scotland 05:01-05:08 by Wetherspoon and Kirkpatrick', this was revised and enlarged by T.F. 05:08-05:28 Torrance and Ronald St. I'll be right in 1960 but as he said at the beginning, 'Professor 05:28-05:38 Torrance's temporary absence from Edinburgh as visiting lectern Princeton enables me to 05:38-05:44 add what should be obvious that most if not all of the revision has been done by him. 05:44-05:51 My small part has been to edit and as an active parish minister in certain cases to interpret.' 05:51-06:03 But again, that's useful. 06:03-06:12 Running through what we've got here, maybe I should begin. 06:12-06:17 There was a Roman Catholic priest, there was a Pentecostal pastor and a Church of Scotland 06:17-06:29 minister and they were having lunch together and discussing what to do with issues of bats 06:29-06:39 in their church towers and the Roman Catholic priest with a sense of chagrin said, 'Well, 06:39-06:45 we tried incense and we thought we'd try and smoke them out and sure enough, as this all 06:45-06:54 piled up into the atmosphere that the bats left but just a couple of days later, back 06:54-06:57 they came.' 06:57-07:05 The Pentecostal pastor said, 'Well, we tried drums and music and we blasted the place out 07:05-07:12 for a whole night and well, they left only for one night and then back they came.' 07:12-07:18 And then the Presbyterian pastor said, 'Well, I just baptised all my made them members, 07:18-07:21 never seen them since.' 07:21-07:31 Unfortunately, there's enough truth in that. 07:31-07:38 Baptism has been a very contentious issue in the church, very difficult questions obviously 07:38-07:45 about whether or not children should be involved or to whom they should be administered. 07:45-08:01 There are perhaps a couple of things that we can maybe say right at the start. 08:01-08:06 Much of that contention perhaps depends on where we put the focus. 08:06-08:19 Is it on us and our faith and our response to Christ or is baptism primarily a statement 08:19-08:23 of what we have done, we believe? 08:23-08:27 T.F. puts the focus very squarely on Christ. 08:27-08:35 This is a presentation of Christ himself and all he's done and is doing and only secondarily 08:35-08:42 is it and really by implication a testimony of what we believe. 08:42-08:49 Christ himself is the real sacrament, truly present, offering, giving himself to us, sealing 08:49-08:53 us by the Spirit in union with himself. 08:53-08:56 Christ is the agent in baptism. 08:56-09:00 These are key points in his thought. 09:00-09:07 In the Incarnation he joins himself to us and joins us to himself, giving himself to 09:07-09:10 us, transforming us. 09:10-09:21 Baptism is a sign and seal of his initiation of us into life in union with himself. 09:21-09:35 He sees real value in exploring the Old Testament antecedents, draws attention to covenant and 09:35-09:43 sees in this a pattern in which God declares first who he is, the great act he's done and 09:43-09:49 states the requirements he makes of those who enter covenant with him. 09:49-09:56 And then following that the people answer with a promise of obedience and the covenant 09:56-10:00 then is made. 10:00-10:07 God holds the initiative, he alone takes the first steps but Israel is required nevertheless 10:07-10:11 to choose in response and in freedom. 10:11-10:16 And he sees this as the fundamental form of the way of doing things. 10:16-10:24 This proclamation of the divine acts and requirements and then the answer of the people in response. 10:24-10:32 And he sees that as remaining normative both in similar ceremonies that take place later 10:32-10:37 but also for the way baptism should be administered in the church. 10:37-10:48 He in this is a sign of circumcision but he draws to a great emphasis on the custom of 10:48-10:55 cleansing by water as it was well established in the Old Testament, especially seen in terms 10:55-11:00 of the legal codes of priestly origin. 11:00-11:04 You can see that in Leviticus and in Numbers but it's found also in the prophets where 11:04-11:09 it speaks of God cleansing by water. 11:09-11:16 See it also in the cleansing of lepers, the positioning perhaps of the bronze laver near 11:16-11:23 the altar within the temple precincts and the requirements for washing of both the priests 11:23-11:30 and the sacrifices. 11:30-11:35 In later Judaism, you see it especially in Ezekiel and Jeremiah, the prophet spoke of 11:35-11:36 a new covenant. 11:36-11:47 The covenant having previously been violated, this required renewal in a new way written 11:47-11:50 on the heart and by the spirit. 11:50-11:55 Attempts were made in later Judaism to actualise this, for example the group connected with 11:55-12:02 the Dead Sea Scrolls who regarded themselves as the community of the new covenant. 12:02-12:08 Interesting, the form of entrance into this remained the same as previously, a statement 12:08-12:18 of God's requirements followed by an answer or response by the people. 12:18-12:26 The movement of the covenant by such groups seems to have been by a form of baptismal 12:26-12:27 ablution. 12:27-12:32 The Pharisees made great use of this both on a regular basis but also as part of their 12:32-12:43 initiation ceremony and as previously this included children as well as parents. 12:43-12:53 The Essenes of Josephus for example also bathe daily for purification. 12:53-13:04 T.F. doesn't argue that Christian baptism derives from or depends on proselyte baptism 13:04-13:12 but he nevertheless sees much profit in its consideration. 13:12-13:17 Incorporation into the covenant people involved basically three main elements. 13:17-13:25 One was circumcision, of course that was only applied to the men and boys, but second to 13:25-13:37 that was the sprinkling of synonym water. 13:37-13:59 That water was made up as part of this sprinkling, the ashes of a red heifer were included in 13:59-14:00 that. 14:00-14:10 The heifer was burnt outside the camp as a sin offering and the ashes were then used 14:10-14:18 along with the sprinkling of water as a cleansing from defilement. 14:18-14:25 So someone who was joining the covenant people, if they were male they would be circumcised 14:25-14:33 but then there was the sprinkling of the water and then thirdly that was followed by immersion 14:33-14:40 which it seemed to include the notion of a separation from darkness, from the darkness 14:40-14:51 of the heathen world and a new birth into the light and purity of God's revelation. 14:51-14:56 It included also it would appear their baptism into the mighty acts of Israel's redemption 14:56-15:05 out of Egypt at the Exodus, their baptism into the holy and priestly people of the covenant. 15:05-15:12 It's worth noting in this that both women and children were included and indeed because 15:12-15:17 of the numerous women who were involved it was possible for the rabbis at the end of 15:17-15:24 the first century AD to discuss whether or not it was circumcision or in fact baptism 15:24-15:31 which was the essential part of the admission. 15:31-15:40 John the Baptist stands in these traditions but he also introduces something new, he proclaims 15:40-15:49 the Messianic age, it's now at hand and radical judgment is near and so he proclaims a baptism 15:49-15:55 of repentance for the remission of sin not so much to escape repentance or judgment but 15:55-15:59 rather into repentance. 15:59-16:08 The focus there being primarily in fact on who we are turning to rather than what we're 16:08-16:14 turning away from although there is indeed a turning away from sin that is required in 16:14-16:15 this. 16:15-16:25 He's drawing a contrast between his own baptism, he drew a contrast in between his own baptism 16:25-16:32 with water and the baptism of the coming one in spirit and in fire, the baptism which the 16:32-16:33 Messiah would bring. 16:33-16:46 It was a preparatory rite which awaited a speedy and greater fulfillment. 16:46-16:51 Although Christian baptism derives largely from John the Baptist it finds its meaning 16:51-16:58 and efficacy in the whole life and work of Christ. 16:58-17:05 It directs us into the entire work of incarnation and atonement, the birth, the baptism, the 17:05-17:10 life, the teaching, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Christ including the promise 17:10-17:22 of his coming again in glory and the gift of the Holy Spirit. 17:22-17:33 baptism in this is inseparable from the person of Christ and the new humanity that's brought 17:33-17:40 into being through his birth. 17:40-17:50 Christ incorporated himself into our humanity at his birth in order to heal and redeem it. 17:50-18:00 He grew up in oneness with us and in so doing there is a new beginning in the history of 18:00-18:02 humanity. 18:02-18:29 A new factor comes into being not just of the flesh but of the Spirit. 18:29-18:35 This makes it possible for us to share in this new humanity and being incorporated into him 18:35-18:37 as his body. 18:37-18:42 Maybe I could just read one or two bits here. 18:42-18:48 Sorry I slightly jumped ahead of my notes. 18:48-18:51 I was going to read something. 18:51-18:59 I'm actually on the second page at point B but just to read one or two things from A 18:59-19:07 first of all and some notes that I've made here. 19:07-19:12 Baptism is cleansing in the blood of Christ rather than Christian. 19:12-19:18 In the New Testament baptism is referred to as a washing or cleansing and especially as 19:18-19:21 a washing away of sins. 19:21-19:28 Ritual cleansings were common both in Judaism and in a contemporary world outside it. 19:28-19:37 But the most important ancestor of this interpretation is probably the solemn cleansing from sin 19:37-19:38 which took place in Judaism. 19:38-19:44 A, at the consecration of priests and their cleansing before offering sacrifice and B, 19:44-19:55 at the cleansing of lepers and C, at the baptism of a proselyte. 19:55-20:00 This solemn cleansing is closely connected with the Old Testament rights of atonement 20:00-20:07 and the blood of the covenant shed for remission of sins. 20:07-20:12 The New Testament thus links baptism as the washing away of sins with cleansing in the 20:12-20:20 blood and through the death of Christ. 20:20-20:27 In terms of the brief note on immersion and effusion, what I was going to read was both 20:27-20:33 immersion and sprinkling appear in the forms of liturgical cleansing used in the Old Testament 20:33-20:37 and in Judaism. 20:37-20:44 Nevertheless, as has been indicated, Christian baptism is not primarily a rite of ceremonial 20:44-20:53 purification. 20:53-20:59 It is an ordinance in which God acts upon us redemptively and creatively through the 20:59-21:06 death and resurrection of Christ so that its efficacy is the efficacy of the death and 21:06-21:07 resurrection. 21:07-21:15 Therefore, it is not a matter of great importance which Old Testament precedent we follow, whether 21:15-21:21 it is by immersion or sprinkling. 21:21-21:25 Whatever the method used, the understanding of baptism as a saving act of cleansing and 21:25-21:35 of rebirth or renewal is always present. 21:35-21:41 As Ronnie Wallace used to say, I remember discussing with him about this and he made 21:41-21:49 the same points but he added in terms of the quantities of water and it is a custom I suppose 21:49-21:54 that I have followed, he put it quite simply, the more the merrier. 21:54-22:03 So where it has been possible to baptise by immersion, I have encouraged that but as T.F.S. 22:03-22:06 says, it is not necessary. 22:06-22:19 I remember, in fact years ago, I thought it was a joke at first but quite a serious discussion 22:19-22:26 which astonished me after a woman had been baptised and a certain part of her upper frontage 22:26-22:31 did not go entirely under the water. 22:31-22:38 There was a serious discussion about whether or not she had been truly baptised. 22:38-22:45 I remember. 22:52-23:22 Sorry, I have actually muddled my notes here. 23:22-23:33 Referring back to John the Baptist, the baptism of John is naturally of supreme importance 23:33-23:51 and although John the Baptist supplied the church with its ritual act, the 23:51-23:59 rite of initiation into the Messianic age and community and into the new covenant and 23:59-24:03 it is here where the origins lie. 24:03-24:09 It is Christ's baptism which is nevertheless determinative for us and our understanding. 24:09-24:15 In his baptism the Spirit descended and remained upon him, thus giving it a double form of 24:15-24:22 water and the Spirit. 24:22-24:29 In it Jesus receives the absolute affirmation of the Father and is consecrated and anointed 24:29-24:38 as the Messiah and sent out to fulfil his mission as the Son of God on earth. 24:38-24:42 He is the one who will thus make the gift of the Spirit available to all who follow 24:42-24:45 him in faith. 24:45-24:51 But in him, in his baptism, the Spirit descended and remained, thus giving it this double form 24:51-24:54 of water and the Spirit. 24:54-24:59 Christian baptism thus will be the sign of our participation in the outpouring of the 24:59-25:06 Spirit on Christ. 25:06-25:30 Through his baptism not just in water but by the Spirit and the acceptance of his mission 25:30-25:36 and calling, the baptism of Jesus leads immediately to the cross and the two are clearly a sign 25:36-25:40 of the Christ. 25:40-25:48 Jesus spoke of his approaching death and resurrection as a baptism, a baptism with which he was 25:48-25:50 being baptised. 25:50-26:14 So I must apologise for this. 26:14-26:22 This is section 2, baptism and the salvation events, D, the institution of baptism. 26:22-26:28 The Church of Scotland is customary in other churches, use Matthew 28 as the warrant for 26:28-26:31 the administration of baptism. 26:31-26:43 Elsewhere the New Testament refers to baptism in the name of the Lord or into Jesus Christ 26:43-26:50 without mentioning the Trinitarian formula of Matthew 28, baptising in the name of the 26:50-26:51 Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 26:51-26:58 However, obviously the baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus implies baptism into the 26:58-27:01 triune name. 27:01-27:09 Baptism into Christ is a baptism into Christ in his relations to Father and Holy Spirit. 27:09-27:14 More specifically, baptism in the name of Christ has a threefold significance. 27:14-27:20 Baptism first into Christ's kingdom where he is present and works miracles by the power 27:20-27:21 of the Spirit. 27:21-27:30 I must say I'm pleased to see T.F. mentioning this. 27:30-27:35 Baptism into discipleship, into the sphere in which the Spirit teaches and illumines through 27:35-27:43 the Word so they may grow in the knowledge of truth as it is in Christ. 27:43-27:50 Thirdly baptism means union with Christ, baptism into his death and his resurrection and grafting 27:50-27:58 into him by the power of the Spirit by which we become members of his body. 27:58-28:03 We've touched on baptism as cleansing in the blood of Christ and the note on immersion 28:03-28:06 and infusion. 28:06-28:18 But now going to page two and to B. Baptism as participation in Christ's death and resurrection. 28:18-28:23 St Paul teaches that through baptism we actually participate in the death and resurrection 28:23-28:28 of Christ and we are thereby incorporated into Christ and set free from the dominion 28:28-28:30 of sin. 28:30-28:34 Although our participation in the resurrection is not complete and the possibility of sin 28:34-28:37 is still a very real one. 28:37-28:44 In baptism we put off sin in the old self and put on Christ. 28:44-28:49 Thus we are in Christ which is the same as saying that we have passed from the old creation 28:49-28:53 represented by Adam into the new creation. 28:53-29:01 While we still live nevertheless in the old creation with his life going on all around 29:01-29:04 us and it's still powerful in us. 29:04-29:08 Nevertheless Christ works in us more powerfully than the old self accommodating his ways to 29:08-29:12 our stage of growth and our needs. 29:12-29:18 Here we see the connection between infant baptism and the Lord's Supper. 29:18-29:30 Supper, the action of baptism with its symbol of death and resurrection is not merely symbolic. 29:30-29:35 It is an act of transfer into the new age. 29:35-29:40 It is God's act bestowing participation in Christ which is no less real than our former 29:40-29:47 participation in the sinful humanity represented by Adam. 29:47-29:54 By baptism we are grafted into Christ and this means we start a whole new process of growth 29:54-30:00 in which it is Christ who is the source of life. 30:00-30:07 It means the beginning of a life in which we are conformed to Christ and not to the 30:07-30:20 world and therefore one in which the wrong use of what is earthly must be abandoned. 30:20-30:37 Both elements of the death and the resurrection of Christ are inseparable in elements of God's 30:37-30:42 one great act. 30:42-30:51 So to participate in the death is, so we participate in the death and the resurrection and by the 30:51-30:57 resurrection this includes both the resurrection and ascension. 30:57-31:05 Both are intended so that it's an incorporation into his resurrected life and his ascended 31:05-31:15 glorified life in the fullness of the Spirit. 31:15-31:20 It's a literal translation from one dominion to another, from the sphere where sin reigns 31:20-31:24 to the sphere where Christ reigns. 31:24-31:33 There is a mutual indwelling, our identity now found in Christ and remarkably we have 31:33-31:42 to say that his identity also now found in relation to us, that he is so bound himself 31:42-31:51 to us that his life is inseparable from ours. 31:51-31:58 Christ in us, us in Christ. 31:58-32:06 Working together under five, infant baptism and the Lord's Supper and the whole of section 32:06-32:17 four, which I thought it might be better to discuss if you wish to talk about the question. 32:17-32:27 Jesus was asked again and again about who had the supreme place or the highest place 32:27-32:31 in the kingdom and he referred to children. 32:31-32:41 There's one point where the dads were bringing little children to Jesus asking him to bless 32:41-32:49 them and it's one of the only occasions where we see him angry. 32:49-32:58 The disciples were trying to tell the men to go away and Jesus specifically rebuked 32:58-33:06 them and stated unless you receive the kingdom as a little child you shall not enter it. 33:06-33:13 And then it says then he took the children in his arms, put his hand on them and blessed 33:13-33:15 them. 33:15-33:22 And I've always taken that as he makes this statement unless you become as a little child 33:22-33:27 you don't enter the kingdom but then he demonstrates what he does with little children in taking 33:27-33:31 them in his arms, putting his hands on them and blessing him. 33:31-33:39 And it seems to me that what he's really saying here is that unless you allow me to take you 33:39-33:50 in my arms, put my hand on you and impart to you, you don't enter the kingdom. 33:50-34:00 Become like little children, well this is what he does with little children. 34:00-34:09 For baptism and regeneration, let me read, baptism is connected in the New Testament 34:09-34:14 with the conception of a new birth, a birth from above. 34:14-34:21 This new birth is on the one hand something that happens to the world as a whole but on 34:21-34:27 the other hand it's something that happens to the individual, the beginning of a quite 34:27-34:31 new kind of life. 34:31-34:37 In both these senses of the word a new birth takes its origin according to the New Testament 34:37-34:50 in Christ and it's impossible to isolate the one sense from the other. 34:50-34:55 Baptism in common to Christ and his church, the New Testament speaks of Christ's whole 34:55-35:00 ministry and especially his death as a baptism on behalf of men. 35:00-35:05 His baptism in Jordan which inaugurated that ministry was accompanied by the gift of the 35:05-35:10 Spirit and it's clear that baptism and the gift of the Spirit usually in some immediately 35:10-35:18 recognizable form were as a rule closely linked. 35:18-35:21 According to the Book of Acts the gift of the Spirit was first made to the church at 35:21-35:26 Pentecost and this event is identified with that baptism in Holy Spirit and fire which 35:26-35:30 had been promised by John the Baptist years before. 35:30-35:37 Bringing these two themes together we can say that the one baptism of Christ is twofold. 35:37-35:42 The baptism he underwent in blood on the cross and the baptism he bestowed in the Spirit 35:42-35:44 Pentecost. 35:44-35:53 This corporate and apostolic baptism at Pentecost stands behind the baptism of every individual. 35:53-36:00 According to the New Testament there is only one baptism. 36:00-36:05 Baptism is used to refer to the one all-inclusive factarious baptism of Christ for all men and 36:05-36:10 it's clear that theologically if not in frequency of occurrence this is the primary use of the 36:10-36:12 term. 36:12-36:18 This one baptism consummated in the baptism of blood on the cross was undertaken for all 36:18-36:26 men but it comes to its visible actualization in the church only with baptism as initiation 36:26-36:29 in the life of the Spirit. 36:29-36:34 This life of the Spirit in the church began with the gift of the Spirit at Pentecost, 36:34-36:39 an event which is significantly described in Acts 1 as being the fulfillment of that 36:39-36:45 messianic baptism in Holy Spirit and fire according to the first three gospels as foretold 36:45-36:49 by John. 36:49-36:53 The once for all baptism of Christ in blood on the cross had its first fulfillment in 36:53-36:59 the once for all baptism of the church in Spirit at Pentecost and this in its turn leads 36:59-37:07 to the baptism of individuals and their reception of the gift of the Spirit. 37:07-37:13 What Christ bestowed baptism and continues to bestow is a share in the baptism he has 37:13-37:18 undergone. 37:18-37:22 From this point of view it may also be legitimate to see a correspondence between Christ's own 37:22-37:27 baptism in Jordan where he was consecrated to his mission and the baptism of the church 37:27-37:40 at Pentecost where it too is consecrated and endowed with power for its mission. 37:40-37:45 Must also understand the conception of baptism as a seal of the Spirit. 37:45-37:50 It's prominent in the fathers and it's found in the New Testament. 37:50-37:55 Under the old covenant circumcision was regarded as the seal or mark of God's possession both 37:55-38:02 in an outward sense of circumcision as a physical sign and in an inward sense of that circumcision 38:02-38:08 of the heart which would accompany the new covenant to be made by God with his people. 38:08-38:14 In the New Testament under the new covenant baptism is regarded as corresponding to circumcision 38:14-38:16 in this and in certain other respects. 38:16-38:22 In its inward aspect baptism is thus the sign and seal of the outpouring of God's Spirit 38:22-38:28 and since the Spirit is the pledge or first instalment of the life of the new age baptism 38:28-38:39 is the sealing onto the day of redemption. 38:39-38:52 Baptism as a sacrament of the incarnation and the new creation in Christ. 38:52-38:58 The whole significance of baptism is grounded in the incarnation as well as in the death 38:58-39:00 and resurrection of Jesus. 39:00-39:05 Because Christ took upon himself our humanity he's made it possible for us to share his 39:05-39:10 humanity and be incorporated into his body. 39:10-39:15 Because Christ was made man it is possible for us to become his members. 39:15-39:21 Thus his incorporation into humanity, the incarnation, is the ground of our incorporation 39:21-39:25 into his body at baptism. 39:25-39:31 This adoption we receive at baptism and confirm through our faith. 39:31-39:35 Baptism is thus the sacrament of our common humanity which has been transformed through 39:35-39:37 Christ's entry into it. 39:37-39:52 It makes it irrelevant all differences between men. 39:52-40:00 In terms of the fruit of baptism, let me read this lastly. 40:00-40:07 It is possible to turn the truth of God into a lie and to hold down the truth in unrighteousness. 40:07-40:12 It's possible to turn the sign of baptism into the very mark of the beast as the apocalypse 40:12-40:14 puts it. 40:14-40:20 Baptism comes to truth in our Amen as we through the spirit cry Abba Father. 40:20-40:22 But baptism can be denied. 40:22-40:27 Nothing can alter the objective fact that we've been baptized into the death of Christ 40:27-40:30 any more than it can alter the fact that Christ died for us. 40:30-40:33 No sin of man can undo that fact. 40:33-40:41 Yet a man can turn his back upon his baptism and repudiate it. 40:41-40:46 Since he cannot undo his baptism, it therefore remains to become his judgment. 40:46-40:51 Nonetheless, his baptism will still avail him if he should repent and in conversion 40:51-40:58 become as a little child again, finding refuge in the name of Jesus Christ as his savior. 40:58-41:03 We proclaim the gospel that Christ died for all men and seek to baptize all nations into 41:03-41:04 Christ. 41:04-41:09 Within the church, we proclaim the gospel, calling all who are baptized to deny themselves 41:09-41:12 and take up their cross and follow Christ. 41:12-41:22 We claim then as Christ's very own by right of their baptism into his name and their sealing 41:22-41:26 with the spirit of promise as his purchased possession. 41:26-41:31 It is our prayer that they will hold fast to the name of Christ as Christians glorifying 41:31-41:35 God in that name and bearing the reproach of Christ. 41:35-41:40 We believe that the spirit of God and of Christ which rested upon Christ at his baptism will 41:40-41:42 rest upon them. 41:42-41:48 As Christ was raised up in the glory of the Father, so they will also walk in newness 41:48-41:54 of life. 41:54-42:05 Baptism five is initiation into a saving relationship rather than the mechanical receiving of a 42:05-42:06 gift. 42:06-42:12 The gift is Christ himself in all his saving acts and in all his glory. 42:12-42:23 But it is essentially as T.F. stresses, it is an initiation into a personal relationship. 42:23-42:31 Baptism depends for its efficacy on the faithfulness of God and only secondarily on our response 42:31-42:33 of faith. 42:33-42:41 So it includes a section on the faithfulness of God, faithfulness in his word, faithfulness 42:41-42:52 in his covenant relationship and then turns to talk of the faith of the recipient. 42:52-43:04 Stating the need for a recovery of the place that, the place given in the New Testament 43:04-43:08 to the faith of the recipient. 43:08-43:15 We can distinguish in the New Testament between three aspects of faith or belief. 43:15-43:24 Although in a full faith these three aspects are not separable, faith may be regarded as 43:24-43:31 intellectual conviction, may also be regarded as the placing of our confidence or reliance 43:31-43:35 on a person. 43:35-43:40 It also may be seen as a quality of character, the charisma or spiritual gift which disposes 43:40-43:49 us to wholehearted belief in God's word and a complete trust in God through Christ. 43:49-43:58 But if we are to grow in responsible faith, we cannot be saved apart from a faith that 43:58-44:02 responds to him. 44:02-44:05 In this he stresses the need for the faith of the congregation. 44:05-44:11 The congregations faith is of vital importance because baptism is not only the initiation 44:11-44:15 of a vital relationship between the infant and Christ and he's thinking here obviously 44:15-44:21 in terms of children, it is the infant's incorporation into the church, the body of Christ, the company 44:21-44:26 of the faithful who already believe in Christ. 44:26-44:30 They receive the infant into their spiritual care and protection in the name of Christ. 44:30-44:36 In terms of the parents, it's fundamental to the New Testament conception of baptism 44:36-44:41 that it's the beginning of a relationship which continues throughout the whole life 44:41-44:45 of the person baptized. 44:45-44:51 We may find here the strongest reason for making parents or sponsors promise "to teach 44:51-44:55 the children, the child the truths and duties of the Christian faith". 44:55-45:04 It is they as the representatives of the believing congregation who will have the strongest influence 45:04-45:09 on the life of the child in his or her early years. 45:09-45:15 Fail in this duty, then the children may never hear the word and have no opportunity to assent 45:15-45:17 to it in faith. 45:17-45:22 The promise of his baptism may then not be fulfilled for, and he quotes, "How can they 45:22-45:26 hear without a preacher?" 45:26-45:34 Naturally the faith of the child is to be encouraged and he states, "There can be no 45:34-45:39 ground for supposing that little children did not there and then when Jesus received 45:39-45:44 them in some measure respond to his love. 45:44-45:48 From the earliest days of infancy a child responds to stimuli and particularly to the 45:48-45:53 loving care of its mother, certain use of the root of the Hebrew word translated faithfulness 45:53-45:58 or truth indicates that the picture of the constancy and steadfastness of a mother to 45:58-46:04 a child lies behind the Old Testament concept of the faithfulness of God. 46:04-46:10 The child responds to his mother's care, may he not also respond to the care of God. 46:10-46:15 It's impossible to say at what stage a child recognizes and responds to his mother's love. 46:15-46:20 It is equally impossible to say at what stage his response to the work of Christ and baptism 46:20-46:22 may begin. 46:22-46:28 When full consciousness appears, a little child often shows a sense of God's reality 46:28-46:34 and a personal trust in Jesus more clearly and consistently than many an adult Christian. 46:34-46:43 Surely these are the essentials of the faith." 46:43-46:46 Thank you for bearing with me. 46:46-46:52 I've got a couple of questions maybe that we might like to think about but you may have 46:52-46:57 your own questions. 46:57-47:02 I began with an example about bats and the prostal. 47:02-47:09 There are very real difficulties that I think probably any pastor has encountered in where 47:09-47:22 someone who has been baptized as an infant comes to faith in a very real way and then 47:22-47:29 asks to be baptized. 47:29-47:31 The question is how does one respond to that? 47:31-47:41 There is only one baptism and it's unrepeatable yet the focus is on the baptism of Christ. 47:41-47:47 It's Christ who's the agent. 47:47-47:54 I'd like to ask a question whether is there room nevertheless for allowing an affirmation 47:54-47:57 of that in some way? 47:57-48:04 That might be deemed to be heresy. 48:04-48:11 Part of the whole problem is that when someone does come and asks to be baptized again that 48:11-48:19 they tend to do it questioning their baptism as an infant. 48:19-48:27 Any conversation that I've had, I've never baptized someone twice but I have said to 48:27-48:36 them, I have chatted to particularly younger people and pointed out the efficacy of their 48:36-48:41 baptism as a child even before they in any way came to faith. 48:41-48:47 I said that what in a sense they're doing by seeking to be baptized is to put the emphasis 48:47-48:55 on themselves and their faith and their own response and it's almost a bit like a kind 48:55-48:58 of baptism of repentance. 48:58-49:09 I don't know if that's right but I've said to them, look I'll be there and I'll be cheering 49:09-49:20 with everybody else but I tried nevertheless to encourage them to really appreciate what 49:20-49:24 happened when they were a child. 49:24-49:29 Nevertheless I still have this question, is there a way or would it, although it's never 49:29-49:37 been as I understand it the practice of the church, without compromising the one baptism 49:37-49:44 and the unrepeatable nature of that baptism, to reaffirm that in some way and perhaps with 49:44-49:53 an analogy, the reaffirmation of a married couple in the taking of their vows. 49:53-50:00 They're not redoing the marriage but they are reaffirming something that is already 50:00-50:09 a reality. 50:09-50:17 I leave things with you.