Re-Baptism / The Makings of a Creed – for July 1, 2023 (191/365)

Background: We’re going to the beach tomorrow. It’s the quarterly outing of our church congregation, and no doubt it’ll be a day full of relationship building and just fun all around.

But before any of that we did settle that one of the things we’d definitely be doing is to do another bout of water baptism. But this time it won’t just be ‘new’ believers (or, really, folks who haven’t been water baptized yet for some reason) – no, a good number of senior citizens have expressed their desire to be ‘re-baptized’, if that was a thing.

Well, it’ll be a thing now. As part of this ceremony, we’ll be singing familiar worship songs, and I’ll be sharing a little reminder on what it means to be baptized. Fitting, because those who would be ‘re-baptized’ would be given a glimpse of being dunked into water, while observing Truth from my perspective.

“…don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

Romans 6:3-4 (NIV)

In Baptism, we recall/proclaim: That we have been baptized into Christ’s death. We were sinners, and since Christ became sin and died, so we actually also died with Him. That’s what we remember when we go under. But because Christ rose from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also actually rose with Him to live a new life. That’s what we remember when we are raised up.

In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Colossians 2:11-12 (ESV)

In Baptism, we recall/proclaim: That we have been circumcised. What? That’s right. The term “circumcision” comes from the Latin word “circumcisio,” which is derived from the past participle of the verb “circumcidere,” meaning “to cut around” or “to cut off.” And in the case of baptism, the ‘body of the flesh’ has been cut off. Our old life that not only loves to sin but is of the flesh – that is, our old self that thinks it can save itself apart from God – that’s been cut off. And not only has it been cut off, it has been buried. Our old life is dead.

“Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'”

Acts 2:38 (NIV)

In Baptism, we recall/proclaim: That we have repented. We have believed that God is who He says He is. He is great, and He is good, and we know this because of Jesus Christ, who is the greatness and goodness of God, who died and rose again that we would not perish but we would be saved. We have a new life – that is, we have the forgiveness of our sins, and we have the gift of the Holy Spirit. We have been made dead to the flesh, and alive in the Spirit.

Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good/clean/pure conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…

1 Peter 3:21 (ESV)

In Baptism, we recall/proclaim: We have a new life, we are new creations that have been made alive in the Spirit, and with a good/clean/pure conscience – We have a Christ-conscience, we have the mind of Christ; This means every thought we make is made with Christ.

Marriage is a public proclamation of love between a man and a woman, before God and country.

Baptism is a public proclamation of the following:

We believe in Christ, the Son of God, who was born in the flesh. He lay His life down, was crucified, died, and buried. On the third day He rose again, and then He ascended to heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

We believe that because of Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection, we have died to sin and flesh, and we have risen again, righteous unto eternal life.

Because of Christ’s ascension, we have received the Holy Spirit, and are seated in the heavenly places with Him. As such, we have the mind of Christ.

That looks like the making of a creed. But considering we’re baptising or re-baptising people tomorrow, I think we need to keep the questions simple.

Do you believe in God, the Creator of all things seen and unseen?

Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?

Do you believe in Christ’s birth, death, resurrection and ascension?

Christ was crucified, died, and was buried. You have died to sin and flesh. Your old life has been cut off and buried. Do you believe this?

Christ rose again on the third day. You have a new life in Christ. You also rise with righteousness and eternal life. Do you believe this?

Christ ascended to heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. So you have the Holy Spirit, and you have the mind of Christ. Do you believe this?

(Celebrant assists participant: hold hands close to chest, covering mouth and nose with one hand, eyes closed)

(2 Corinthians 5:17)Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.

The old has passed away (Participant breathes and holds, Celebrant’s hand firmly holding upper back, and gently pushing head down, until the entire body is fully submerged);

(Celebrant and assistants help participant back up) behold, the new has come.

I’m gonna need a way to memorize all this but that’s pretty much our Creed thus far. Like I hit two birds with one stone on this one. Maybe I should throw this in as an Essential.