Baptism - Lesson 7

LESSON SEVEN

2003-2004

BAPTISM

I. Connection between Christ and the Spirit.

A. In early church, Baptism seen as Christ’s working in His church through the Spirit.

B. Connection based on the prior trinitarian reality (opera ad intra), that:

1. The Spirit is related to the Father through the Son

2. The Father operates toward the world.

a. First, through Christ.

b. Then, in Christ through the Spirit.

3. He who is sent by Christ first proceeds from the Father and the Son (qui ex patre filioque procedit)

C. This dogmatic distinction necessary in defining the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (if compelled to use this phrase).

D. Is nothing else but a Baptism in the name of the Trinity.

E. To Lutherans, Baptism is both an affirmation and revelation of the Holy Trinity whom Christ reveals.

1. Mt 11:27.

2. This prior understanding of the Father’s relationship to the Son and the revelation through Him.

a. Comes to completion in Baptism in the name of the Trinity.

b. Lets this Baptism be understood as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

3. Through the Spirit given in Baptism, the Son chooses to reveal the Father.

4. The Spirit’s action in the water of Baptism:

a. not merely noetic (i.e. informs)

b. but salvific.

5. The Spirit brings the church to Christ, who presents her to His Father.

F. Does not mean that the Holy Spirit was not at work before Christ’s coming.

1. Already present in ministry of John the Baptist was this necessary interrelationship between faith, confession, Baptism and the Holy Spirit.

2. New Testament clear in saying that Jesus and not John would baptize with the Spirit.

a. Mt 3:11.

b. Ac 1:5.

3. Before the crucifixion, the Spirit was present and active in the baptisms of John and Jesus.

4. After resurrection, the Spirit will accomplish things not done before.

5. The Holy Spirit

a. Equips Jesus at His baptism.

b. Received by Jesus at John’s baptism.

c. Given to the church in Baptism after His resurrection.

d. Permanently resides in Jesus (Jn 1:33).

e. A full participant in Jesus’ humiliation and exaltation, and equips Him to endure it. (Heb 9:14).

6. In John’s baptism of Jesus, the entire church was baptized with Him and received the Spirit.

a. Eph 4:4-6.

b. Note order of the Trinity: the way the believer encounters the Trinity.

G. Through participation in the conception of Jesus, His Baptism, His life and death, the Spirit was christologically defined (i.e. the Spirit of the Son became the Spirit of Christ).

1. The promise that Jesus will baptize with the Spirit and with fire means that His will be defined by His cross and death that John’s was not.

2. The Holy Spirit is, in Baptism, the divine fire establishing and confirming faith.

3. S.C. says that the Spirit’s work is nothing else than bringing us to faith.

4. Spirit was fully responsible for all acts of salvation before His death and resurrection, also.

5. Pentecost is the formal conferral by Christ of the Holy Spirit on His church.

a. Lk 24:49.

b. Ac 1:5.

c. Ac 2:4.

II. Those Bodies Which Distinguish Baptism of the Spirit.

A. Unlike the Son who can be known in the person of Jesus, the Spirit is known chiefly in His work.

B. He works through the water of Baptism.

C. Other bodies locate the certainty of salvation.

1. Not in water Baptism.

2. But within the individual.

3. Some rely on “election” while denying the means.

4. Contend Spirit only works directly without means.

5. Some (e.g. Baptists) see Baptism only as another term for conversion.

6. Others (e.g. Pentecostals) focus on miraculous signs as Baptism in the Spirit.

D. Misunderstand Book of Acts.

1. Sometimes miraculous signs did accompany Baptism (e.g. Pentecost/Ac 2:38).

2. Sometimes preceded Baptism (e.g. Cornelius’ household/Ac 10:45-47).

3. Tongue-speaking.

a. Does not give assurance of salvation.

b. Some try to equating phenomena in Acts with that of 1Co.14.

c. Paul’s irony in 1Co 14:18 (cf irony in 2 Co 12:11).

d. Paul’s request for interpreters (1Co 14:26-28) intended to put tongue-speakers out of existence.

e. Spirit converts through intelligible words (1Co 14:19-25).

E. Chronology of the giving of the Holy Spirit.

1. Mystery, as with other Christian mysteries.

a. We are able to look at same act from different perspectives.

b. All of which are true but still must be taken together.

c. E.g. conversion, belief, and regeneration all refer to one act, but emphasize different aspects.

2. Locating one time for Spirit’s action does not rule out other times.

a. Spirit brings the believer to Baptism.

b. Spirit works on him in Baptism.

c. Spirit renews him after Baptism.

3. Common Lutheran attachment of the activity of the Spirit with infants to the pouring of the water therefore hardly correct.

a. Water does not activate the Word.

b. The Word activates the water.

c. The water is in the midst of the entire proclamation of the Word which comes to a pinnacle in reciting of the name of God.

d. Where the Word is, there the Spirit must be present!

4. For the Christian.

a. Death will be a real “Baptism”.

b. Just as Baptism was itself a real death.

5. The entire activity is the Spirit’s.

a. We leave it to Him how and when He works.

b. Jn 3:8.

6. We must be careful of looking for true signs of the Spirit’s working in personal works of piety (which even unbelievers can do) and not in Baptism.

7. Presence of gifts can never be used as a measure of God’s grace to believers or as a barometer of their level of commitment to God.

F. The giving of the Spirit in Baptism corresponds to the presence of faith worked by the Spirit in Baptism.

1. We do not baptize confessed or known unbelievers.

2. Infants do not belong in that category.

3. Without faith Baptism is inoperative, even in children.

4. Baptism remains entirely God’s Work!

5. If we must speak of a Baptism in the Spirit, then let it be infant Baptism.