The Meaning of Baptism

Baptism has been a source of contention in the Church almost since its beginning and the division continues to this day. Is baptism by sprinkling? By immersion? For infants or for adults? Many times the argument will center on definitions. Does baptism in the Greek mean to immerse, to plunge, or have a meaning like to dip something in a vat of dye? Another source of contention is to its meaning. Why is baptism important? Has it lost any real meaning? (Several years ago a prominent evangelical journal in England advocated doing away with baptism since it was so confusing. What mattered was faith, not whether or not a person had been baptized). So, how does one understand Baptism today? A good answer, I believe, it to recognize that baptism represents a new beginning and has its source in the Old Testament.

In Exodus 14 as the Hebrews people are attempting to leave Egypt, they become trapped at one side of the Red Sea/Sea of Reeds by the pursuing Egyptian army. The people are terrified, but God causes a strong east wind to blow over the waters. This is probably a Genesis picture in that the Holy Spirit 'hovers' over the waters in Genesis 1.2 to bring forth a new beginning. The Hebrew word for both spirit and wind is 'ruach' and only the context determines whether it means wind or spirit. The fact that the wind blows from the east is also significant. The magi in Matthew come from the east. Jesus enters Jerusalem from the east as he begins his last week before the crucifixion. Traveling west in the Bible is good. Traveling east is almost always bad. The point in Exodus 14 is that the Hebrew people travel 'through the waters' which signifies a new beginning. On one side of the water they are slaves, but on the other side they become a nation, again a new beginning.

In Joshua 3 the Hebrew people enter into the Promised Land. They are on the eastside of the land and when they come to the Jordan River, the boundary of the land, they pass 'through the waters' or the dry ground as in Exodus 14. On one side of the Jordan they are people without a nation (the east side), but on the other side (the west side) the nation with its own land becomes a reality. The crossing through the waters represents a new beginning.

This is the same really with the baptism of John in the New Testament in the Jordan River. The Jordan is the ancient boundary between the wilderness and the Promised Land. Although there are no  comments about directions, it would seem that the people seeking to be baptized would be on the west side of the Jordan coming from Jerusalem/Judea. They most likely were taken by John to the midst of the river (going east) and then after being baptized would be taken back to the western shore (traveling west). This was a baptism for repentance and the forgiveness of sin which was unheard of since the only recognized place for this was the temple in Jerusalem. The significance of John's baptism seems to be that on the eastern side of the river is the wilderness. On the western side is the Promised Land. John's baptism, in part, probably signified that the people were still in 'the wilderness' and had not really entered into the Promised Land of God's blessings because of their sin. Through baptism and repentance they cross the boundary and become the true nation of God. Passing 'through the waters' again signifies a new beginning.

Romans 6  teaches a new beginning as well. Although not specifically mentioning water baptism it is clear that being 'baptized into union with Christ' means being buried with him and raised with him to new life. There is a very subtle Exodus theme that runs through Romans 6-8 such as traveling through the wilderness, being led by the Spirit, coming to the mountain, and so on. Surely a Hebrew reader/hearer would hear in the background the Exodus story and passing through the waters. What is certain is that dying with Christ and being resurrected with him means a new beginning which baptism by immersion clearly, to my mind, signifies.

 Baptism by immersion is a symbolic picture of a new beginning with its identification of 'passing through the waters'. It pictures leaving an old life and starting a new one. This is not the complete picture of what Baptism means as there is the commitment and discipleship side, but this still means a new beginning

So, how does affect baptism today? Whether it is a large group or small, what is being signified by the one being baptized is that of a new beginning, How does this relate to infant baptism? It seems  impossible, to me that an infant  would or can conceive of baptism's purpose of testifying to a new beginning. Infant baptism seems to be identified with circumcision in the Old Testament, but that was not a new beginning. It was rather a recognition that the child was in the covenant community of the Hebrew nation. I went through confirmation when I was twelve, but there was never any mention or thought about my infant baptism being a new beginning. Infant baptism seemed to be more for the parents than the child, Baptism needs to be a part of the Church as Jesus commanded and what should be stressed in its performance is that of a new beginning which is the new life in Christ.