In Bible times Baptism was viewed differently than it is today. First, it was viewed as an eschatological act. Second, it was seen as a political act. In the next few posts, we will look at these two dimensions of baptism.
Baptism as an Eschatological Event
In the NT baptism is associated with the kingdom of God
before it is associated with the church. John the Baptist is the first to declare,
“Repent and be baptized for the kingdom of God is at hand.” Nothing could be
more eschatological that this command.
Jesus himself submits to John’s baptism, at which time God anoints Jesus
as king and inaugurates or launches his kingdom agenda. When Jesus’ first post
Easter followers repent and submit to baptism, they not only acknowledge him as
“savior,” but as exalted king of the universe to whom they pledge their loyalty
even to the point of death.
In baptism the new believer participates in a graphic
representation of the resurrection which will occur at the end of the age when
all God’s enemies are destroyed, his faithful people are raised from the dead
and his ultimate kingdom arrives on earth. Lutheran theologian and Professor of
NT, Ernst Käsemann identifies baptism as “the seal of membership in the
eschatological people of God”
The Apostle Peter likens baptism to the flood of Noah’s day
“eight souls, were saved through water” (1 Peter 3:20). He adds: “There is also
an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh,
but the answer [pledge] of a good conscience toward God), through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand
of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him” (vv.
21-22).
Three things make Peter’s reference to the flood important
for our discussion. First, Noah and his family “were saved” (v 20).This speaks
of being delivered from an evil world which God is destroying and coming under
the rule of God in a renewed world.
Second, in like fashion, believers are delivered by
“baptism” which Peter calls “an antitype” (v 21a) to the flood. Saved from
what? In this context from the “authorities and powers” who rule the present
evil world. What saves us? It is not the liquid H2O, per se; rather, we are
delivered “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ [Messiah], who has gone
into heaven and sits at the right hand of God” (v 22). The one executed by Rome
has emerged from the tomb victorious over his enemies and has received his
lawful seat of authority. In baptism we re-enact that event and claim it as our
own. At the end of the age we too will be raised to reign with Jesus.
Third, this passage is important because Peter tells us that
baptism is “not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good
conscience toward God” (v 21b). The word “answer,” translated from the Greek
word eperōtēma, comes from the business community of first-century Rome. It
referred to a verbal promise at the end of a contract. It was in essence a
pledge to fulfill the agreement and was legally binding. The same word was used to describe the oath
unto death a Roman soldier took when he entered Caesar’s service. The early
church borrowed eperōtēma and applied it to baptism. Thus the text: “Baptism .
. . is the pledge . . . toward God.” So often we think of baptism as a
profession of faith toward others. But Peter says that by baptism the candidate
pledges his or her loyalty to King Jesus and his kingdom.
New Testament scholar, Günter Bornkamm says in baptism the
candidate portrays graphically “the turning away from the old godless past and
the turning towards God and his coming reign.”
Oscar Brooks calls it, “the drama of decision.” As such, baptism is the decisive act of
repentance and faith.
Peter adds that this pledge is offered in “good conscience”
without coercion or mental reserve. In baptism we pledge to live and die for
Christ, knowing that whatever the cost, we will be raised at the eschaton to
reign with Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment