Praying Before, During, and After Baptism
Lifting Up the Blessings of God in the Sign of the Covenant
Howdy!
I’ve enjoyed our time in the Westminster Directory for Public Worship. It has allowed us to think more deeply about our Reformed heritage and why we do particular things in the services on the Lord’s Day. God has richly blessed us with the ability to clearly lay out a theology for worship that constantly reminds us that it is God who determines how He is to be praised, for He alone is the object of praise. It can sometimes be hard to admit that to ourselves. We want to do things for God, come up with new, fresh, and exciting movements at the 11am hour that we think are helpful or even that God would be amazed at. However, can anyone name any particular place in the Bible where this was true? The Lord is always clear that He alone is the cause and purpose of worship. Probably the hardest thing for the created to do is to humble themselves before the Creator. We are the clay, He is the potter. We would be wise to take that into consideration whenever the subject of worship comes up. If we aren’t asking the right questions and seeking the right answers than it’s more than just idolatry we are guilty of.
In today’s section of the DPW we are going to be looking at the last part of the section on baptism by reading together the prayer that the pastor is to say after the baptism is done:
This done, he is to give thanks and pray, to this or the like purpose:
Acknowledging with all thankfulness, that the Lord is true and faithful in keeping covenant and mercy: That he is good and gracious, not only in that he numbereth us among his saints, but is pleased also to bestow upon our children this singular token and badge of his love in Christ: That, in his truth and special providence, he daily bringeth some into the bosom of his church, to be partakers of his inestimable benefits, purchased by the blood of his dear Son, for the continuance and increase of his church.
And praying, That the Lord would still continue, and daily confirm more and more this his unspeakable favour: That he would receive the infant now baptized, and solemnly entered into the household of faith, into his fatherly tuition and defence, and remember him with the favour that he sheweth to his people; that, if he shall be taken out of this life in his infancy, the Lord, who is rich in mercy, would be pleased to receive him up into glory; and if he live, and attain the years of discretion, that the Lord would so teach him by his word and Spirit, and make his baptism effectual to him, and so uphold him by his divine power and grace, that by faith he may prevail against the devil, the world, and the flesh, till in the end he obtain a full and final victory, and so be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
One of the key themes of our time in Rwanda this week has been covenant. As we’ve taught through the early parts of the Old Testament there are many opportunities to look at various times God makes promises to His people. He gives them a sign, seals it with His promise, and gives them the means to strengthen that bond. When we think about baptism we need to readmit to ourselves and reteach ourselves what exactly we are doing, and why we shouldn’t neglect it.
Part of the problem of living in the day and age that we do is that most of us have allowed the culture and “science” to demystify the spiritual. What that means is we do not take into account the reality of the spiritual world nor its power. So when we talk about stuff like the means of grace or Christ using the sacraments to built us up we do not really know how to process it. Our minds are caught up in the idea, whether we realize it or not, that everything is material. Water Baptism cannot do anything because it doesn’t take long for it to dry out. Yet, what we are doing in the observing of the New Testament version of circumcision is recognizing outwardly what God has already done inwardly, but even more than that there is something real about the event as it takes place in the act of Baptism. It really matters that the man doing the Baptism is lawfully ordained, uses the Trinitarian formula, and only uses water. If he does not then not only is baptism invalid, but it causes shame upon all the participants and angers God.
That is why as you read the prayer above there are pointed references to the continuing work of the Lord in applying the promises made at baptism day-after-day. When we went through the Larger Catechism last year we heard a WLC question that asked us to think about we can improve our baptism. One of the ways described in the WLC to do that is by praying that God would make more apparent the assurance of our belonging unto Him. The more we rest in our union with Christ the more we will deny ourselves and live unto Him. There is nothing greater for us to be comforted in than knowing in the depths of our hearts that Satan himself could never pull us away from the love of God, and our baptism goes a long way to confirm that. It is not a bare sign nor something we do because it is cute. It is an act of faith by the parents that they recognize that their child belongs to God, in body and soul, and through the prayers offered by the minister as he performs the baptism everyone present is granted opportunity to be renewed in the Spirit in the hope of the sign of the covenant of grace.
In closing, there is so much more we could say on this matter, but we needs to be moving on. I want you to take time this week to meditate on your baptism, what you understand by it, and it is given by the Holy One above for your good, and a sign forever between you and Him that no power created on this earth can ever take away from you. Be at rest in Him.
Another word:
Blessings in Christ,
Rev. Benjamin Glaser
Pastor, Bethany ARP Church