Baptism: part 11. Ten Big Truths

We end our study on baptism with an overview: Ten Big Truths about what Scripture says about baptism.

A single pane of blue glass is all that's left of a stained glass window in an abandoned ruined chapel at the cemetery in Oradea.

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1. It's not about getting wet.

2. It's about starting, not arriving.

Baptism places us at the start, not at the end. When John called the people to the wilderness, the announcement was about the Kingdom but the baptism was about the way. Preparing the way of the Lord was preparing the way to his Kingdom, not ushering people in.

3. Baptism is God's spotlight on one part of his path.

4. Baptism is God moving his people from where they are to where he wants them.

5. The path separates on it from those not on it.

This is a natural consequence of point 3. If

6. The path of God does not go through where we are.

This is another natural consequence of point 3. The path of God does not change course to include us just because we are a Christian. Baptism has no meaning if we are already where God wants us to be.

7. It always goes through the valley of the shadow of death.

The path is never easy. On purpose. It is a winnowing, and that winnowing can happen more than once.

8. The path goes to where God says it goes and takes as long as he says it does.

40 days or 40 years is the same thing to God as 4000 years.

40 years in the wilderness, 40 years from Pentecost to the destruction of the Temple.

9. The baptism into Moses was not a primitive form of baptism: it was the baptism.

Paul says that at the Red Sea and in the wilderness the Holy Spirit and the Son were with the Israelites in visible, physical form. We celebrate Pentecost

10. Baptism says this is where I am; this is where you start.

Every baptism has been a public declaration from God, "This is where I am". With John it was in the wilderness, not the city. With Moses it was in the wilderness, not Egypt. At Pentecost it was in that room, not anywhere else (especially not the Temple, nor in the house of the high priest, nor anywhere else in Jerusalem).

On the cross it was exactly right there and nowhere else. The death of Christ was, above all else, the deafening declaration that this is where God is: to those who would hear. It was not the plan of God out of control: it was the plan of God at its zenith: at its best.

The baptism of Cornelius was the promise of God that this is where he is. No one has to guess if it is right or wrong. The answer is yes: This is where I am; this is where you start.

The baptism of the Hold Spirit at every step of the way as the work of God enlarged into new areas was the statement of God that yes: this is where I am, and this is where you start.

The start is always the head of the path of the next length the people of God are to go. It is never the end; it is always the beginning. It is never the last time; it is only this time. It is always a new start; all other starts to the prior path are obsolete.

The declaration "This is where I am; this is where you start" means everything. It means the people of God must continue on from this point. It means that whatever starting point was given to you last time is no longer the starting point: it is now the point where God isn't. It means that not continuing from this new starting point means you are soon not where God is. It means staying at an old starting point when God has given a new one means you are now no longer on the path.

The baptism of Moses did not mean the baptism of John was not needed. The baptism of John did not mean the baptism into Christ was not needed. The baptism at each point in the expansion of the work of God into a new territory meant that was the newest baptism. No one is ever allowed to plant a flag and say "this is where I stand". God has the flag, and it is never planted.

Baptism is the statement from God that this is where he is and everyone who wants to be with him must come this far, to start at the beginning of the next path he has laid out for his people. It is never the end, it is never the only one, it is never the last one.