What is Baptism?

In the Small Catechism, Martin Luther asks: What is Baptism? Answer: Baptism is not simple water only, but it is the water included in God’s command and connected with God’s Word.

On September 16, we rejoiced as Thomas Wagner III was baptized as an adult with water and the Word. What made it a bit different was that he was not baptized at Epiphany’s baptismal font, but in the Allen’s backyard pool. It was not done by sprinkling or pouring, but by immersion.

From the beginning of the Christian Church, infants and adults were baptized with water and the Word. It doesn’t matter how that water is applied. The Greek Word “baptizo” simply means “to apply water.” “And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing (“baptizing”) of cups, pitchers and kettles” (Mark 7:4).

Sometimes that water may be applied by sprinkling water to scrub a large kettle or pouring water to wash out a pitcher. A cup could also be washed by immersing it completely under the water.

It doesn’t matter how the water is applied. What matters is if God’s Word is attached. “Make disciples by baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

Generally, Lutherans baptize by sprinkling from the pastor’s hand or pouring with a shell over the person’s head. This is done as a statement of faith against all those Christians who demand that a valid Baptism is one performed only via immersion.

However, this does not mean that Lutherans are opposed to immersion Baptism. Early Christians baptized by sprinkling or pouring, but also by immersion. European Christians in the Middle Ages often had larger baptismal fonts so they immersed babies at their Baptism. In fact, Martin Luther was immersed as an infant.

There isn’t much of a historical record of baptizing adults in Europe by immersion, though, because of the strong emphasis on baptizing infants shortly after birth.

So, why did Thomas request immersion Baptism? He said to me, “I like the symbolism of immersion.” Great answer! If he had said, “Because I think it’s the only valid form of Baptism, we would have done more teaching. But the symbolism of completely drowning his sinful nature under his Baptismal waters is scriptural: “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4).

Whether I have sprinkled a few drops of sterilized water over a newborn infant in an incubator or I have poured water over an older child at Epiphany’s font or immersed an adult in a backyard pool, it is not the water or the mode of applying that water that’s important. But it is the Word of God, which is in and with the water, that gives Baptism its power to save. “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).

It may have been a little “uncommon” for an Epiphany Lutheran immersion. However, it is “commonly” Christian, to do so.

Baptized into Christ, like you,

Pastor Michael Zarling