Read the Large Catechism with me.
Ten-minute studies on short readings from the Large Catechism.
Let's do this.
Click on the link below and read the short assigned reading. Then, if you have time, check out what I have to say about it. If not, no problem. Just soak up the goodness of the LC.
Holy Baptism, Of Infant Baptism Part 2: Click here and read 58-73.
The basics:
- It is an incorrect conclusion to assume that whenever any one does not do what he ought, then the thing in itself shall be of no value. Therefore, even when one does not believe, the Baptism is not any less.
- Baptism should remain true no matter what. For God's ordinance and Word cannot be made variable or be altered by men.
- We must be watchful and well armed, and not allow ourselves to be turned away from the Word, in order that we may not regard Baptism as a mere empty sign, like so many do.
- Luther describes what Baptism signifies in this section, and why God ordained an external sign for this Sacrament by which we are first received into the Christian Church.
- We are sunk in and then drawn out of the water - signifying the putting to death of the old Adam and the resurrection of the new man.
- The old Adam must die and the new man be resurrected in us all our lives, so that a truly Christian life is nothing else than a daily baptism, once begun and ever to be continued. This must be practiced without ceasing, that we keep purging away whatever is of the old Adam, and the new man come forth.
- The longer the Christian lives, the more we are to become gentle, patient, meek, and ever withdraw more and more from unbelief, hatred, envy, and haughtiness.
My thoughts today:
My favorite Bible passage has always been Ephesians 4:20-24 -
"But that is not the way you learned Christ! - assuming that you have heard about Him and were taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."
I used to use this as a pep-talk to my sinful self:
"Kelly, get with the program, girl. Put off your old self. Put on your new self."
Due to many strange circumstances, I was not actually baptized until I was in college even though I had been a Christian my whole life. I didn't understand the importance of baptism, because a vast majority of American Christianity teaches that baptism is an outward expression of an inward confession (meaning something we do to show our lives are changed for Christ).
When I gave myself that little pep-talk, I was working to put on my righteousness and holiness, but after the waters covered me, it was Christ burying my old self and putting His own righteousness and holiness on me. We are dreadfully bad at killing our own sin; which is why Jesus had to come and make atonement for us in the first place. And it is in His death and by His Word that we are drowned and brought up from the waters. Baptism does something! It is not something we do. It is something God does for us.
So that the longer I live, the more gentle, patient, and meek I become; and the longer I live, the more and more I withdraw from unbelief, hatred, envy, and haughtiness. But certainly not on my account, but because of Christ and His daily baptism of my sinful flesh.
In the words of Luther, "A truly Christian life is nothing else than a daily baptism, once begun and ever to be continued."
