Confession and Baptism

Carol Bates, a woman who's visited our church for the last several months and studied on Tuesday afternoons with yours truly, was baptized tonight. After the pre-baptism instruction, a few nervous jokes, one powerful confession, the actual baptism, a few prayers from friends a reading from the New Testament, Carol looked at me and said, "You asked me if I believed that Jesus was the son of God."

Yes, I remembered asking her this question as it happened approximately 90 seconds previously.

A pause ensued. I didn't know what would come next. After all, Carol and I had discussed many elements of faith (suffering, incarnation, hope, Israel) in our Tuesday study time. Was she regretting her decision already? Was she unsure?

She calmed my ill-founded fears in the next breath.

"Well . . . it's taken me my whole life to be able to answer that question. Seriously. My whole life. My answer is yes. Josh, my answer is yes."

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Last Sunday, Andrew, a young adult from our church, was also baptized. He read a powerful statement of faith to the entire gathered community. He was a little nervous being under the watchful eye of so many. Plus, his entire family was present. But he spoke powerfully of the necessity to make this public declaration.

After his baptism he squeezed me so hard I thought all the blood in my body was going to push up to my head. Lukcily, I survived with all my motor skills in proper working fashion.

I think baptism is the greatest confession. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I mean, letting someone hold you under water in front of a room full of people. Now, that's faith.