Unpacking Sunday's Sermon: God's gifts

People occassionaly share stories with me about their baptism or another person's baptism. Sometimes I ask, in jest, "So did it take?" or "Did it work?". It's my way of asking whether or not the person the person is intentionally following Christ. 

It also raises some important questions about baptism:

• Does baptising a child (or adult) guarantee their salvation?
• Do you need need to be baptised to be 'saved'?

My understanding of our tradition is that the answer to the first question is "no". Baptism is a sign/symbol of God's love for for us. And God's grace is indeed active in the sacrament. But having a pastor sprinkle you with water and in the name of the Trinity is not what saves us. It is God's call in a person's life that makes salvation effective.

God calls us and by the Holy Spirit enables us to respond to the grace God offers us in Jesus Christ. Paul puts it eloquently: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30)

This brings us to the second question: do you need to be baptised to be 'saved'? My understanding of our tradition is that the answer to the second question is also "no".

Once again it is God's call that is effectual for saving grace. Being baptised is an important step for any follower, as it is a command of Jesus that invites obedience. But it is not the sprinkling of water that makes salvation effective, though this is an important sign of the work God is accomplishing. What makes salvation effective is the call and the response that God makes possible in our lives.

But since God has chosen to work in and through our lives and in and through the church this raises other questions about how God's people participate with God in God's call in other peoples' lives. How might our good parenting and faithful living both individually and collectively partner with God is this work? This is something worth considering...