Expert: Martin W. Eldred - 5/19/2009

Question
QUESTION: If in baptism we are dead and buried with Lord Jesus, does this not mean that baptism should be done by submersion only?
When Paul says repent and be baptised, he says repent first and then be baptised but an infant cannot repent because he does not now wat it means.

ANSWER: Arjan:
Thank you for your question.  You raise and excellent point--it is said that Luther himself favored immersion as a better symbol of the Romans 6 passage to which you allude.  The fact that Lutherans generally stayed with "sprinkling" was do more to cultural and geographical reasons (northern Europeans in the Reformation era avoided bathing and water in general--they believed you would die from a cold.)

In the final analysis, Lutherans hold that it is the water and the Word that make baptism effective.  The amount of water is inconsequential as long as the Word is attached to it--the promise of Jesus' salvation.  I do know some Lutheran churches who have larger fonts that allow for both kinds of baptisms as a way in integrate the symbolism of Romans 6.

Thanks and I hope that this is helpful.

Martin Eldred

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QUESTION: Martin
Why do Lutherans baptize in the name of the Father the Son and The Holy Ghost and not in the name of Jesus Christ?

ANSWER: Thank you for your question.

Basically, we follow Jesus' commandment at the end of the gospel of Matthew: "Go and make disciples...baptizing them in the name ofthe Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."

Lutherans and most other Christians simply follw this command as we baptize.

I hope that this helps.

Martin

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please
him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and
he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Does this mean that we should be diligently seeking to
please God?

Answer
Arjan:

Great question.  The way in which I read Hebrews 11 is that we are now called to live a life in the context of our faith in Jesus.  In that faith, we are pleasing to God and while we are called to live in such a way that pleases God, by grace our deeds are given to God through the work of Jesus.  He is the "filter" through which our sins are forgiven, or purged, and through him, as our High Priest (a theme of Hebrews) our offerings are acceptable to God.

Without faith, as verse 6 says, it is therefore not possible to truly please God.  Without faith, we are working only through our merits and our efforts and, since we are all sinners, those efforts are never quite enough (example: Cain, verse 5)  Abel is the prototype of the one who offers through faith.

The good news (gospel) is that the promise we have is this: through faith in Christ we have confidence that our offerings are acceptable to God.  Our lives in faith are one long offering to God. And since the sin offering as already been done and does not need to be repeated (Heb. 9:28) what we have left is a life of thanksgiving offerings for God grace and mercy.  That is how we can "run with endurance" the great race of life (Heb. 12:1-3) by fixing our eyes on Jesus and his work for us.

I hope that this is helpful.

Martin