Lessons in the Small Catechism of Dr. Martin Luther For the Senior Department of Lutheran Sunday-Schools and for General Use · George Mezger
LESSON 48.
Holy Baptism. What Baptism Is. What is Baptism? _Baptism is not simple water only, but it is the water comprehended in God's command and connected with God's word._ Which is that word of God? _Christ, our Lord, says in the last chapter of Matthew: Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost._ 1. After having explained the Lord's Prayer, our Catechism tells us about _Holy Baptism._ You all, most probably, have seen children baptized, and some of you, perhaps, also adults. You yourselves were baptized in your infancy in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. You, therefore, should learn what Baptism is, and what it gives and profits. Let us hear what our Catechism has to say about this sacred act. In the first place, it explains _what Baptism is._ 2. _"Baptism is not simple water only."_ In baptism there is indeed _water._ The person to be baptized is sprinkled with water, with simple, common, natural water. We must use water in baptism and nothing else. _Water is the external means_ which God Himself has instituted for baptism. But Baptism is not only water, it is more; _"it is the water comprehended in God's command and connected with God's word."_ In baptism there is both God's command and God's word.
3. Baptism is the water comprehended in God's command, that is, _we use the water in baptism because God has commanded it._ Without this command of God Baptism would be water only. Before our Lord ascended into heaven, He gave His disciples this command: _"Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost."_ Holy Baptism, therefore, is an act instituted and ordained by God. For that reason we call it a _sacred act._ Christ gave this command to His _disciples, to His Church, to all Christians._ The called ministers of Christ, our pastors, ordinarily administer baptism; but in cases of necessity every Christian can and should perform it. Christ commands us to _baptize;_ that means He commands us to _apply_ the water _by washing or sprinkling the person to be baptized with water, or by immersing him into the water._
4. _Baptism is the water connected with God's word._ The word which Christ has commanded us to use in baptism is this: _"In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost."_ This word must always be connected with the water to make it a Baptism. _"Without the word of God the water is simple water, and no baptism. But with the word it is a baptism, that is, a gracious water of life."--We are baptized in the name of the Triune God._ What does this mean? God's name is God Himself, as we have learned in the Second Commandment. We are baptized in God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. By baptism we are _received into communion with the Triune God._ He gives Himself to us _as our Father_ and accepts us _as His children,_ He bestows upon us all His blessings, all that He has done for us to save us. _With_ the word of God baptism is indeed a gracious water of life. 5. Our Lord commands us to baptize _all nations,_ that is, _all human beings,_ old and young, men and women. _"Preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."_ Mark 16,15.16. Baptism is necessary to salvation; consequently God wants all who believe in Him to be baptized. But a _certain distinction_ should be made. Those who are old enough to be instructed we baptize after they have been _previously_ taught the main doctrine of the Word of God, _confess their faith_ in Jesus Christ, and _desire to be baptized_ and thus become Christians.
6. _Little children_ are baptized by us soon after their birth, before they are able to learn the Word of God. We teach them after their baptism in our homes and schools and churches. We baptize our little children because in the word _nations_ the children, too, are included. We baptize them because our Lord says: _"Suffer the little children to come unto Me and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God."_ Mark 10,14. Christ bids us bring our little children to Him that He may bless them. We can do this only by means of Holy Baptism. Without baptism they are under God's wrath, and their sins are not forgiven. By baptism the Holy Ghost Himself brings them to Christ and kindles in them the true faith in Him. God becomes their Father, and they are made His children. 1. _Holy Baptism is a sacred act instituted by God. God Himself has commanded us to baptize, that is, to apply water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. It is the water comprehended in God's command._ 2. _Baptism is the water connected with God's word. In baptism the water must be applied with these words: "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." By baptism we are received into communion with the Triune God. He becomes our Father, and we are made His children._ _Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost._ Matt. 28,19. _Preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved._ Mark 16,15.16. _Suffer the little children to come unto Me and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God._ Mark 10,14.
Ideas discussed in this chapter
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