More than a Feeling, Part 1

(Pastor Pat and Ezra, and Kevin)

On Easter Sunday, we had Ezra baptized. We picked Easter because it is the traditional day of the Church (early church) receiving new members in to the community. The phenomena of membership as we know it today (walking down the aisle or coming forward to be received on any given Sunday) is actually quite new and quite American. Anyone who wanted to join the early church had to first go through instruction (catechism) about what it means to be a follower of Christ, and then if they still believed, they were baptized and confirmed as members.

As far as anyone can tell, infant baptism has always been practiced by the church. Many believe the New Testament only shows believers' baptism by immersion, but these are just baptism's most explicit references.

For instance, when Peter goes to Cornelius' house after his vision of food in Acts 10, we are told that Cornelius' entire household was baptized. I think it is reasonable to assume that there might have been small children or infants in the house who were also baptized. There are other implicit examples as well, just pay attention as you read.

In the early church, baptism was not just about making a profession of faith, but it was about being initiated in to the community of faith. It was about being identified as belonging to those who believe. As my sons, Isaiah and Ezra are part of the community of faith because I am part of the community of faith. Eventually, they will have to make that decision on their own, and I hope that when that day comes they will confirm their place in the community. But until then, they have been baptized as a way to signify the grace that God is already extended to them...even though they don't understand it yet.