Reformation Anglicanism by Rev. Chuck Collins

Author:Rev. Chuck Collins
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Anglican House Publishers
Published: 2014-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

The Sacrament of New Birth

If someone from another planet were to visit an Anglican Church and observe infant baptism or a communion service, his journal entry might read:

“How odd! Some kind of sadistic washing: parents smile dotingly while their baby suffers under cold water. And what looks like bread and wine is eaten, sometimes with tearful appreciation, by people who apparently think this is someone’s body and blood! Strange people, these Anglicans!”

Strange as it must sound to some, Anglicans believe that God reveals himself in the Sacraments of the Church. The word “sacrament” comes from the Latin word meaning “pledge.” These are more than mere symbols, they come with God’s pledge, his promise, to deliver what they symbolize. They deliver the free and life-changing love of God (they are “effectual signs of Grace . . . towards us” Article XXV). God works in many different ways in the world, but one way that comes with a promise is the sacraments. Theologian Donald Bloesch says,

“Sacraments announce that Jesus is present; faith receives and acclaims this presence; faith working through love demonstrates and manifests this presence to the world.” xl

We give the name “sacrament” primarily to Baptism and to Holy Communion, “the two sacraments ordained by Christ, which are generally for our salvation” (To Be A Christian, An Anglican Catechism, Q&A 104). These hold preeminence over other sacramental rites because Jesus Christ personally commanded their observance (“go therefore and make disciples, baptizing . . .” (Matthew 28), and “do this [Holy Communion] in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11).

WHAT DOES BAPTISM DO?

Baptism is called the “sacrament of new birth.” Since sacraments announce Jesus’ presence, does this mean that becoming a Christian is the same thing as being baptized? Or does spiritual birth happen before, after, or quite apart from baptism? The experience of new birth, as it is described in the Bible, has two sides: God’s gift and the receiving of the gift – what God does and what we do. Baptism is God acting towards us, not us towards him.xli For the grace extended to us in baptism to cause in us what God intends, it must be received by faith. Believing God and entering the new life sometimes begins before and sometimes after baptism. Faith is not something we do to earn God’s love; it is simply surrendering to his love for us, and trusting him for salvation based what Jesus has accomplished for us on the cross (cf. John 1:12; Romans 10:9,13). Theologian and evangelist Michael Green says,

“Baptism is the pledge of God’s new life. But it is like a seed: it only germinates when it encounters the water of repentance and sunshine of faith … Baptism puts you into Christ, if you let yourself be put.”xlii

For example, someone could give you a wrapped present, but unless you open it and discover the gift inside you don’t have a clue what its value is or have any appreciation of its significance. It’s a ridiculously sad thought, but someone could conceivably go through their whole life with the gift in their hands and never open it.

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