Notes on Baptism

Here's a portion of a conversation on the topic of baptism. This is my response to the question of "how can I be sure I'm getting it right?"

The challenge with baptism (and communion) is that, in terms of Biblical Christianity, we can't think of these things as just "ritual." They must be more than that, more personal, more spiritual, more significant, than mere works-based ritual (whether one was for or against such things in the first place). I say that because God so clearly speaks against the empty ritual of the pagans and even that of his own people ("I desire mercy rather than sacrifice").

By calling baptism an "act of obedience," which we Christians often do, we make the unhelpful insinuation that God has a meaningless but at some point necessary hoop for us to jump through. Why would God have this extra, superfluous errand for us to run? Isn't that more empty ritual that Christ criticized the Pharisees for?

Personally, I can only reconcile the teachings of the Bible about baptism and about grace by making baptism a part of faith and not a separate action. We are saved by grace through faith, so when we respond to grace (in prayer, repentance, Christian baptism, etc.) that must be, collectively, what we call faith.

So baptism must have a very real and important significance but not as a work to earn God's favor and certainly not as an empty ritual devoid of real meaning. That should match both the significance it is given in scripture and the doctrine of grace.