Sixth Sunday after Trinity, 2003
Romans 6:3-4; John 3:5; Titus 3:5

After Christ's resurrection, as Baptism replaced circumcision, oddities arose. A couple times in history certain groups started baptizing with milk instead of water. The Church quickly condemned this eccentricity. What about the administration of Baptism acted out on the stage? Or baptism performed in jest? Have you ever seen kids in a swimming pool play-baptizing one another by dunking? That happened one time when St. Athanasius was a boy. Athanasius dunked his friends in the name of the Trinity as a joke. However, the Bishop of Alexandria happened to be watching and declared the baptisms valid. Every once in a while a scriptwriter may include a baptism scene in his play. The actors then have to perform the baptism on stage. Is such a baptism valid? Eventually, the Church decided that baptismal rites enacted on the stage, or as a game, or in mockery, are totally null and void.

What about the person who decides to baptize himself? An early legend mentioned precisely that. During a persecution, a woman named Thecla was thrown into the arena to be killed. She had not yet been baptized. As the beasts surrounded her she jumped into a pool of water and baptized herself. Later on, the question was considered, and Baptism administered to oneself was regarded as invalid.

These questions were simple to decide. Other questions about Baptism have not been so easy. What is the relation of baptism to regeneration? Or baptism to conversion, or even baptism to election? How do we explain baptized people who fall away from the faith and apostatize? It is important for a Christian to be clear on these issues. Our purpose today is to try to solve some of the riddles concerning Baptism.

Reading now the verses from our epistle lesson, Romans 6:3-6. [Read them.] Dying and rising with Christ. This is one of the primary images of Baptism in the Bible. There are two others: The image of washing is a major metaphor (Titus 3:5); and the image of rebirth in the womb is another (John 3:5). By combining these images we get a pretty complete picture of Baptism. The Romans six passage emphasizes our union with the humanity of Christ. In Baptism we become members of Christ's body, and the union between Christ and the Church is so intimate that each believer partakes of the death and burial and resurrection of the Lord. Through Baptism we are mystically and spiritually bound to Christ in such a way that it would be ridiculous for us to continue in sin. Serious and ongoing sin disintegrates the union with Christ. A moral transformation must follow our Baptism. To remain in sin after Baptism would ruin the reality of union with Christ.

Another image of Baptism is found in John 3:5. Jesus answered Nicodemus, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." Those opposed to a sacramental theology try to deny that this verse refers to Baptism. They say that being born of water means one's first, physical birth. A baby in the womb sort of floats in a sack of water, and this water breaks when the mother's labor begins. Being born of water must mean natural birth, they assert. There are several problems with this view. The early fathers were virtually unanimous that being born of water was baptism, and most modern commentators agree. If John were referring to the woman's water in natural birth and not Baptism, this would be the only such reference in the whole Bible. Furthermore, John uses "born again" and "born of water and the Spirit" as synonymous. Both water baptism and the work of the Holy Spirit are part of the Second birth. [Many of the insights from this message come from Dr. Curtis Crenshaw's excellent paper, "Titus 3:5." It can be found on "At Stake Online." Read it for these details and many more.] Thus, the Holy Spirit normally comes upon us at our Baptism. The baptism in the Spirit is only mentioned 7 times in the New Testament and always connected with water (Mt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5; 2:38; 11:16; 1 Cor. 12:13).

Once we accept the place of ordinary water in Baptism we are not saying that water itself brings about regeneration, but rather, God does it through the sacrament. The Lord Himself is the true Baptizer, and He does the regenerating through the water of Baptism rightly administered. To reject physical means for accomplishing spiritual purposes is a Gnostic notion. Physical sacraments do indeed accomplish spiritual good. As Reformed Episcopal professor Dr. Curtis Crenshaw has written, to deny the material aspect of the sacraments is "to deny the incarnation. Jesus was God incarnate, God with a body, and the greatest good was spiritually accomplished with His physical body as the God-man died on the Cross for our sins. [In the incarnation of Christ] physical and spiritual came together par excellence."

Consequently, when Jesus stated, that "unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" He was probably speaking of the sacrament of Baptism. That sacrament implies the inward working of the Spirit. Through baptism the Holy Spirit enters to affect some kind of influence upon the person baptized.

The other major image of Baptism is washing. This we see in Titus 3:5. St. Paul declares to fellow-believers, "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." Again, people of an anti-sacramental persuasion refuse to accept that this verse refers to Baptism. They prefer a metaphorical understanding of the phrase, "washing of regeneration." How do we answer those who erase Baptism from Titus 3:5? First, they should know that they collide with the ancient fathers who were almost unanimous that the washing of regeneration meant baptism. Second, the word "washing" in Greek is "loutron"; loutron means a "bath or washing of baptism." One more piece of evidence: the word loutron is only used one other time in the New Testament. Ephesians 5:26 speaks about Christ's love for the Church. And St. Paul teaches that Jesus gave His life for her in order, "that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing [loutron] of water by the word." Right here, the only other time that word loutron, washing, is used in the New Testament, it is linked to water and it refers to Baptism.

Now that we have determined that the washing of Titus 3:5 definitely refers to Baptism, we can consider the phrase "washing of regeneration." What does it mean? It seems that Baptism effects regeneration; Baptism results in the regeneration of the person baptized. The washing of regeneration is Baptism. It is done only once in one's life. It places us in union with Christ and incorporates us into the Church. We are transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, from the power of Satan into the Church of God. As baptized we are in the covenant, receiving a special standing with God, covenantal life. We are now ready to partake of all the blessings Christ grants the Church. Baptism is the beginning. This is regeneration in the sacramental sense. How about the next phrase, "the renewing of the Holy Spirit"? St. Paul teaches, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." "The renewing of the Holy Spirit" has to do with the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in us. If regeneration is the initiation of our living union with God, then renewal is the continued progress in that grand enterprise, what St. Paul called, "being transformed from glory to glory" (2 Cor. 3:18).

Several passages of the Bible speak of believers falling out of this relationship with Christ. Falling out of the covenant relationship with the Lord is called apostasy. Scripture often warns us of the danger of apostasy, of rejecting the faith, and turning our backs on the Lord. In 1 Corinthians 10 St. Paul gives us the example of the Israelites who left Egypt. Reading 1 Corinthians 10:1-4. [Read them.]

We see here that the Israelites of old enjoyed the sacraments: They were baptized into Moses and ate spiritual food and spiritual drink, and it was Christ who fed them in these sacraments. Yet, they fell from their faith. "With most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness" (v. 5). Just as frightening are the texts from the book of Hebrews. Hebrews 6:4 says, "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, [this appears to refer to the Holy Communion] and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, [this phrase seems to refer to Baptism] and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame."

This is a clear-cut case of apostasy. Certain people were in the covenant. They had been regenerated in baptism and renewed by the Holy Spirit in the sense that we have already mentioned in Titus 3:5, yet they fell away. They ended up "rejected cursed and burned" (v. 8). Hebrews 10:26-39 reinforces this horrible possibility. Apostasy is not merely hypothetical but a real risk for every baptized person.

Does this mean that one can lose his salvation? It depends. In one way yes, and in another way no. The book of 1 John has several passages that promise security for believers. It seems that John, out of pastoral concern, wants us to be sure of our salvation. 1 John 3:9 states, "Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for his seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God." 1 John 5:18 promises this: "We know that whoever is born of God does not practice sin; but [Jesus] who has been [the only-begotten] born of God keeps [him], and the wicked one does not touch him." In his Gospel, St. John wrote, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:27-28). Out of his pastoral love for weak and insecure believers, and inspired by the Holy Spirit, St. John adds another word of comfort in 1 John 5:13, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life" The Bible does teach a doctrine of assurance of salvation.

Yet, how do we harmonize these verses that strengthen us in the assurance of our salvation with those verses that warn us of apostasy, and the hazard of falling from regeneration? And while we're at it, how does Baptism relate to conversion and election? Dr. Crenshaw sums up nicely the Anglican position. He says, "Historically, the Church has used the word "regeneration" in two different ways: first, as referring to baptism and our incorporation into the Church; second, regeneration is used to speak of the grace that grants true conversion." In other words, sometimes regeneration is the same thing as born again conversion that cannot be lost, at other times regeneration is covenantal and sacramental and can be lost.

Baptism does have an objective part to it. As Titus 3:5 teaches, Baptism results in regeneration, and it works in one's heart a certain degree of renewal by the Holy Spirit. Moreover, through baptism one is adopted into the family of God, brought into a covenantal relationship with the Lord, and incorporated into the Church. However, it is possible to become a covenant breaker and lose the covenant privileges, including forgiveness of sins and the working of the Spirit of God in one's life. Hence, regeneration in the covenantal baptismal sense can be lost.

On the other hand, regeneration understood in the sense of being born again and converted is a different matter. If one is truly "born again" and truly "converted" he will repent because he is elect and cannot finally fall away. This is the point that St. John is making. However, at times of apostasy, one does not know his status. Don't expect to have assurance of salvation as you go sneaking down the road to serious sin and apostasy.

So Baptism grants us regeneration in the sacramental sense. Covenant blessings are attached, along with adoption into God's family, and the renewing activity of the Holy Spirit. By God's grace this regeneration in the sacramental sense will become regeneration in the born again sense. The Anglican Book of Common Prayer reflects this idea. When we use the baptismal liturgy for an infant, we say these words: "We yield thee hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this child with thy Holy Spirit, to receive him for thine own child, and to incorporate him into thy holy Church. And we humbly beseech thee to grant, that he, being dead unto sin, may live unto righteousness, and being buried with Christ in his death, may also be partaker of his resurrection; so that finally, with the residue of they holy Church, he may be an inheritor of thine everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

We see that "regeneration" is connected with adoption as a child of God, and incorporation into His holy Church. That much is stated as fact. Furthermore, it is asked that the one baptized "may be partaker of his resurrection and inherit eternal life." This is potential language, as another Reformed Episcopal professor [the Rev. Dr. Daniel Dunlap] has stated. We pray that the one baptized may be an inheritor of Heaven. Again it is potential language. It may or may not happen. The Bible and the Prayer Book indicate that it is possible that the one baptized may not inherit such. Everyone who is rightly baptized is incorporated into His Church and receives the grace of adoption, has the working of the Spirit in his life, enjoys the forgiveness of sins, and is formally under the new covenant. Whether that working is also the "born again/conversion," electing grace on an individual basis, is assumed, but in fact may later prove, if the person apostatizes, not to be the case. A surface faith may appear and then vanish. True faith may bloom, or it may never appear. These things rest with the mystery of God and His sovereign grace. There is mystery here as we do not know how far the inward working of the Spirit can go without actual "born again/conversion." As we have seen, several Bible passages indicate that there can be considerable spiritual working and one can still fall away.

Hence, we best not presume our election for we can never be so confident of our election that we stop using the means of grace. Consider King David. After he committed adultery, he pleaded to the Lord in prayer, "do not take Your Holy Spirit from me" (Psalm 51:11). He knew that apostasy is real. If David had apostatized, he would have been covenantally a regenerated sinner (by circumcision) who lost that regeneration, lost his relationship with God, and fell away from the faith. However, he would not have lost his condition of being born again/conversion, for he never would have had it.

One more point. Let's never entertain this notion that one is born again and truly converted apart from Baptism and the Church. Once we accept this concept we end up in pure subjectivity. The Church becomes irrelevant. A radical individualism drives such anti-Church, anti-sacramental thinking. In this scheme of things, each individual is born again because he says so, not because Christ through His Church says so. There can be no Church discipline over such autonomous persons, for they began without the Church and can continue quite well without it. Scripture teaches us that one is not to be considered "born again/or truly converted" apart from the Church's Baptism. In reality, one is not a Christian only because he says he is but because the Church says he is. In certain revivalist traditions, the "born again/conversion" experience has been so overly emphasized that Baptism and the Church have nearly faded into oblivion. In revivalism, grace is by word only, not word and sacrament. This is a destructive imbalance. Rather, the sacraments teach us that salvation is by being united to Christ, and that happens only by being baptized into His body, His Church. Let us hold to the sound doctrine of Scripture and tradition. It is only in union with Christ and His Church that we are Christians, not as individuals.

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