If the sacraments rightly administered are a mark of the true church, then they clearly are a central part of our experience of worship. Perhaps the worst aspect of the baptism of infants is that the baby so grabs our attention that we do not always permit ourselves to look beyond the event to what is signified.
If the downside of the baptism of infants is that the infant does not know what s/he is doing, the downside of the baptism of believers is that they think they do know what they are doing. Baptism, whether of infant or adult, is a membering of an individual into the Body of Christ.
In ways far beyond our explaining, we experience again the power of God’s love to save us to community. In a society that constantly separates us one from another, we need the continuing experience that reminds us that we belong and are not alone. Further, we need to be reminded that such a reality was not of our choosing. “You did not choose me, but I chose you.” (John 15:16)
We belong and we belong for a purpose. Our baptism is a sign of our calling, our commissioning for ministry. Henceforth we should expect to be addressed by Christ and to use our several gifts for the upbuilding of the Body of Christ. We are no longer our own person.
