Remember your baptism

By Tyler Tankersley

The Protestant Reformer Martin Luther was famous for his bombastic declarations, strong opinions and acid wit. However, behind all of that dynamism, Luther also suffered from severe depression. There were days on end in which he could not muster the emotional strength to crawl out of bed. He was once asked what it was that gave him the strength to emerge from the fog. He replied, "I remember my baptism."

Baptism is one of those rituals that can cause a lot of disagreements among Christians. My theological roots come from the Anabaptists who were persecuted by the Swiss Reformer Huldrich Zwingli for believing in full-immersion, adult baptism. In a cruel irony, Zwingli often would order the Anabaptists to be killed by drowning.

Regardless of what we may believe about baptism, at the heart of the practice is the idea of identity. We all affirm that baptism is a way of symbolizing that one has entered into a new kind of life that is now defined by grace, discipleship, and servanthood. Remembering that was what helped Luther to crawl out of bed and to continue his work.

Sometimes people treat baptism flippantly. Some parents, who have no intention of making regular church attendance a rhythm in their family's life, want to see their baby baptized just for the nostalgia and Instagram-worthy moments. Some churches (especially us Baptists) can be guilty of treating our particular form of baptism as the only legitimate form of baptism, which can easily dilute into a form of communal arrogance.

A few years ago, I was in Yangon, Myanmar on a Sunday morning. I attended a large church that met in a massive pavilion with lots of fans to keep away the sweat and flies. The entire service was in Burmese, so I tried my best to keep up with the order of worship. I was trying my best to discern something on my Bulletin when I looked up to see over 100 people in various kinds of white robes lining up near the front of the Sanctuary.

I watched as each one lined up at the baptistry. They each took turns walking into the waters, descending beneath the surface, and resurfacing with sloppy, soaking smiles. A Burmese friend of mine who spoke English leaned over and whispered to me, "Some of these people are no longer welcome among their families because of what they are doing today." For these people, baptism was not an empty ritual; it was a holy act that demonstrated their willingness to follow Jesus Christ at all costs.

Martin Luther also said, "When you wash your face, remember your baptism." When you are taking your shower, remember your baptism. When you are making decisions, remember your baptism. In how you treat other people, remember your baptism. When you have days when you can't seem to muster the strength, remember your baptism.

Everyday take a moment to remember your baptism: remember both who you are and whose you are.