Baptism by Fire

Baptism by Fire

I baptize you with water…He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.[1]

John the Baptist plays an interesting, if abbreviated, role in the life and teachings of Jesus the Christ. Described as a relative of Jesus’ through their mothers, John’s biblical role seems to primarily be one of announcing the coming of the Messiah – the chosen one who was to come and save the Jewish people. John was considered a prophet so he probably said much more than is recorded, although Luke 3 records a discourse from John about sharing one’s abundance with those in need. Repent! and Prepare the way! are two of the messages that stand out from him. He claimed himself to be “the voice of one crying in the wilderness”[2] and had a number of followers, at least some of whom became followers of Jesus. He baptized people in the Jordan river, including Jesus. I doubt he would be a candidate for a Best Supporting Actor award since he exited the scene shortly after Jesus entered it, but he was clearly significant to Jesus’ ministry since his story is one of the few told in all four gospels. He confessed his role as secondary to that of Jesus. In words I omitted from the quote in the epigraph, John claims he is not even worthy to carry the sandals of Jesus. Regardless, he introduces important concepts in the epigraph: baptism, baptism with the Holy Spirit, and baptism with fire.

Baptism, usually with water, is largely a Christian practice representing the washing away of one’s sins, although its symbolism as a method of cleansing or purifying one’s inner and outer being is a common practice in many belief systems. Some see baptism as representing a death by drowning – a death to one’s old life so a new life can begin. Baptism is one of the sacraments of the Christian church, along with marriage, the Eucharist, and others. Baptism, at least in most Protestant churches, is a sign that we belong to God. Some churches, like the United Methodist Church, baptize from infancy on to demonstrate that everyone belongs to God from the moment life begins. Other churches, like the Disciples of Christ in which I was raised, wait until a person is (supposedly) old enough to make their own decision. I was 12 or 13 when I was baptized and do not remember it as a conscious decision so much as something other kids my age were doing. Many baptisms are done with just a few drops of water on one’s head. Others, like mine (and John the Baptists’), involved full-body immersion. I remember standing in the waist-deep baptismal pool and being asked if I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior (or something similar). I must’ve said I did because the pastor then covered my nose and mouth with a handkerchief and eased me backwards under the water before standing me back up. I remember thinking my baptism was kind of cool (and very wet), but I don’t remember it being transformational.

Interestingly, most churches will not baptize a person more than once, believing that once we have received the sacrament we always have it. That contrasts with the sacrament of the Eucharist, which is offered countless times. I only mention this because I sometimes wonder how baptism would feel to me today. Perhaps it would feel more transformational with decades of life behind instead of before me. Many churches offer remembrances of baptism in a ritual intended to remind us that our lives were once given to God, even if we remember nothing about it.

John’s baptism of Jesus was seemingly more dramatic than mine. In the telling of the baptism in the gospel of John (which was not written by or in the name of John the Baptist), John (the Baptist) says, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.”[3]In other accounts, “a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’”[4] Baptism is the event that kicks off Jesus’ ministry. It seems likely to me that Jesus did not grasp the depth of his divine nature until his baptism, meaning it was a transformational event for him. But what if our baptisms – yours, mine, everyone’s – also have that same voice saying, “This is my child, my beloved, in whom I am well pleased,” but we just don’t hear it? Or we ignore it because we don’t feel worthy? What if God speaks those same words of love to us through a parent or a grandparent or a mentor or a friend? What if God is trying to tell us how loved and special and chosen and divine we are through our baptisms, but it seems too good to believe? Baptism is a gift – one we should accept.

This is the 13^th in a series titled Crucifying Christianity, Resurrecting the Way.Life Notes are my explorations into mysteries that interest me. They are not objective truths but invitations for readers to explore, too. Engage with me or explore contemplative spiritual direction at ghildenbrand@outlook.com.

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[1] Matthew 3:11

[2] John 1:27

[3] John 1:32

[4] Matthew 3:17