BAPTISM

When I visit people for baptism preparation I usually explain the symbolism as well as the theology of the act.

There are many different aspects of symbolism used at baptism.

Water:

Jesus died for us and rose again: We are baptised – immersed – into the death and the resurrection of Christ. Hence the symbolism of being submersed in the water and then being raised up out of it.

Jesus washes away our sin: Water symbolically washes away Sin in baptism, as water cleanses us in body then the Holy Spirit washes us clean in spirit.

Jesus is the water of life: Water also symbolises the fact that we need water in our everyday lives to refresh and sustain us, as well as cleanse us, as we need Jesus in our lives to revive and sustain us spiritually.

Water also has the symbolism of ‘Freedom’ – we remember that our faith in God has come out of the Jewish belief structure in which Moses was their great redeemer by bringing the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt into the freedom of the ‘Promised Land’. Moses did this paramountly by leading them through the waters of the ‘Red Sea’ hence the symbolic connection to freedom.

We are born through water and the spirit, and it symbolises the cleansing from sin and the journey into the freedom of the spirit.

In baptism we are washed clean from our sins.
‘Sin’ (with a capitol ‘S’) is the separation of our souls from God – ‘sins’ (with a small ‘s’) are the acts we do in this world which bring about Sin. God made us in his own image, that is without Sin, but when we use our freewill and perform sins then we are removed from the presence of God and we no longer exist in his plane of existence (heaven), we are therefore in hell!
God cannot see us or hear us as we are sinners – but praise God – he has given us a way to receive forgiveness of our sins through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.
Jesus died for the sins of the whole world.
With faith in Him who comes to save us, Jesus; we are restored into the presence of God through His forgiveness and are restored as children of God by the act Jesus did for us once and for all time, by dying on the cross. Jesus has paid the price of our sins and has redeemed us by His blood. By His blood we are cleansed and made whole in the sight of God. We ‘reject the devil and all rebellion against God; we renounce the deceit and corruption of evil; so we repent of the sins that separate us from God and neighbour’. To do this we ‘turn to Christ as saviour; we submit to Him as Lord; we come to Him, the way, the truth and the life’.

Baptism also symbolises entry into the church – being made a member of Christ’s body.

This is often symbolised, especially in older churches, by the placing of the font at the point where the entrances to the church inter-cross. The font is usually near the doors to remind people of their baptism into the faith of Christ every time they enter into the building.

Baptism marks the beginning of a persons journey of faith – it is a pilgrimage of faith. So a church will often use the symbol of pilgrimage which is a scallop shell. Pilgrims would possess only this shell on their journey and this seen as a badge of their pilgrimage and it would be used as a drinking vessel, a plate to receive food, or as a begging bowl.

Signing with the Cross: Oils – The Christening – naming the person for Christ.

This symbolises the marking of the person baptised as belonging to Christ.

In some churches the signing with the cross is done oils. This oil is usually oils of chrism which have been blessed by the bishop and clergy at the service on Maundy Thursday, where the clergy also renew their vows. The oil used is usually olive oil.

Oil has symbolic value too.
As well as being blessed, it is a sign of being anointed; that is set apart for a special purpose – we are all special in the sight of God.

Oils are used to inscribe the symbol of Christ – His cross – on the forehead of the applicant. They are the mark upon the forehead found in Revelation 7. We are ‘named’ for Christ, branded, identified by His mark upon the forehead.

Oils also symbolise the need to maintain the good fight against the world and the devil.
In ancient times those who were going into battle prepared themselves by pouring oil all over their bodies so as to make themselves slippy. If they were grappled in combat they hoped to slip out the grasp of the enemy and be able to put in the first thrust of the sword (or spear or whatever weapon they were using!) Hence we do not trust a ‘slippery customer’ as he will always put the first thrust into you and get away! We too need to be prepared for battle, and in baptism we are ’fighting valiantly as a disciple of Christ against sin, the world and the devil’, so we can ‘remain faithful to Christ to the end of our lives’.

Candle:

A lighted candle symbolizes that Jesus is called the ‘light of the world’.

A lighted candle may be given to the baptismal candidate at the end of the service as a reminder of the light of Jesus that has come into their life.