And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Acts 22:16NKJV
This morning we look at Question 167 of the Larger Catechism, which asks, “How is our baptism to be improved by us?” It gives the answer, “The needful but much neglected duty of improving our baptism, is to be performed by us all our life long, especially in the time of temptation, and when we are present at the administration of it to others; by serious and thankful consideration of the nature of it, and of the ends for which Christ instituted it, the privileges and benefits conferred and sealed thereby, and our solemn vow made therein; by being humbled for our sinful defilement, our falling short of, and walking contrary to, the grace of baptism, and our engagements; by growing up to assurance of pardon of sin, and of all other blessings sealed to us in that sacrament; by drawing strength from the death and resurrection of Christ, into whom we are baptized, for the mortifying of sin, and quickening of grace; and by endeavouring to live by faith, to have our conversation in holiness and righteousness, as those that have therein given up their names to Christ; and to walk in brotherly love, as being baptized by the same Spirit into one body.”
When the Catechism asks how our baptism is to be “improved” by us, it does not mean we can do something to make the moment when we are baptized more effective! Here “improved” means “to make a better use of.” Since, as we have seen in previous questions, baptism is a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, a means of salvation, something which the Holy Spirit uses in the sanctification process; it follows that the use of it is not founded upon our memory of undergoing it but upon our faith in the promise of God that is signified and sealed by it. The fact that I, personally, have been properly baptized according to the ordinance of Christ means that what God signifies and seals generally by that sacrament, He has signified and sealed personally to me! So today’s question is teaching us how we, the baptized, can make a better use of the sacrament of baptism, which we have had personally administered to us, through God’s authorized representative (the minister) in the name of God, which means that my baptism is from God to me. Now the question should be of greater moment when I ask in effect, “How can I benefit in a greater way from this sign and seal that God Himself has authorized to be given to me?”
Once we see the question in this light we should immediately recognize that this baptism is a gracious gift that God has given to me. Every baptism is God Himself sending to the covenant member, child or adult, His sign and seal, that His promise in the gospel, “Believe and be saved,” will most certainly come to pass for that particular person if he or she believes. Therefore, whenever I see someone get baptized, I should think about how God has given me this sign and seal of His salvation by faith Christ, and that this salvation is indeed mine, because I too believe. I should feel genuine gratitude that God would add to his promise a visible confirmation so that my weak faith would be shored up. The privileges and benefits of it include my being counted as a member of the church, qualified to serve and be served by all of the Holy Spirit’s ministries therein. Yet with great privilege comes great responsibility. Insofar as I have owned my baptism by my later profession of faith (I was baptized as an infant), I must remember that my baptism obligates me to live as a Christian, repenting from sin and loving my fellow man, and doing good works.
Furthermore, my baptism should serve as a continual reminder of what Christ had to do in order to save me from the wrath of God. It should always point me to my absolute need of the grace of God for any good thought or work to come from me. And at the same time, insofar as I am trusting in Christ, my baptism should assure me that all of my sin debt has been paid by Christ and I am and will always be a child of God, washed of sin and filled with the Holy Ghost. Such a means of constant assurance from God that I am His should prove to be a powerful tool to help me turn away from sin and continually put on the armor of God and grow in my works of love towards God and others. In baptism I should see my unity with other believers, who have been given the same great assurance. And finally it should move me to compassion towards unbelievers; that God would save them and give to them this gracious sign and seal of His salvation. May God grant us the grace to daily “improve” our baptisms, to His glory and our good!
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