So yesterday we started taking a look at the beginning point of Christian formation in the lives of people, the action of God on us we call Baptism. We mentioned yesterday that this action brings us into relationship with the Father, Son, and Spirit, according to the words of Jesus.
Yet, that is not all that happens in this action. One thing we also find is that it not only brings us into connection and relationship with God, but it also connects us with God's greatest work on our behalf, the saving work of Jesus in His death and resurrection. Writing about this to a group of Christians in Rome, St. Paul would write that when we were baptized into Jesus, we were baptized into His death. Okay, so what does that mean? It means that, when we were baptized, everything that happened to Jesus has, in essence, happened to us. Jesus died bearing our sins, and so, when we were baptized, it is as though the same thing has happened to us. Who we are as a fallen creature died with Jesus. Everything wrong and broken (the Bible word is sinful) died, and as a result, it no longer haunts us.
However, there is even more than that. We were baptized into Jesus' death. But Jesus didn't stay dead. He rose back to life, raised by the Father, reclaiming His own life that He had lain down. The amazing thing is, through Baptism, we are also connected to that resurrection. A few verses later Paul would write "just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:1-14 at work here) With Jesus raised from the dead, we also have a new life, a life connected to His perfect, eternal life lived in perfect harmony with the Father.
So that's the theological background, but now you ask, "What does this have to do with Christian formation?" Well, everything, but that's hardly the answer you were probably looking for. So we'll focus on a couple of things in particular.
In Baptism, you died with Jesus. As part of your formation as a Christian, that also means that all those wrong things (Bible word: sin) that you have done that you feel sorry about (Bible word: contrition) have died and no longer have any impact on you. Imagine, for a moment, that you could live as though you hadn't done those, that those things would no longer be held against you. That friendship you betrayed, well, it's forgiven and over with. Those unfortunate words that slipped out of your mouth that really hurt another person, forgiven and over with, not held against you. Just imagine the new life that you could have with all those things forgiven, with you being able to live as though they weren't held against you.
That's formational in your life! You essentially get a new life when that happens. And wouldn't you know it, that's one part of the new life that is yours in Jesus because you are also connected to His resurrection. Now you can have a bold, daring confidence in living according to God's design and will because you know you have that new life in Jesus. That gives meaning. That gives fulfillment. That gives purpose. And that gives you something to form your life around. Yes, Baptism truly is a part of our Christian formation, as we will hear more tomorrow.
Yet, that is not all that happens in this action. One thing we also find is that it not only brings us into connection and relationship with God, but it also connects us with God's greatest work on our behalf, the saving work of Jesus in His death and resurrection. Writing about this to a group of Christians in Rome, St. Paul would write that when we were baptized into Jesus, we were baptized into His death. Okay, so what does that mean? It means that, when we were baptized, everything that happened to Jesus has, in essence, happened to us. Jesus died bearing our sins, and so, when we were baptized, it is as though the same thing has happened to us. Who we are as a fallen creature died with Jesus. Everything wrong and broken (the Bible word is sinful) died, and as a result, it no longer haunts us.
However, there is even more than that. We were baptized into Jesus' death. But Jesus didn't stay dead. He rose back to life, raised by the Father, reclaiming His own life that He had lain down. The amazing thing is, through Baptism, we are also connected to that resurrection. A few verses later Paul would write "just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:1-14 at work here) With Jesus raised from the dead, we also have a new life, a life connected to His perfect, eternal life lived in perfect harmony with the Father.
So that's the theological background, but now you ask, "What does this have to do with Christian formation?" Well, everything, but that's hardly the answer you were probably looking for. So we'll focus on a couple of things in particular.
In Baptism, you died with Jesus. As part of your formation as a Christian, that also means that all those wrong things (Bible word: sin) that you have done that you feel sorry about (Bible word: contrition) have died and no longer have any impact on you. Imagine, for a moment, that you could live as though you hadn't done those, that those things would no longer be held against you. That friendship you betrayed, well, it's forgiven and over with. Those unfortunate words that slipped out of your mouth that really hurt another person, forgiven and over with, not held against you. Just imagine the new life that you could have with all those things forgiven, with you being able to live as though they weren't held against you.
That's formational in your life! You essentially get a new life when that happens. And wouldn't you know it, that's one part of the new life that is yours in Jesus because you are also connected to His resurrection. Now you can have a bold, daring confidence in living according to God's design and will because you know you have that new life in Jesus. That gives meaning. That gives fulfillment. That gives purpose. And that gives you something to form your life around. Yes, Baptism truly is a part of our Christian formation, as we will hear more tomorrow.
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