📚English Lent QT(Matthew 3:13-17)
Some churches oppose young children’s baptism because they are too young to know the meaning of Christian faith of sin, repenting, forgiveness, and salvation. But I am glad many churches believes that infant baptism is God’s given blessing for us. Where did this infant baptismal covenant come from originally?
1. The baptismal covenant was from the circumcision: The circumcision was ritually performed on an infant, the eighth day after birth. God said to Abraham to have circumcision, including all his household and all his servants, just before God was giving Isaac his first son. The meaning of circumcision was repent and faith as cutting off their sinfulness from their body and heart. The circumcision is the symbol of the covenant between God and the Abraham and his descendants because God wanted Abraham to be His holy people. That is also a physical mark for Israel as the children of God; they are always very proud of this circumcision bodily mark on their body. But God warned that they must have circumcision on their heart, removing their sinful nature from their heart and behavior in daily life.
2. From the Red Sea (Exod.14): When God brought Israel’s people out of Egypt, God had them cross under the Red Sea with all children. All that night, the Lord drove the sea divided with a strong wind, and the wind dried the bottom of the sea for the young children, elders and all Israelites walking on dry ground. No child was too young to be left behind. Salvation and blessing of the baptism are for all ages because we became Christians by the grace of the Lord of Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, not by our own merit. Israeli parents teach their young child “Shema,” “Love your God with all your heart and life, and love your neighbor as yourself” while the parents are nurturing their circumcised babies. Moses also learned that Shema while he was nurtured by his birth mother.
What blessings we all have received through Jesus’ baptism: “As soon as Jesus was baptized, heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.” What blessings of God will be coming down the moment we are being baptized? 1) Our relationship with God has been changed as the Father and His children when the heaven opened. 2) Always the Spirit of God will be with us. 3) God’s word be assuring us, “you are my child, I love you, I am really happy and pleased with you” throughout our lives.
Jewish people believe of God’s presence on their head as wearing the kippah (Jewish hat) on their head. Wearing Kippah means honoring God and remembering, God being with them, and His blessing covenant with them. Let us remember that we are God’s beloved child as God promised in our Baptism, and the triune God is always with us. Amen.
