A Chain-Breaking Kind of Bath

Lisa Harper's Back Porch Theology

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During today’s conversation on Back Porch Theology we’re going to wade deeply into the doctrine of baptism – sorry, I just couldn’t help using a cheesy wet metaphor! Contrary to popular belief, water baptism didn’t originate with John the Baptist - whose name is better translated John the Baptizer because his ministry was so closely associated with ceremonial soaking - but instead can be traced back centuries before John normalized this sacrament for Christ-followers. In the pre-Christian era, water baptism was frequently connected to ritual purification – both in pagan and Jewish culture – and typically represented one entering a new state, a new community, or a new phase of life. And the same is basically true for Christian baptism; it’s the symbolic gate through which we enter into the newness of salvation by identifying with our Savior’s death on the cross and subsequent resurrection. Now, before we press play on this particular episode, I do want to acknowledge that there are more doctrinal nuances when it comes to water baptism than there are carbs to avoid on a Keto diet. Sincere Christians disagree about the amount of water necessary for baptism, what phase in a believer’s life baptism is legitimate, and whether one sprinkling, dunking, or sloshing is sufficient. However, the purpose of our podcast isn’t to ferret out the single, best understanding of baptism through some kind of dogmatic, spiritual Darwinism; instead, our hope is to encourage believers from across the beautiful breadth of Christendom to marinate in the miracle of what it really means to be raised from the sorrow and surety of death that is the consequence of sin into the glorious, divine gift of forgiveness, freedom, and fresh life we have because of Jesus Christ! So please grab a cup of coffee and your Bible – unless you’ve got both hands on the bad bunny who’s been shoplifting tomatoes from your summer garden – and come hang out on the porch with Alli, Dr. Howard and me.

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