Baptism as Commencement
Growing up I thought that commencement ceremonies described the end of something, even if the ceremonies themselves never seemed to end. My parents would take me to these things and, just like weddings, they seemed to come in clusters during the year. When I was a boy I would have found it arguable what one was worse. Commencements did have people wearing funny-looking clothes and hats, which was nice, but then there would always be a lineup of speakers, usually three more than I thought necessary, each of which talked about 10 minutes longer than expected, followed by a repetitive time of people calling out names one by one.
The only redeeming aspect of the ceremony from a boy’s point of view was being able to relate to the joyous thrill of school being completed. The final day of the school year was always one of my favorite days, so it seemed natural to me that people would celebrate completing school and not having to go back again. From a boy’s perspective I did not appreciate the subtle difference between completing something and ending something. For commencement ceremonies mark the completion of one’s degree toward a new beginning in life. That’s why we call them commencement ceremonies rather than termination ceremonies. Let the new chapter in life commence!
As a Baptist, this time of year is a fitting time to reflect on the meaning of believer baptism. Baptism marks the completion of a believer’s initiation into the Christian faith, which happens by grace through faith in Christ and begins a new life as a confirmed follower of Christ.
Baptism visibly portrays a believer’s death to self and to sin and resurrection into Christ’s new life as one is immersed into a watery grave only to be lifted out of it again. The waters of baptism signify burial and cleansing all at once. Satan and his ways are renounced as one turns away from an old life and toward a new life in Christ, or as Paul puts it, “for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Gal 3:27).
Baptism marks the beginning of life in a new family, Christ’s church. The waters of baptism confirm your adoption into God’s family as they welcome you as one of their own based on your pledge to identify yourself as one of them too.
Unlike commencement ceremonies across America this month, there are few speeches given in baptismal services and no funny-looking hats. Rather, there is an opportunity for someone to proclaim what they believe by God’s grace before being baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. There is much power in that name. There is much hope in that name. And there is a bright new beginning in that name.
I have met some people who talk as if their baptism was the final goal, and thus the end, of a time in their life when they studied, pursued, and cared about their Christian faith. But that is not the meaning God has given to baptism, and that should not be the way any of his children approach it. Baptism brings nothing to an end. Rather, it marks out a new beginning!
The only redeeming aspect of the ceremony from a boy’s point of view was being able to relate to the joyous thrill of school being completed. The final day of the school year was always one of my favorite days, so it seemed natural to me that people would celebrate completing school and not having to go back again. From a boy’s perspective I did not appreciate the subtle difference between completing something and ending something. For commencement ceremonies mark the completion of one’s degree toward a new beginning in life. That’s why we call them commencement ceremonies rather than termination ceremonies. Let the new chapter in life commence!
As a Baptist, this time of year is a fitting time to reflect on the meaning of believer baptism. Baptism marks the completion of a believer’s initiation into the Christian faith, which happens by grace through faith in Christ and begins a new life as a confirmed follower of Christ.
Baptism visibly portrays a believer’s death to self and to sin and resurrection into Christ’s new life as one is immersed into a watery grave only to be lifted out of it again. The waters of baptism signify burial and cleansing all at once. Satan and his ways are renounced as one turns away from an old life and toward a new life in Christ, or as Paul puts it, “for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Gal 3:27).
Baptism marks the beginning of life in a new family, Christ’s church. The waters of baptism confirm your adoption into God’s family as they welcome you as one of their own based on your pledge to identify yourself as one of them too.
Unlike commencement ceremonies across America this month, there are few speeches given in baptismal services and no funny-looking hats. Rather, there is an opportunity for someone to proclaim what they believe by God’s grace before being baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. There is much power in that name. There is much hope in that name. And there is a bright new beginning in that name.
I have met some people who talk as if their baptism was the final goal, and thus the end, of a time in their life when they studied, pursued, and cared about their Christian faith. But that is not the meaning God has given to baptism, and that should not be the way any of his children approach it. Baptism brings nothing to an end. Rather, it marks out a new beginning!
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