Baptism
/by Rev. Eric Folkerth
Sometimes when I’m in the greater community standing up for some cause of justice, I find more “secular” justice-seekers are a bit confused. Their own life values don’t always include belief in God or trust in God’s grace. And perhaps they have left organized religion on the way towards becoming more justice-seeking humans.
But I like to remind them some of us feel compelled to seek justice in the world *because* of our faith in God, not in spite of it.
For me all of this goes back to a very bold commitment that we all make in our baptismal vows. And, as we approach “Baptism of the Lord Sunday,” it’s a vow that bears remembering.
This Sunday in worship, we’ll read the familiar story of Jesus’ baptism by John in the River Jordan. Gods’ voice speaks and says: “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
My favorite line about baptism is the idea that it’s “an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.” Baptism symbolizes what’s already there in terms of God’s love and acceptance of us. God’s “inward grace” is already at work in us and has been throughout our lives.
But during our baptismal vows, all of us United Methodists commit to a powerful goal:
“To resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.”
Perhaps the connection with baptism isn’t immediately clear, but I think it’s a powerful one if we meditate on it for a moment.
God’s grace, love, and acceptance comes to us through baptism. We remember, and know, that we too are God’s good children.
And, *because* we know this very truth so deeply, it’s impossible for us to simply look the other way in the face of “evil, injustice, and oppression.”
Standing up against such things is not just some political act. It’s not simply being in favor of “social justice.” It’s quite tangibly living out our baptismal vows. It’s living out our faith.
I know that that not all justice-seeking people are led to their values through Christian faith. But I also know that some of us are. Some of us seek justice *because* of our faith, not in spite of it.
Join us Sunday, as we unpack this more.