Baptism Is Not A Heritage Token

Text: Matthew 3:12-17

In the name of Jesus. Amen. 

When you think about your baptism, do you think about it in the past tense or in the present tense? That is to say, if someone asked you, "Are you baptized?" would you answer, "Yes, I was baptized," or would you say, "Yes, I am baptized"?

Now, this might seem like a small grammar detail - a technicality that only English teachers would care about. But, dear friends, don’t dismiss this as irrelevant or nitpicky theology. This is vitally important.  Pay attention!

You see, there is a common tendency to speak about baptism in the past tense. Perhaps the reason why, is that we do not baptize Christians over and over and over again.  That is to say, there is only one baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. One baptism. That's it. Unlike the Lord's Supper, which we receive every week, baptism is administered only once. And because we only baptize people one time, we often speak of baptism as something that happened in the past —

"I was baptized on March 9, 1979."

Now, hear me clearly. It is not wrong to refer to your baptism in the past tense. However, there's a danger when we do.  

Let me explain.  

If baptism is just a past event, then we can end up putting baptism on the shelf, never to be looked at again. If it is just a past event, well… we can then treat baptism like an old photograph — something sentimental but no longer relevant.

Dear friends, may God spare us from turning baptism into an old spiritual relic or a powerless tradition.  We must be careful not to view Baptism as a heritage token. Let me say it again: Baptism is not a heritage token.

This is why I am so direct about this issue at St. Paul's Lutheran Church when I receive phone calls from community members seeking to have their children baptized. Many of these families aren't connected to any church. Some may have a grandparent who attends here at St. Paul's. And so, when they ask if I will baptize their child, my answer is always, 

"Absolutely. But let’s talk about it a bit more."

Now, when I say that we should talk about it a bit more, people tend to get uncomfortable. But my goal isn't to push them away. My goal is to help them hear what Jesus says about baptism in Matthew 28. In Matthew chapter 28, Jesus says, 

"Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."

Did you catch that? 

Jesus connects baptism with ongoing teaching. He doesn’t just say "baptize" — He says "baptize and teach." That is to say, both are essential in making disciples. 

And so, when I speak with parents about baptizing their children, I ask them plainly: 

"After we baptize your child, are you going to make sure the child is taught the Christian faith? Are you going to bring them to church? To Sunday School? Will they hear Jesus’ Word week after week?"

Now, please listen closely: if someone wants their child baptized, that is good, right, and salutary.  However, if they want their child baptized into Christ without wanting the teachings of Christ,  then we have a serious problem.

Jesus says that disciples are made by both baptizing and teaching. Both are necessary. But if someone only wants baptism and has no intention of bringing their child to be taught—if they intend to baptize and then disappear—then it's nothing more than a "sprinkle and scram" mentality. It's a wet-the-head-and-forget-the-rest spirituality. It treats baptism like religious hocus pocus. A magic trick. A ritual for the photo album. They are treating baptism as a heritage token. 

Dear friends, this is spiritual deadbeat parenting. It's being present for the baptism and then spiritually neglecting and starving the child afterwards. It misunderstands what baptism is and what it's for.  Again, it treats baptism as a heritage token. 

Dear friends, listen up!  Baptism is not a superstition. It’s not a lucky charm. It’s not a cultural tradition. It’s not something we do just because that is what grandma expects. Baptism is not about heritage—it’s about Jesus. It’s about being united with Christ in His death and resurrection. It’s about becoming a new creation. It’s about being given a new identity – becoming a child of God.

You see, baptism is not a past-tense event. It is a present-tense reality. Hear that again, loud and clear: 

Baptism is not a past-tense event. It is a present-tense reality.

You don’t just look back on your baptism as something that happened. You live in your baptism every single day. That is to say, you wake up each day in your baptism. You face temptation in your baptism. You fight the devil in your baptism. You stand before the accusations of the world in your baptism.

So again, when someone asks, "Are you baptized?" the answer is not, "I was baptized." The answer is, "I am baptized." 

Mark this: baptism is who you are. It is your identity. It is your present status before God. You are the baptized!  

Furthermore, hear the bold news about your baptism into Christ: it is unshakable. It does not change. It does not fade. It does not expire. Baptism is not just an event on a certificate. It is God’s ongoing promise to you. In baptism, your sins are washed away. In baptism, you are buried with Christ and raised to new life. In baptism, the name of God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — is branded upon you. You are marked as one redeemed by Christ the crucified, in your Holy Baptism.  

And so, it doesn’t matter what the world says about you. It doesn’t matter what the devil whispers in your ear. It doesn’t matter what your sinful flesh tells you. Those voices are lies. You have been marked. You have been named. You have been claimed by God Himself. Your identity is secure because God placed His name upon you in Holy Baptism.  

And so, when the devil accuses you, you say, 

"Satan, hear this proclamation, I am baptized into Christ." 

When shame creeps in, you say, 

"I am baptized into Christ." 

When your conscience condemns you, you say, 

"I am baptized into Christ." 

When death looms, you say, 

"I am baptized into Christ."

Dear friends, your baptism clothes you in Christ’s righteousness. It covers all your sin. It is your comfort in life and in death. On the Last Day, when you stand before the judgment seat of Christ, you will not stand in fear—you will stand in confidence. Not because of your good works. Not because of your spiritual achievements. But because you are baptized into Christ, clothed in His righteousness.

* * *

Perhaps nothing illustrates the ongoing power of baptism more clearly than the practice of confession and absolution. 

When you come to church and confess your sins—when you speak those words, "I, a poor, miserable sinner"—what happens next? The pastor doesn’t say, "Try harder." He doesn’t say, "Do better." He stands near the font and says, "I forgive you all your sins."

That is baptism in the present tense. You see, Holy Absolution is simply returning you to the font. In other words, Holy Absolution is not a separate forgiveness — it is a return to the forgiveness you already have in your baptism.

Think of it this way: baptism is like a continual stream of mercy. A never-ending fountain of forgiveness. But we, like stubborn pigs, wander away from that stream. We leave the clean waters to wallow in the mud. We chase after sin. We rebel. But when we repent—when we confess our sins—we are simply returning to our baptisms. We are coming home. We are putting the white robe of righteousness back on. We are standing again in the forgiveness of sins that we were given at the font.

Martin Luther, in the Small Catechism, reminds us that baptism means that the old Adam in us should be drowned daily by contrition and repentance. This means that every day, your Christian life is a return to the waters of baptism. Daily your sins are drowned and daily you are raised up, because of your Baptism.  

Listen to the good news: you are always baptized, which means that this baptismal forgiveness does not run dry. It doesn’t fade with time. It doesn’t crack with age. It is as fresh and powerful today as the day it was poured over you in the name of the Triune God.

So, today, you are safe in the holy ark of the Christian Church. You are not merely someone who was baptized. You are someone who is baptized.

Christ was baptized in the Jordan River that day long ago to sanctify and institute baptism for you – so that through the Water and the Word, you might have a lavish washing away of sins, as well as death-destroying and devil-defeating hope and assurance.  

You are Baptized Saints—baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.