I'm An 8th Day Baptist

 

You’ve all heard of the Seventh Day Adventists right? Well, I think I’m an Eighth Day Baptist!

 

Good day, I’m Duane Matz and this is Today’s Living Word.

 

This devo is especially meant for those like me, who hold to the practice of baptizing infants, and again I want to stress the urgency of the matter. Do we REALLY believe God’s promises concerning what He promises to deliver in baptism?

 

“Baptism now saves you!” (1 Peter 3:21) “Be baptized and wash away your sins!” (Acts 22:16)  Be baptized and “receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!” (Acts 2:38)

 

And of course, there are more benefits, but these should certainly be enough to cause us to bring that infant to the font ASAP! But even so, how soon is soon? Do we set up a font in every maternity ward awaiting the rival of the latest sinner or is there something more reasonable that we could do?

 

I would propose to you that the eighth day would be a good day to baptize the infant and let me show you why. In Col 2:11,12 the Old Testament Covenant of circumcision is likened to the New Testament Covenant of baptism.

 

“In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,

 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

 

Circumcision was required on the 8^th day of the child’s life! Not the first day, the fifth day, the 9^th day or any other day! There is something very beautiful about this that we often miss.  Think of the comfort for the parents who know that God has that child’s eternal destiny in His hand from conception until the 8^th day!

 

But on the 8^th day, He commanded the parents to do something about it. He wanted the parents to seal the deal with His covenant of circumcision. Of course it would be valid if you did it later, but why wait?

 

Since baptism is likened to circumcision why not trust God for that infant from conception to the 8^th day and then do something about it! Seal the deal with His New Testament covenant of baptism.

 

Is baptism required on the 8^th day! Certainly not! The requirement is to be baptized. “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved. (Mk 16:16) I’m just putting this out there as a good idea.

 

It’s good because it acknowledges the keeping power of God for the miscarried or sudden death of that child, and it changes the focus of the baptism ceremony from our “convenient” schedule to God’s schedule, helping us to remember that baptism is something that God does for us, not something we do for Him!

 

I guess this makes me an 8^th Day Baptist!

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word