Baptism as Entrance into God's Great Ball

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One well known voice in Churches of Christ -- who is less well known today than 10 years ago -- once talked about believers baptism as the "front-door entrance" into the Kingdom of God. He compared the Kingdom to a great ball and baptism to the festive entryway where guests are announced as they enter the ballroom. This, he proposed, is how God conceives of entrance into his glorious Kingdom.

He went on to say, however, that we would be wrong to assume that believers cannot enter through side doors. There are ways of entry (the side doors), he went on to say, that are less glamorous and less rewarding, but that nonetheless gain them entrance to the ball. Those who enter in this manner are still in the Kingdom. We know this by the fruit of the Spirit's presence in their lives and by their discipleship to the risen Lord.

What this group of side-door entrants has missed is not eternal life but rather the power of a meaningful transition. What is missing is not salvation but rather the blessing of public confirmation. What is missing is not the transforming power of the Spirit but rather the transformative experience of first meeting God in the waters of baptism.

Rites of initiation are incredibly crucial in most cultures. In Christianity, baptism (the immersion of believers) is the ancient rite of initiation into the Family of God. It is not an arrogant innovation by people who want to act like they are better than others. It is God's way of launching us into the Christian life with incredible blessing! Denuding this ritual of its proper place robs the church not of eternal life but of the transformative power to shape communities of faith. Baptism is not just about heaven or hell. Done properly, it confronts us with the ethical demands of Kingdom living. It announces a person as a follower of Jesus and focuses the eyes of the believing community on this new sister or brother. It shouts out to the world, "May I have your attention please! This person is now entering God's great ball!"

What a glorious occasion and what reason to celebrate! Who would want to "sneak in" through any other entrance?!

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