Listen: "Gospel Culture" by Ray Cortese

There was such an enthusiastic response to this message at the LBC Leadership Retreat that we wanted to make it available to the entire congregation. Ray Cortese is the pastor of Seven Rivers PCA Church in Lecanto, FL, and he recently spoke to 26 LBC leaders on the topic, “Gospel Culture.” This powerful message includes Ray’s personal story of gospel transformation. He also helpfully defines the gospel and then applies it to our hearts and to many aspects of church life.

Guest Post: Covenant Theology 101

The sermon this Sunday will be from  Daniel 9:1-19, which contains Daniel's intercessory prayer for his people. This prayer is characterized by confession and repentance. The prophet begins: "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly land rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. . ."

What is the "covenant and steadfast love" to which Daniel refers? What is the nature of this covenant relationship between God and his people? Let’s take a look at Covenant Theology in three parts: What is a covenant? What covenants did God make with his people? How can a covenant be fulfilled?

“As Lord, God deals with human beings through covenants. A covenant is like a treaty between a great king and a lesser king, in which the great king describes the relationship, imposes law, and promises blessing to those who obey the law and curses to those who don’t. In the Bible, God makes covenants with Adam, Noah, Israel under Moses, David, and with Christ.”

— John Frame, "Salvation Belongs to the Lord"

 

What is a Covenant?

As we move through the Bible, although there are a number of individual covenants, we begin to understand that there is only one “Overarching” Covenant. It was given over many centuries and with expanding detail (each covenant). The nature of “Covenant” is that God has determined to have a relationship with mankind, built upon principles laid down in Scripture. He has called that relationship “Covenantal”. It is an intimate relationship between a Father and His children.

“Covenant is a relation between the Lord and a people whom he has sovereignly consecrated to himself. . . The heart of the covenant is the promise “I will be your God, and you will be my people”. This implies that God will be with us as he was with Abraham, Jacob, and many others. He is committed to us, and in response he calls for our trust and obedience.”

— John Frame, "Salvation Belongs to the Lord"

 

What covenants did God make with his people?

The Covenant mentioned in Daniel 9 is the same Covenant revealed to Moses in extraordinary detail. The Covenant between God and mankind is revealed early in Genesis where we see it in vague detail in Genesis 3; then to Noah as God covenants not to destroy the earth by flood again; then to Abraham where God pledges to be the God of Abraham and his descendants, through the “formal” act of Covenanting; then to Moses not only through the Covenant Documents (the tablets of the Ten Commandments, Exodus 20) but also through the explanation of those commandments (Exodus through Deuteronomy) and finally through the introduction of a New Covenant prophesied by Jeremiah (Jer 31:31) and Ezekiel (Ezk 36:26).

We learn about the covenant with Abraham and his children in Genesis 17. According to God’s instructions, the sign and seal of this covenant is circumcision, performed on all males eight days old and up. 

The Mosaic Covenant contains blessings by God for those who covenanted with Him and performed their obligations. It also brings curses to those who breach the Covenant. God promised them a land “flowing with milk and honey” (the “Promised Land”); homes they did not build; groves they did not plant. Nevertheless, in spite of these incredible blessings, almost immediately after they took possession, they began to breach the Covenant. 

Again and again God forgives their breaches (trespasses) but finally the breaches become so severe that God brings judgment upon them and removes them from the “Promised Land” into exile in Babylon. It is here, nearing the end of their exile, that Daniel recalls their abuses of the Covenant and begs God to relent concerning His people. This is the background of Daniel 9.

 

How Can a covenant be fulfilled?

But we are not finished with God’s Covenant—not even close to finished. As prophesied, God introduces a New Covenant which would provide remedies for the breach by His people of the Older Covenant and would be broadened to include the Gentiles as well as Israel. Since it was clear that His people could not perform the Older Covenant, He determines to perform the Older Covenant on behalf of His people through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. He will perform both sides of the Covenant, His and ours!!!  How does he do this?

Jesus takes upon Himself the burden of perfectly performing all of the obligations under the Older Covenant. Not only does Jesus perfectly perform the Older Covenant, but He takes upon Himself the punishment of God for the sins of all of God’s people in violation of the Older Covenant. If that were not enough, God then attributes the righteousness—which Jesus has thus obtained—to us.

Furthermore, to help His people more clearly understand His requirements for them, He gives each of us a New Heart and a New Spirit, emblazoning the Old Covenant requirements (the law) onto our hearts, but even then we cannot perfectly obey. However, He takes our imperfect obedience and perfects it in Christ.  

Finally, Jesus promises and the Father sends the Holy Spirit to seal our “sonship” as God’s children, to bring us into an intimate relationship with the Father and the Son and to guide us and lead us to the “Promised Land”.   The sign and seal of the New Covenant is baptism.

Certainly the Overarching Covenant belongs to us and to our children but it is also a Covenant with His Church. God seeks a “people” not just an individual or a family. This is why we sometime refer to the church as a “covenant community.”

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Richard Hostetter serves as one of the elders at Lake Baldwin Church. He has a love for theology and is one of our favorite teachers of adult classes. Richard and his wife Susanne have a big heart for their shepherding group and for the mission of LBC. For years they have upheld the work of the church in their prayers.

Guest Post: Team Nicaragua Medical Mission, October 2015, part 2

From October 24th-30th, 2015 Team Nicaragua traveled to Managua share The Gospel and serve the medical needs of the beautiful Nicaraguan people in the Bluefields area on the eastern coast. Two LBC members, Brita Zuehlke and Angela Robinson were part of the team. The following are excerpts from Brita's daily Facebook posts during the trip. (Read part 1 HERE!) We are thankful for the work that was done to advance God's Kingdom and for Brita's willingness to share her story with us.

October 29th - Hospital Tour and Travel back to Managua:
We had the opportunity to tour the hospital in Bluefields.  For several of us it was like a step back in time and for others (our younger providers) it was quite eye opening.  One woman delivered a baby right there in the hallway and we were able to witness the baby's first cry.  The equipment is old and supplies are low and patients bring their own linen and medicine before they can have surgery.  Privacy, comfort and rest are not priorities here.  The one similarity that stood out was the medical students who acted just like our medical students filing in behind their attending like little ducklings and writing patient notes.

At 10 am we were back on the pangas heading back toward El Rama and the long bus ride back to Managua.  On the river we observed many shoreline dwellings, rusty but functioning fishing boats and small canoes.  This was yet another day without rain and we were again amazed at the beauty of His creation.

During the bus ride and at the evening devotion we shared stories and reflections from the previous few days.  Leith told us about a young family consisting of mom and 4 children who showed up as we were closing the clinic.  Leith was tired, we were running out of supplies and all of the kids needed glasses and had respiratory problems.  The children aged 8-15 and were very polite and answered all questions clearly.  The youngest was a girl and was asked:

“Danielle, do you need glasses, too?” 

“Yes ma'am, so I can read my Bible.”  

“Well, do you have your own Bible?”

“No ma'am.”  

We had just given away our last Spanish Bible, but Leith had a hunch that she had something in her bag and sure enough, there was the New Testament in Spanish that had been packed for another mission trip 5 years ago.  The girl was beaming and her eyes lit up as her name was written on the front page.  She was very proud to have her very own Bible.  The mom winked a “thank you” with her beautiful brown eyes.

Craig and Jackie told a story about a mother and a daughter who came to clinic around lunchtime.  The mother had a severe leg injury that required vascular surgery at the hospital or she would be at risk of losing her foot.  We tried to convince her that she had to go there immediately but she said she could not go because she had no one to take care of her daughter.  As a team we prayed for her, involved the church members to help take care of the young girl, then we called for a taxi to take her to the hospital.  During the tour of the hospital we saw her in a bed awaiting surgery and her face lit up when she saw us and she thanked us for everything. Father David, Craig, and Jackie had a touching moment where they prayed over her bed in preparation for her surgery and reassured her that her daughter was doing well.

Dr. Tellez, Indira, and Vladimir all thanked us on behalf of all the patients and were commenting the fact that we all are willing to give up our own vacation, pay for part or all of the trip out of our own pockets, and then work long days to take care of los Nicaraguense—“their people.” They were all amazed that there can  still be such kind and selfless people who give so much and get “nothing” in return.

October 30th - The Las Torres Neighborhood:
We spent a lot of time sitting on the school bus from Bluefields to Managua. But it was not until Friday, as we drove into Las Torres, that it was evident of something special. As our bus arrived at CALT, Christian Academy of Las Torres, we were greeted by the huge smiles and overwhelming excitement of children screaming with joy and laughter. This was quite a surprise!

When we started setting up clinic in the school, it was a culture shock to see dirt floors, poor utilities, and an infrastructure that didn't match the warmth and joy that all the children and teachers showed us. Before we saw our first patients, we toured the local neighborhood and housing arrangements of the people in the area. Often, small houses no larger than an American kitchen were home to whole families of parents and multiple kids.

One of the families invited us into their home and introduced us to Brittani, a 4-year old girl afflicted with cancer. Father David was asked to come in and lay hands on her and offer prayer. We would later see her in the clinic. Bordering between houses was a drainage ditch that emptied into Lake Managua and was full of trash and sewage. There were kids in the water collecting plastic bottles to recycle. It was truly an eye-opening experience to see the conditions people can live in.

In clinic, we saw a wide array of diseases ranging from chicken pox to congestive heart failure. Although the patients were all in need of medical care and prayer ministry, their spirits could not have been brighter. When Brittani arrived, she ran to us with open arms and began to “play doctor” with our stethoscopes and headlamps. She was playful and hopeful, as any 4-year-old kid should be. The group reflected on this patient encounter and were tremendously touched by how she was like any other kid, she just wanted to play! She demonstrated pure innocence.

Humbling. The one word that could describe the entire day for all of us. It was a reminder of morning devotion by Father David where we discussed humility and how God calls us to be humble so he can raise us up.

Final Reflections:
We have now all returned home to our respective families and friends and are processing and reliving all the stories and experiences from this past week.  We are posting on Facebook and longing to share.  But, how do you respond to a co-worker who asks how it was but only has 10 seconds to listen?  We can talk for hours if you let us.  What do you highlight? Which picture can sum it all up? We have all been changed by this trip, through the leadership from Ali, from the new friendships that were developed and by all the love that was showered upon us by the people of Nicaragua, young and old.  God worked through and in each of us this week and we were all blessed by it.

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Brita Zuehlke and her husband, Reed, live in Orlando and are members of Lake Baldwin Church. Brita is originally from Sweden but has lived in the US since 1983. She works as a physical therapist at Florida Hospital, Winter Park. Brita started traveling to Nicaragua in 2004 with the Medical Mission Team from Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Atlanta. She is also on the board of a Christian School in Managua for impoverished children where she has been able to develop deep lasting relationships with both teachers and students. She has a special place in her heart for the children of Nicaragua.

Guest Post: Team Nicaragua Medical Mission, October 2015 - part 1

At 5:55 pm Saturday afternoon October 24th Team Nicaragua departed from Atlanta to share The Gospel and serve the medical needs of the beautiful Nicaraguan people in the Bluefields area on the eastern coast. Two LBC members, Brita Zuehlke and Angela Robinson were part of the team. The following are excerpts from Brita's daily Facebook posts during the trip. We are thankful for the work that was done to advance God's Kingdom and for Brita's willingness to share her story with us.

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October 26th - Clinic Day One:
Dr. Tellez's church provided us the biggest clinic space we've ever had which was both a blessing and a challenge. The first day of clinic is always a learning experience as new team members adjust to working with our translators, experienced team members and our local helpers. We were overwhelmed by how many wonderful church members came out to make our day run more smoothly.

Our providers set up in the main worship building. Our “dentistas”, Vania and Debbie, set up in what we called “the cage” with Mylinh as their assistant. We had some airy, covered spots to spread out glasses, happy feet, evangelism and pharmacy stations.

Gene led the group in singing on and off throughout the day including a rousing chorus of 'Days of Elijah'.  Alvaro Jr. (a.k.a AJ) immediately took a liking to optometry and it was wonderful to have him and our bus driver Julio helping out there. This year we got our pharmacist, Pam, back. With her team of helpers, she got every one of our Nica friends taken care of. Mark “MacGyver” was also back this year and he built a zip line for the kids out back by the playground.

We were also blessed to have some U.S. missionaries who live in Bluefields able to help us out. And a major blessing, NO RAIN! Overall it was a wonderful first day and we've learned a lot to help us make our clinics flow better and keep ourselves and our patients happy and healthy!

October 27th - Clinic Day Two:
On our second day we left on panga boats to Rama Cay, which is a beautiful island about 20 minutes from Bluefields.  God provided us with blessings to serve 350 people. Last January, several of our team members served this same area and were assisted by a man named Rau'l who helped make it so successful that we all wanted to return.  Rau'l had asked if it was possible to get a Bible in large print if we ever returned.  Not only were we able to fulfill his request but we gave him a leather bound monogrammed Bible and we had it blessed by Father David as it was presented to him.

During our day a mother brought her 4 year old daughter with cerebral palsy to be treated by our team.  It immediately became clear that this loving mother spends all hours of her days caring for this child and carrying her wherever she goes, including the times she has to cook, clean and do laundry. The girl was unable to sit on her own and she cannot be placed on the floor or ground since she also can't crawl or control her head.  Brita and Mark put their heads together and created a “buggy” from a suitcase that had been donated to Bruce and Barb by their church in Idaho.  When our physical therapist and “MacGyver” visited the family they were able to make many suggestions as to how the family could utilize the buggy to improve the whole family's life going forward.  We hope that the girl will now have a different view of the world and will hopefully have a chance to improve on her sitting ability, the mom will have her hands free to do her household chores more easily, and this will help save the mom's back for the future as the girl grows up.

Many team members have switched to roles totally unrelated to their occupation or even out of their comfort zone.  The first example is Virginia who is a nurse by training but easily and eagerly jumped in to help in many other areas wherever she was needed.  Bethany, who is our team photographer, put her camera down and brought out paint and paper for the kids to create some art projects that were finished off with fun stickers for all.  Angela was our champion greeter and in charge of getting heights and weights of all 350 that came through the clinic, putting everyone at ease and smiling her way through the day. Father David and Pastor Danny washed the feet of many and Dave Neilson ended up helping in the “store”, distributing clothing to those in need, including handing out dresses to both girls and women!

Our last story of the day is about a small boy with Hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain) and multiple deformities of both legs.  His aunt brought him in a small wheelchair; his mother was unable to come because she is terminally ill with cancer.  Carol (Swish) noted that the boy was dressed in very heavy garments and appeared to be overheated.  She immediately went to our “store” of donated items and found him a whole new outfit with a hat that had been donated from Redeemer in Atlanta.  Father David prayed over the boy and was able to fit the boy with a pair of sunglasses that once belonged to his own son.  This little boy had the most radiant smile and blessed all of us with his joy.

October 28th - Clinic Day Three:  
This day started out the same as every day in Nicaragua with a rooster crowing at 4:30 am, about an hour before any of our cell phone alarms were set to play our favorite wake-up melodies.  Breakfast at 6:30 and bags and people loaded on the trucks by 7:30.  The short open air back of the truck ride through town filled our nostrils with plenty of diesel fumes and other mixed fragrances, some better than diesel, others not so much.  Our clinic was held in another church and we were again blessed with plenty of help from the congregation.  Two young ladies manned the front area, others helped in our “happy feet” area which included both foot washing and new flip-flops, some served as translators and a couple of ladies controlled the flow through the clinic.

A middle aged woman with chikungunya and very unsteady gait came limping up to Ellen's table.  She ached everywhere, all her joints were swollen, her feet, her ankles, her hands, her shoulders and her neck. She was one of at least twenty patients this day that had been diagnosed with chikungunya which is a virus similar to Lyme disease but it is transmitted by mosquitos.  To date there is no medicine to prevent or treat this disease and it can take months or even years to recover fully from it.  Ellen examined her, gave her some vitamins and pain pills and sent her to our therapy section to get something supportive for her wrists and ankles.  Upon further examination we noticed that she needed some more supportive shoes than what she had.  As we searched high and low for her size Ellen asked why her patient was still sitting there and when we told her she said: “Well, that's my size, she can have mine and I'll get some flip-flops.”  So Ellen took her shoes off and gave them to her patient.

Our dental “office” was a smooth running machine by today and two nurses, Linda and Mylinh, who previously knew nothing about dentistry had quickly morphed into efficient and fast acting multitasking dental assistants who were able to sterilize instruments, set up the next tray, hold a flashlight and hand instruments to the dentists all while calming multiple crying children and explaining the medicine given to the previous patient.  Our dentists, Vania and Debbie said they have never been as productive as today.  Vania had a patient named Axel who arrived very afraid and crying so she sat down to just talk to him.  After a minute he said he just wanted to hug her and so they hugged, and he held her tight and would not let go so Vania in her wisdom continued the session by placing the topical anesthesia, and after that she injected him and proceeded to pull the tooth, all while he kept his arms around her waist.  Axel left happy stating that he didn't feel any pain and gave her yet another hug and a kiss to top it off.  Vania shared that this was the first time she has done anything like that and yes, children often teach us new ways of doing things.

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Here are a few reflections from our interpreters who stay at our side all day long, beginning with Devin who is with us for the 5th time and lives in Bluefields:

“I am a translator and I took my daughters to work today and my youngest, Abieli, asked if her grandfather was going to be there; she was referring to Bruce because she loves seeing his white hair and calls him grandpa. When I took her home she told her mom about every single person she met, she spoke about the dentist who gave her a toothbrush, she said a beautiful lady gave her sunglasses and another one gave her a toy (Bubbles) from the movie Home.  Joshabeth, my older daughter shared with me that she was so encouraged by what she saw that she now wants to become a doctor."

Our second story comes from Cristiam who came with us on last minute notice but immediately fit right in and hopefully will be joining us in the future.

“A young lady entered the clinic with severe abdominal pain and came to Ali's station.  It became apparent that this was much more than what we could treat and that she needed an ultrasound to properly diagnose her condition.  She had tried to go to the local public hospital but their ultrasound machine is currently broken and she had no money to go to a private clinic.  The ultrasound was going to cost 500 cordobas which is about $20.  Our gracious leader, Ali, with her big heart quietly gave the woman the money and then they both hugged and cried. The woman was heading straight to the clinic and was going to share the results with us as soon as they were available.”  

    This last story comes from Alvaro, our trusted Nicaraguan partner who helps Ali get all the permits, arranges for our bus, and is always here for us.  

“So this police officer came to the clinic to get a second opinion for his ear problems and leg pain since he heard the doctors from the US were here.  He was seen by the providers and given a referral as well as pain medicine but he was still not satisfied and seemed unhappy.  As he came through Father David's prayer station we simply asked what in his life we could pray for.  The man slowly started sharing little by little about his pain, his family troubles, and also asking for protection for his family.  As the prayer ended his body was relaxed and tears were rolling down his face and he thanked us and said he was really glad he came!!"

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Brita Zuehlke and her husband, Reed, live in Orlando and are members of Lake Baldwin Church. Brita is originally from Sweden but has lived in the US since 1983. She works as a physical therapist at Florida Hospital, Winter Park. Brita started traveling to Nicaragua in 2004 with the Medical Mission Team from Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Atlanta. She is also on the board of a Christian School in Managua for impoverished children where she has been able to develop deep lasting relationships with both teachers and students. She has a special place in her heart for the children of Nicaragua.

Guest Post: 2015 ICC Retreat Wrap-up

October 19-23, Mike and Molly Tilley and Joel and Katie Pollard attended the International Christian Community (ICC) Pastors' Retreat in Teisendorf, Germany. Our pastor, Mike Tilley, serves on the board of ICC, and the Pollards were invited to lead worship for this year's retreat.

This post, written by Katie, originally appeared on Joel and Katie's personal blog on October 23.

The majority of conference attendees at Mirabell Gardens during a day trip to Salzburg, Austria.

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The ICC Pastors’ Retreat drew to a close [on October 22], and I’m struggling to wrap words around the experience we’ve had. If you’ve been following along on Facebook or Instagram, you can see that we’ve heartily enjoyed our travels in Munich, Teisendorf, and Salzburg. I’m sorry our posts have not included more substantive information about the retreat, but it seems that it takes more than a handful of characters in an expedient social media post to capture the powerful ways that God is working here.

There were pastors in attendance from Aix en Provence, Leon, Marseille, Toulouse, St. Paul, and Nice, France; Munich, Germany; Istanbul, Turkey; Iasi, Romania; Tblisi, Georgia; Toronto, Canada; and of course, Orlando, Florida. The keynote speaker was Tim Challies, a former pastor, writer, and blogger from Toronto. He preached from 2 Timothy, James, 1 Thessalonians, and Titus, and he covered a wide range of topics applicable to pastors, including the supremacy of Scripture, the dangers of envy, and the catastrophic effects of pornography and distorted sexuality in our culture. Although Joel and I didn’t participate in every session, we greatly appreciated Tim’s insight and his commitment to teaching the gospel candidly and clearly.

There were also a variety of breakout sessions which included presentations about the vision and future of ICC, doctrinal teaching, practical advice for assimilating into foreign culture, a panel discussion about the refugee crisis, and a special session on counseling techniques by Elizabeth Matthias.

Perhaps our favorite part of the retreat was the time set aside for “field updates” at the beginning of each session. All the pastors had the opportunity to give a 10-15 minute presentation about their particular churches and ministries. It was informative to learn about their common struggles and very uplifting to hear testimony of all the unique ways God is working to transform individuals, impact major European cities, and equip people as they travel to the far corners of the Earth with the good news of the gospel.

During one or two sessions each day, Joel and I led the pastors in a brief worship service. Joel designed these services to include several songs in addition to corporate prayer, confession, and readings from various catechisms and historic confessions. The meeting space was beautiful, with high ceilings and pine rafters, and the acoustics were perfect for voices and guitar. Joel’s worship sets were rich in gospel content and—as is often the case, thanks to the work of the Spirit—the themes aligned beautifully with the teaching each day. We were greatly encouraged by the feedback we received, and I do believe that God used us to edify these pastors as they rested and filled themselves with the Word.

We held a Communion service [Thursday] night, and it was a particularly poignant and moving time of worship. Because our group was small in number, we could face each other at a long table and share the elements in a uniquely intimate and communal way. The unhurried reverence was powerful, and I personally experienced very sweet personal worship. This is often a challenge as a musician and leader—and, I suspect, as a pastor—when the demands of facilitating a church service so easily distract us from the holy experience that is the Lord’s Supper.

We came here hoping to encourage the ICC pastors, but I think we have benefitted from this experience at least as much as they have. It has been so exciting to meet these leaders and hear stories of what God is doing all over Europe through the vibrant churches He has planted here.

I had a vague understanding prior to this trip that for many years Europe has been in a state of spiritual decline—that despite a wealth of rich religious heritage, the old traditions and monuments have become mere icons, and spiritual darkness is prevalent. But now, when I picture a map of Europe, I can see pinpricks of light piercing that darkness, scattered across the continent. I’ve had conversations with at least a dozen real people who are here on the front lines, spreading the good news of Jesus Christ. The gospel is alive and active, and lives are being changed through the work of these men and their families. Thanks be to God!

I’m also very excited that in the coming months I’ll be able to participate in the ICC movement by helping redesign and invigorate their web presence. I’m thrilled to be able to use my writing skills and [a humble amount of] content marketing experience to help tell the story of what God is doing through this organization.

Update on October 30: It was a joy to lead at Bavarian International Christian Fellowship —one of the two ICC churches in Munich—on October 18th. On October 25th, our last day overseas, we also had the privilege of leading alongside the worship team at Munich International Community Church. Attending these two church services was a powerful experience, and we are thrilled that we were able to partner with the people of BICF and MICC by assisting with their worship services during our visit.

Worship at MICC on Sunday, October 25.

Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement. We’re pleased to report that we raised 100% of our financial support shortly before we departed the U.S! We are humbled and grateful for this opportunity, and I’m very excited to see how God will continue to use the seeds he has planted in our hearts.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
– Ephesians 3:20–21

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Katie Pollard is the administrator and communications director for Lake Baldwin Church in Orlando, FL. She is also a writer, musician, avid reader, craft guru, wife, and mother. Katie loves intelligent novels, a good cup of tea, and those complicated board games that only your nerdy friends like.

One Baptism — "NIB"

by Rev. Mike Glodo

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Have you ever been perplexed by “netspeak?” The world wide web has introduced a flood of new vocabulary, especially acronyms -– www, http, aol, ftp. Instant -- and text-messagers possess a language practically their own –- lol, imho, btw. “ASAP” is old school.

As an occasional Ebay shopper, I’ve even had to learn its unique nomenclature. When I forget that I can only write with one fountain pen at a time, I’ll browse Ebay for bargains. Besides typing “fountain” and “pen” and possibly “Parker” or “Pelikan” in the search line, I’ll occasionally add “NIB.” When I first spotted this term as a shopper, I thought it simply meant that the pen had a nib –- a point with which to write. It seemed superfluous to me that the seller had to explain that the pen had a point –- unless, of course, pens were often sold without them. Though they wouldn’t be the first pointless things sold (or written.) Then I realized it was an acronym. “NIB” means “new in box.”

Fountain pens are a male version of the purse. For some people, one is enough, for others a regular rotation is called for. But they are also like male jewelry and pristine condition is a real plus, especially when buying from an individual seller. Because throwing away the box is one of the first things people do with new gifts, the seller still having the box can corroborate other representations that the pen is unused. “NIB” is a reassuring label on Ebay.

But“NIB” in other contexts can be the very opposite -- lack of assurance, lack of confidence. Nowhere is this the case more than when it comes to Christian baptism. Show me an unused baptism and I may well be able to show you a struggling, doubt-wracked Christian. Show me a well-worn baptism and chances are a sinewy, time-tested faith will be close at hand. Not an infant, naïve or presumptuous kind of faith, but a strong grip on the gracious work of God in Christ that brings perseverance and hope.

And it’s my sense that most of us have baptisms that look a lot newer than they really are, in some cases shiny, unworn and still-packaged. And we’re the worse for it.
What does it mean to have a “used” or “unused” baptism? We make use of our baptism when we “improve” it. Westminster Larger Catechism 167 explains:

Q. 167. How is our Baptism to be improved by us?
A. The needful but much neglected duty of improving our Baptism, is to be performed by us all our life long, especially in the time of temptation, and when we are present at the administration of it to others; by serious and thankful consideration of the nature of it, and of the ends for which Christ instituted it, the privileges and benefits conferred and sealed thereby, and our solemn vow made therein; by being humbled for our sinful defilement, our falling short of, and walking contrary to, the grace of baptism, and our engagements; by growing up to assurance of pardon of sin, and of all other blessings sealed to us in that sacrament; by drawing strength from the death and resurrection of Christ, into whom we are baptized, for the mortifying of sin, and quickening of grace; and by endeavoring to live by faith, to have our conversation in holiness and righteousness, as those that have therein given up their names to Christ; and to walk in brotherly love, as being baptized by the same Spirit into one body.

As you can see, our baptism is to be used by us constantly in perpetuity -- “all our life long.” As visible words, the sacraments are visible signs through which “the benefits of the new covenant are represented...” (Westminster Shorter Catechism 92) What else do we mean at the Lord’s table when we say that we “proclaim the Lord’s death” until he comes again except that we are proclaiming the Gospel? (1 Cor. 11:26) The sacraments preach the Gospel visibly.

With all of the debate in the broader church about baptism, the most fundamental and frequent misunderstanding is to insist on limiting its benefits to the time of administration. As Presbyterians, we insist to our Baptist friends that the efficacy of baptism is not tied to the moment of administration, that infant baptism looks forward to saving faith that is yet future. But the point of WLC 167 is that the appearance of saving faith is to be but one of countless moments in life when we derive benefits from our baptism. So whether someone is a Presbyterian or a Baptist, she can look back to her baptism through faith in Christ in order to continually draw saving grace from it.

Simply put, whenever I am in doubt, discouraged, hard-pressed, tempted, lonely, forsaken, persecuted, fearful, anxious, indignant or beset, I can gaze through the eyes of faith upon the Gospel when I remember my baptism and when I see others baptized. I can see in baptism Christ dying for my sin, my union with him such that my death became his and his resurrection became mine. I can see the purging of my sins in the washing of the water. I can see final judgment rendered against my old nature as the flood waters overwhelm it. I can be sure that the old man will surely die just as God’s word pronounces that the soul that sins shall surely die. I can be confident that I am not my own, but the Lord’s, because I have died to the Law and it has no claim over me. I witness the new man borne out of the watery womb. A faith-worn baptism will never wear out but will grow more useful and blessed with use.

Some will object -- almost impulsively at times -- that such a view of baptism invites presumption. In their minds, infant baptism inevitably leads to false confidence. They will say that drawing confidence from an external sign is dangerous. After all, hell has many baptized members who had the form of true religion but not its substance.

Presumption is real and it is an insidious danger. Just as pornographers will bend marriage sensuality into smut, unregenerate hearts will smear baptism into sensual self-confidence where there is no ground for it. But just as we must pity the husband and wife who lie apart when their covenant bond has opened the door to a world of comfort and pleasure, we should also pity the believing soul who refuses the warm embrace of Christ held wide if he would remember his baptism.

We improve our baptism not just by remembering that we were baptized, but as well when we witness the baptism of others. Whenever we witness a baptism in worship, I try to remember to lean into the ear of each of my children to say “You are baptized. God made promises to Mommy, to you, and to me. You belong to him.” More than once I have seen their eyes widen -- especially in their little years. I want them to know that the devil sees the water when he wants to cause them harm and he sees the mark that they belong to the Lord. I want them to know that, even though Satan got to them first in Adam’s sin, that God has asserted His claim over them as children of the covenant.

I’ve often participated in and witnesed debates about rebaptism. It’s been a while since someone was executed for rebaptizing, but it still can cause a stir. During the presbytery examination of an ordinand, it’s a good bet he will be asked his view of the subject and whether he would perform a rebaptism. The subject can still bring division. Disagreements over baptism still cause Christians to break fellowship. Sometimes pastors capitulate when asked to rebaptize someone because the person is so insistent, hoping the person’s weak faith will be strengthened. But we would do far better to teach that person to improve the baptism he already has, the one that is still neatly packaged in its original wrapping, rather than give him another one to place upon the shelf. If the plaintiff hasn’t used his first baptism, what assurance is there that he will use his second, or his twelfth baptism?

We pastors compound the ignorance about improving baptism by making the child the exclusive focus at infant baptisms. It certainly is appropriate to celebrate the child’s promises from God, even if the child is not yet sensible to them. And they are so cute before they can talk back or spend money. But I have rarely (if ever) heard a minister say to the congregation, “Watch and remember, for this is what God has done for you!”

For Martin Luther, the lifelong usefulness of baptism was a frequent refuge. The stories are well-known of how, when under the oppressive hand of Satan and his pointed barrage of accusations, Luther would shake his fist at the ceiling and shout back “I have been baptized!” It was out of such a life that he wrote:

Heaven is given unto me freely, for nothing. I have assurance hereof confirmed unto me sealed by covenants. That is, I am baptized, and frequent the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. Therefore I keep the bond safe and sure, lest the devil tear it in pieces. That is, I live and remain in God’s fear and pray daily unto Him. God could not have given me better security of my salvation, and of the Gospel, than by the death and passion of His only Son. When I believe that He overcame death and died for me, and therewith behold the promise of the Father, then I have the bond complete. And when I have the seal of baptism and the Lord’s Supper prefixed thereto, then I am well provided for.

One of our last acts in Michigan as a family was to attend the finale concert of my daughter’s music camp at the University of Michigan. During the concert at Hill Auditorium, a spectacular acoustic site, the boys’ chorus sang a sea chantey about love for the sea -- “Bound to the Wave” by Dietrich and Moore. That song evokes the life of a sailor for whom the sea is home and the land is strange. The chorus emotes the rise and fall of the swells and includes the refrain:
"Water our mother, water our grave And we shall be bound to the wave."

The true sailor’s life begins and ends with life upon the water. The Christian’s surest life draws upon the waters of baptism. Baptism preaches to us our union with Christ in his baptism so that we have resurrection life -- water our mother -- which enables us to die to self and live to him because we have been bought with a price and we are the Lord’s -- water our grave.

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
-- Romans 6:3-10

With no apologies to Kevin Costner’s infamous movie fiasco, "Waterworld," we are invited to live out our lives in the water world of our baptism -- the world to come which has come near in the dying and rising of Christ our Lord, the world in which we are now citizens and this world’s claims against us have been voided, the water world of judgment flood, through which righteous Noah, the Israelites out of Egypt, and we have emerged because the judgment due us flooded over our Savior Jesus Christ. Pull your baptism out of the storage trunk and put it to good use next Lord's Day.

Holy Baptism
As he that sees a dark and shady grove,
Stays not, but looks beyond it on the sky;
So when I view my sins, mine eyes remove
More backward still, and to that water fly,
Which is above the heav'ns, whose spring and rest
Is in my dear Redeemer's pierced side.
O blessed streams! either ye do prevent
And stop our sins from growing thick and wide,
Or else give tears to drown them, as they grow.
In you Redemption measures all my time,
And spreads the plaster equal to the crime;
You taught the book of life my name, that so
What ever future sins should me miscall,
Your first acquaintance might discredit all.
–George Herbert (d. 1652)

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Rev. Michael J. Glodo teaches Old and New Testament courses as well as courses in practical theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Oviedo, FL. The diversity of the courses Professor Glodo teaches reflects his diverse research and ministry interests. He is passionate about Old and New Testament studies and ministry philosophy, particularly regarding worship and liturgy. In addition to serving six years as the Stated Clerk for the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, he also served in pastoral roles at churches in the St. Louis region. He and his wife, Vicki, have a daughter, Rachel, and son, Samuel.