Strangely Warmed

Article 17 of the  Methodist Articles of Religion  states: Baptism is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference whereby Christians are distinguished from others that are not baptized; but it is also a sign of regeneration or the new birth. The Baptism of young children is to be retained in the Church. Wesley adopted this from the Church of England’s Article 27. The key words Wesley omitted are highlighted below. Baptism is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference by which Christian men are discerned from other that be not christened, but is also a sign of regeneration or new birth,  whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive baptism rightly are grafted into the Church; the promises of the forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the sons of God, by the Holy Spirit are visibly signed and sealed; faith is confirmed, and grace increased by virtue of prayer unto God.  The baptism of young children is in any wise to be retaine...

I think the church ought to remind its members frequently of their baptism. If the mission of the church is to make disciples for Jesus Christ, then baptism is at the heart of our mission (Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:38-39). One reason that Christians think so little of baptism is that we hide it away and think of it seldom. Out of sight, out of mind. Let's keep God's gift of baptism in plain sight so that it can begin to shape our thinking about what it means to be a Christian. We ought to be framing our worship in terms of our baptism. We are gathered together in Christ because we have been united to him in baptism. Our liturgy of gathering should make this explicit. At the close of worship, we are sent into the world as Christ's representatives; our baptism is our ordination for service in the world in Christ's name. Our dismissal liturgies should also make this explicit. And most of all, baptism should be the foundation of our approaching the Lord's table. Ye...