Here is an excerpt from Daniel Erlander’s Baptized, We Live:
Through water God touches a weak and vulnerable crown of his creation and says YES !
-You are incorporated into Christ and into his body, the church.
-You are initiated, adopted into my covenant people.
-You are called! Chosen! Saved! Born again!
-You are forgiven - free to live without excuses.
-You are ordained, set aside to be a minister.
-You are marked with the cross of Christ forever.
-You are given the gift of the Holy Spirit.
In the baptismal water we died with Christ. We were crucified and buried in order that we might be raised with Christ to live the new life, to dwell in a new reality, a new order of existence.
Because of Baptism we are Christians. Never does our status before God depend on …
how we feel.
having the right experience.
being free of doubts.
what we accomplish.
our success or our position.
We are Christians because God surprised US. Coming in water, God washed us and grafted us into Christ. Our identity for all the days of our life is set! We are Children of God, priests of the King, disciples of Christ, a servant people, a holy nation, the communion of saints, the followers of the Way, proclaimers of the wonderful deeds of God. Jesus’ story becomes our story. Baptized into his death, we are raised to live as the Body of Christ in the world today.
Yeah, Lutherans don’t believe in baptismal regeneration.
