I've always hated legalism, part 2

Baptism.

Before I begin, maybe I should preface this by saying that I have been baptized. I was fully immersed in the Baptist denomination fashion in the Jordan River in Israel on June 15, 2008.

I don't really understand the purpose of this practice either. I honestly don't even know where to start explaining what about it I don't understand.

I've heard baptism is a "public declaration of faith," and that's why Christians are supposed to do it. But that reason makes zero sense to me. If I'm correct, Jesus in Scripture tells us not to be overt in doing religious practices. For example, he says when you pray, go into your room and close the door and pray in secret (which is why I have a problem with See You At The Pole gatherings). He says when you give, do not even let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. He says when you fast, anoint yourself with oil, do not pour ashes on yourself, and do not tear your clothes. I think what he's trying to communicate is that what matters about these practices is between you and God. So if baptism is a public declaration of faith, why must we do it? It seems inconsistent with the rest of what Jesus said.

Also, if baptism is a public event, why does it only happen with an audience of the church? If it were really a public event, you would think we would go to street corners with a tub of water and perform the ceremonies there. But we don't. (If we did, I'd have a huge problem with that--see the previous paragraph.)

Perhaps the other description of baptism that I've heard can give more insight: it symbolizes a believer's death to sin and resurrection in Jesus. I find that to be a more satisfactory reason than a public declaration of faith, but I still feel that even that definition doesn't satisfy me. The actual death to sin and life in Christ is what matters, and that's something that only the Holy Spirit can do. A ceremony where you get dunked (or sprinkled), therefore, just seems superfluous to me.

Let's talk more here about sprinkling infants. What does that accomplish? I don't understand the purpose of immersion, so I much less understand the purpose of sprinkling, and much much less the purpose of sprinkling infants. I guess maybe it symbolizes dedication of a baby to God or something, but why show that dedication by pouring water on their heads and making them cry? I really just can't wrap my head around it.

My junior year of high school, my Bible teacher told us that getting baptized is a command (because Peter said in Acts, "Repent and be baptized"). Therefore, he said, if you don't get baptized, you are technically sinning. There were a couple students in the class who argued with him about that claim for twenty minutes or so. I disagreed with him as well, but not vocally. I disagreed because of the verse in 1 John that says something like "No one who lives in him keeps on sinning." So, logically, if not getting baptized is a sin, then continuing not to get baptized is continuing to live in sin. That would indicate that you aren't saved. But then that would make baptism a condition for salvation, which contradicts the idea of a non-works-based salvation.

Another thing I heard from a former youth pastor was that baptism is like a wedding ring; it is a public sign of commitment. Just because you don't wear a wedding ring doesn't make you unmarried; but your spouse won't be very happy. Similarly, if you don't get baptized, that doesn't make you not saved, but Jesus isn't too thrilled about that. That seems silly to me too. The Jesus I know is not a legalist. He will love me just as much unconditionally, whether or not I choose to get dunked in a tub in a church that cost thousands of dollars to install. He will not condemn me; he will not be disappointed in me. So then why does baptism really matter?

So Protestants define baptism as either a public declaration of faith, or as death to sin and life in Christ. But then why did John the Baptist exist? Why did he baptize people in his day? They were not under the New Covenant, so baptism then could not be defined as either of the definitions we have today.

Until baptism makes sense to me, I will not encourage or discourage someone to get baptized. Even if I happen to be the agent through with the Holy Spirit brings someone to knowing Jesus.