And, in our Baptism, we are assured of God's continuing love and pardon in Jesus. In Baptism we enter the family of God, the body of Christ, the priesthood of all believers. We receive a new identity as members of the community of Christians called the church. Ordination implies preparation. In Baptism we also become part of a new human unity in which the barriers that separated us from one another and which created hostility between people have been overcome.
Baptism is more than a momentary declaration of forgiveness.
It involves a lifetime of transformation and renewal. No theological tradition is richer in its baptismal emphasis than the Lutheran tradition. We agree with Dr. Brand's assessment as well as with his insistence that pre-baptismal preparation receive high priority in the life and mission of our church. Pastors must see to it that the beginning made in Baptism is a true beginning, that Baptism is a step consciously taken, and that it is not merely the reflex to an emotional experience which may prove ephemeral. It is something of an affront to God's rich promises to do anything less.