Baptism, Circumcision, the Divine Image, and Asking Your Own Pastor by Pastor Walter Snyder Q: I'm Catholic, my fiance‚ Jewish. Our child will be baptized Catholic. I understand that she'll be Catholic but others tell us that she'll always have Jewish in her. Who is correct? A: Baptism in the name of the Triune God is baptism into the Christian Church. Your child will be a Christian; what she remains is in God's hands and in yours. Faith is created and sustained by the Holy Spirit working through God's Word. Baptism isn't a magic show; your daughter will remain in the Faith as she remains immersed in and surrounded by God's Word. This means attending church services with her, reading the Bible and holding family devotions, and otherwise actively participating in her faith walk. As for her being Jewish, weren't all of the apostles, including Peter and Paul, Jews? The first Christians didn't renounce being Jews; they understood Christ as the fulfillment of the prophecies and the Christian Church as the fulfillment of the worship of ancient Israel. Q: What does the Bible say about circumcision? A: Circumcision in Scripture is done for religious reasons, not for any perceived health benefits. God commanded Israel to circumcise male children on their eighth day of life. This command was not extended to the Gentiles. Saint Paul treats repentance as a circumcision of the heart, calling Baptism a spiritual circumcision instead of fleshly. Colossians 2:11-13 says, "In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in Baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses...." His Epistle to the Galatians strongly rebukes those who insist that Gentile converts must be circumcised. While it's not absolutely forbidden, circumcision is no longer an imperative for a relationship with God. Christians considering circumcision for themselves or their sons must decide for medical or cultural reasons, not by reason of divine command. Q: What does it mean to be created in the image of God? A: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Gen 1:27)" Even in perfection, man was not omniscient, almighty, omnipresent, or otherwise a god. However, he was morally pure. Holiness defined him. Just as a mirror gives you a good idea of what you look like, so an examination of pre-sin Adam and Eve would have given you a good idea of what God is like. But sin broke the mirror and only tiny flashes of the image occasionally shine forth from fallen man. We see the results in Genesis 5:1, 3: While God made Adam "in the likeness of God," sin caused Adam to father Seth as "a son in his own likeness, after his image." However, Christ is God and, according to His flesh, restores the image of God to mankind: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (Col 1:15)" In Baptism we put on Christ and wear this image. Looking at believers, God sees His Son's perfection, not our imperfection. In the resurrection, the image will be fully restored to us. No longer will it be only the protective clothing of faith, it will be the defining essence of our beings. Q: Is it okay to go to your Pastor and ask questions on dress code, smoking on church grounds, age-appropriate topics for teen class, or gossip in church? And if you do ask such questions should you get an answer? A: No legitimate question of Christian faith and practice should be off-limits for a believers to ask their pastors. One reason I began this column is that some people worry about asking their own pastor certain things. Some topics embarrass us more with people we know. We worry that even our own pastors might judge us. Sadly, some pastors do react improperly. Many questions I receive come from believers who have their own pastors. Yet the same sinful nature that leads us into improper thought, word, and deed creeps into the relationships Christians have with those whom God calls to be their spiritual leaders. We become fearful of those called to teach and model God's love. Since this shouldn't be, I encourage people to begin or continue dialog with their own pastors. Regarding your areas of concern, were I your pastor I'd welcome these questions. I'd talk with you until I'd given a complete and accurate response to each and was confident that you knew why I'd replied as I had. So tuck this reply in your hand and bring it with you to "break the ice" with your pastor. If he's a normal pastor, he'll be delighted you asked. Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from ~The Holy Bible, English Standard Version~, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Ask the Pastor, © 2004 by Walter P. Snyder. It may be reproduced in totality, including this disclaimer, by anyone, provided that no profit is generated by said republication and redistribution. Translations into other languages should similarly note the United States and any appropriate international copyrights, as well as God's Scriptural injunctions concerning the property of others. Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book "What Do Lutherans Believe."