For the 6th Sunday after the Epiphany the three readings are 2 Kings 5:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:19-11:1 and Mark 1:40-45. The text chosen to preach for this coming Sunday is 2 Kings 5:12, “Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?”

The story is a familiar one for teachers-in-training of the Old Testament. Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria finds out from a captured Israeli girl that he can be healed of his leprosy by a prophet in Samaria. But when the prophet Elisha tells him to wash in the Jordan river seven times, Naaman is furious that such dirty water should be helpful to him. After being persuaded by others to do what Elisha tells him to do, his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean.

There are many today who reject the teaching that baptism is a holy sacrament from God by which we are indeed cleansed of our sins. Theologically speaking, the Pentecost water baptism delivers the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection so that we are no longer held accountable for the punishment of our sins; that is, we are forgiven.

How can water do such things? It is not the water but the Gospel promises of the Word of God connected to that event. Baptism is NOT the work of man to show forth one’s faith; it is the work of God to assure us of our having now received the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection. Unlike marriage in which mutual promises are given between man and woman, in baptism God alone makes the promises and we as the baptized receive the fulfillment of those promises.

It reminds us of the dream Abraham had when a burning torch passed between the remains of sacrificed animals. Normally, both sides in a conflict would pass between the sacrifices indicating that if they did not keep their new covenant, that they deserved to happen to them what happened to these animals. But in God’s covenant relationship with us, He alone passes between the animals. For the new covenant is not based on our work or promises but the promises of God through the work of Jesus Christ and the benefits conferred on us through the waters of baptism.

It doesn’t really matter whether the water is clean or dirty. What matters is whether the Word of God is connected so that indeed the Bible is correct, “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.” In fact, it is no coincidence in regard to infant baptism that the Great Commission of Matthew 28 has baptism preceding teaching. A miracle indeed takes place when the waters of baptism transfer even an infant from the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of God on earth; that is, the holy Christian Church.