Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God (Ephesians 2:19)
Last night I accompanied the youth on a temple trip to do baptisms for the dead. The temple president spoke with them briefly before we got started. He compared baptism with a naturalization ceremony for those who desire to become U.S. citizens. I immediately thought of the scripture above from Ephesians. I think it's a good analogy. He talked about how the naturalization ceremony requires that we know certain things and commit to certain things, and that we are then accepted as members of the community -- the celestial community, for baptism. (And, of course, there is the implication of necessary authority.)
As I look at the Ephesians verse, I note also that it includes both "fellowcitizens with the saints" and "of the household of God". I believe "of the household" means "part of the family". I think these are both similar and distinct concepts. We become "the seed of Christ" at baptism, but we are not sealed into the family until we have received the temple covenants, and had them sealed upon us by the Holy Spirit of promise. This is a process of progression indicated in the scriptures by various relational terms describing us as slaves or servants to God, or children, or friends.
He compared baptism with a naturalization ceremony for those who desire to become U.S. citizens. I immediately thought of the scripture above from Ephesians. I think it's a good analogy.Considering Professor Decoo's observations right now over at T&S, you might want to be careful with any Church/U.S.-citizen analogies--might out you as an isolationist who is insensitive of "international issues" within the Church (and I know that you are not such a person) because you are so callous as to make something such as the Gospel relevant to your own cultural immersion.
ReplyDeletePosted by john fowles
Conversion and naturalization processes really are very similar. I came to that same conclusion when I was preparing a talk about "Being A Loyal Citizen" a month ago. I studied stories from the Hebrew Bible and two stuck out to me ... the one where Moses identified with the HEbrew slave rather than the Egyptian taskmaster and the story of Ruth's determination to stay with her mother-in-law regardless of what might happen or where that family relationship might take her. In both cases it seemed to me that it was the individual's choice that determined not only what group they belonged to but what God they served.
ReplyDeletePosted by danithew