A thought about baptism

One of the things which I've always struggled about concerning baptism is the way in which it can be seen as a means of God's grace. In what way has a baby who is baptised been graced compared to a baby who hasn't been baptised? If they both suddenly die, is their status before God different? Is that fair? What of the many baptised babies who never seem to connect further with the Christian faith? Did God's grace not work for them?

Then this evening I had a thought. WHat if God's grace through baptism is not for the baptised, but for the world? What if baptism makes the baptised person a sign (technical meaning) of God's grace to the world? In Genesis 12:1-3, Abraham is given God's blessing - but that blessing is instrumental - Abraham is blessed in order to be a blessing to others - not so that he can be part of a nifty club of people God loves. What if baptism works the same way?

In being baptised, the child is both symbolising God's grace for the whole world - his promise to work transformatively in human lives. The child is also acting as a means of that transformative grace - at the least, just by being a living enactment of the gospel to those watching the baptism. But of course for those who go on to live out their baptismal faith they are invited and indeed called to be a means of God's grace to the whole world in every aspect of the living of their lives - that's what being a Christian is all about.