God's own child, I gladly say it:
I am baptized into Christ!
He, because I could not pay it,
Gave my full redemption price.
Do I need earth's treasure many?
I have one worth more than any
That brought me salvation free
Lasting to eternity!
Sin, disturb my soul no longer:
I am baptized into Christ!
I have comfort even stronger:
Jesus' cleansing sacrifice.
Should a guilty conscience seize me
Since my Baptism did release me
In a dear forgiving flood,
Sprinkling me with Jesus' blood?
Satan, hear this proclamation:
I am baptized into Christ!
Drop your ugly accusation,
I am not so soon enticed.
Now that to the font I've traveled,
All your might has come unraveled,
And, against your tyranny,
God, my Lord, unites with me!
Death, you cannot end my gladness:
I am baptized into Christ!
When I die, I leave all sadness
To inherit paradise!
Though I lie in dust and ashes
Faith's assurance brightly flashes:
Baptism has the strength divine
To make life immortal mine.
There is nothing worth comparing
To this lifelong comfort sure!
Open-eyed my grave is staring:
Even there I'll sleep secure.
Though my flesh awaits its raising,
Still my soul continues praising:
I am baptized into Christ;
I'm a child of paradise!
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While we're on the topic of baptism, I decided to post this "new" hymn that is in CW Supplement. Despite being an old text (newly translated) and tune, I find this hymn very fresh and relevant. The hymn expresses the great joy believers have because of their baptism, each stanza joyously proclaiming, "I am baptized into Christ!". The first stanza gives the plan of Salvation, the basis of our baptism.
Stanzas two, three, and four each definatly expresses victory over sin, Satan, and death. They have no power over me, for, I am baptized into Christ! Through our baptism, Christ has given us victory over the dark forces of the world. By his power and through his gracious gifts, we are able to defeat them.
I always find special joy in singing about heaven. Baptism reminds us of our heavenward goal. Stanza five reminds us of this, and makes us yearn for then.
Learn and teach this hymn. The words are beautiful and timeless.
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The first time I sang this hymn -- at a symposium at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary -- I was taken aback (in a good way!). Its Scriptural content and comfort is outstanding, as is its poetry. This is a very fine edition to WELS hymnody now that it's in Christian Worship Supplement.
ReplyDeleteI think that older hymn texts may not always strike us as much because we are already familiar with them. But here is an old hymn text that didn't seem stale at all, but "very fresh and relevant," as you stated above, probably because it was new to my experience. That said, I'm not suggesting that we ditch familiar hymn texts, for they, along with the Word of God, are often the words we turn to for spiritual comfort and consolation.
If a congregation isn't ready to tackle the melody for this hymn, the text could also be sung to the tune for "Christ, the Life of All the Living" (CW 114; Jesu, meines Lebens Leben).