baptism Archives - Colin Dye

The Lord’s Supper – A Mere Memorial?

Colin Dye — Sat, 02 Aug 2025 13:21:35 +0000

More than a symbol

Many evangelical churches today see the Lord’s Supper as just a symbolic act. The bread and wine help us remember what Jesus did on the cross, following his words: “Do this in remembrance of me.” This view, known as Memorialism, became popular during the Reformation in Switzerland — through leaders like Zwingli and Bullinger. They rejected the idea that the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ.

Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and Orthodox churches believe in the Real Presence—that Christ is physically present in the Lord’s Supper. Even if they explain it differently, they all believe that Christ is actually present in the bread and wine.

John Calvin also believed in the Real Presence but offered a different way of explaining it. He didn’t think the bread and wine physically changed, but he did believe Christ is spiritually present when we receive them with faith. According to him, the experience is real and meaningful—not just a memory exercise. Believers feed on the body and blood of Christ as they are spiritually united with Jesus’ physical presence in heaven.

Although Memorialism is common in many churches today, some leaders are starting to question whether it’s enough. They’re asking, “Is the Lord’s Supper just about remembering, or is something more happening?”

Living Memorial

Jesus introduced the Lord’s Supper during the Jewish Passover—a meal that was all about remembering how God saved his people from Egypt. So when Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me,” it linked Israel with the Exodus and their living identity as the people of God. The Passover Feast was more than an act of remembrance. It pointed to the on-going activity of God.

The bread and wine point back to Jesus’ sacrifice, but they also carry forward his promises. This isn’t just about us remembering him—it’s also about trusting that God remembers us and responds when we approach him in faith.

The Lord’s Supper isn’t just a symbolic reminder. It’s a spiritual event. When we take part sincerely, it becomes a means by which God fulfils his promises and confirms his grace in our lives.

Spiritual Experience

The Lord’s Supper is a multi-layered spiritual experience. It works simultaneously in three
directions:

Inward, it helps us focus our hearts on Jesus. As we remember his sacrifice, the Holy
Spirit draws us closer to God. We feel his love and peace. It builds our faith and trust
in him.
Outward, it strengthens our connection with other believers. We’re reminded that
we’re one family, united in Christ. As we share in the meal, we grow in love and
fellowship.
Upward, we commune with God. It’s not just us reaching for him—he also draws
near to us. As we worship and give thanks, he blesses us through the bread and wine,
bringing us more deeply into all that is represented on the Table.

So yes, we remember Christ—but God is also doing something. The Lord’s Supper is a
powerful moment where heaven touches earth. It’s not just symbolic—it’s spiritual,
relational, and deeply real.

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Becoming a disciple of Jesus: Water Baptism

Colin Dye — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 09:00:20 +0000

The baptism by full immersion

As believers we are called to follow Jesus as his disciples. The word ?disciple? means ?learner? or ?student?. But it does not mean we become classroom students or intellectual followers. Rather, we follow Christ?s example in everything. You learn how to follow Jesus in company with others, not in isolation. ?This is why you need to be part of a cell group, where you can see the life of Christ modelled in your cell leader and fellow disciples. They are committed to help you grow as a Christian and will also look to you to encourage them in their discipleship.

Discipleship means living the ?life that springs from grace?. It is about learning who you are in Christ and all the rich blessings he has freely given you. You respond to his amazing love and undeserved favour with joy and feed on his goodness every day. As you keep your eyes on Jesus, he will direct you by his Holy Spirit and speak to you about the things he wants you to change so that you can enjoy his blessings more and more. Discipleship also means you represent Jesus in the world. You are called to witness to him and to lead others to come to believe in him.
Baptism in water
Water baptism is really the first step of obedience in your life of discipleship. Water baptism is your formal pledge or commitment to Christ. Jesus didn?t need to be baptised as a mark of his own repentance because he never sinned. Nevertheless, he was baptised by John the Baptist because, as he said, ?It is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness? (Matthew 3:15).
This is emphasised by Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20 when he commands us to ?Go and make disciples of all nations.? Then, he tells us how a disciple is made – by ?baptising them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.? Then he adds, ?teaching them everything that I have commanded you.?
First we believe in Jesus, and then we are baptised into his ?school of discipleship?. In the New Testament, you became a disciple by being baptised. Truly speaking, there no such thing as an unbaptised disciple of Jesus. Baptism is a necessary step of obedience. It is not an optional extra.?If you have not been baptised as a believer in Jesus, make plans to be baptised right away.

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On the Baptism in the Holy Spirit

Colin Dye — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 09:24:14 +0000

Baptism by Fire

The disciples were people who had been with Jesus throughout his ministry and had been sent out by Jesus in ministry.? They had preached.? They had seen God work wonderful miracles through them.? Yet Jesus told them, in Acts 1:1-11, that they had to wait for ?the promise of the Father?.
Jesus promised that – if they waited in Jerusalem- they would soon be baptised in the Holy Spirit.? Furthermore, he promised that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them, and that then they would be witnesses.? Their years with Jesus were not enough.? Their ministry experience was inadequate.? Before they could be witnesses, they needed Jesus to baptise them in Holy Spirit.
This phrase occurs seven times in most English versions of the New Testament.? Six of these – Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5 & Acts 11:16 – clearly refer to the baptism which John promised that the Messiah – the Anointed One – would bring.? The seventh verse – 1 Corinthians 12:13 – could be translated either as ?baptised by the Spirit? or ?baptised in the Spirit?. However, the phrase ?drinking one Spirit? does suggest that this verse refers to the same baptism ?in? the Spirit as the other six verses. Either way, both renderings are in the ?passive voice?, which means that the subject receives the action of the verb ? in other words the baptising is done to the person.
The word baptised always appears as a verb and never as the noun ?baptism? – which seems to stress the importance of action.? Though the noun baptisma appears twenty-two times in the New Testament, it is never used in the sense of ?baptism in the Holy Spirit? ? this thought is instead conveyed by the phrase ?baptised in the Holy Spirit?. This points to an unrepeatable experience of initiation.? Baptism – like birth, marriage and death – is something which should occur only once.? And it is initiatory in that baptism is not an end in itself – it is not an experience to be enjoyed and then remembered – rather it is the doorway to a new way of living: baptism is essentially the start of something entirely new.
This means that, when Jesus baptised the disciples in the Spirit at Pentecost, it was the unrepeatable moment of initiation into the Holy Spirit?s new age.? The use of the word ?baptised? shows that nothing would ever be the same again.
But we have seen that Pentecost was also a day of first fruits.? It looked forward to a far greater harvest.? Each succeeding Christian can enter into the benefits of Pentecost.? By faith, we can join them in the baptistery of the Spirit to receive this baptism from the hands of Jesus.
People often ask about the connection between water baptism and Spirit baptism. Put simply, water baptism is a preparation for Spirit baptism – in water baptism the repentant sinner who has already placed his faith in Jesus identifies with Christ as Lord and Saviour; in Spirit baptism, God recognises and seals with his approving acceptance the one who has been baptised in water. Notwithstanding, there are examples in Scripture of individuals being baptised in the Holy Spirit prior to water baptism, as is the case with Cornelius and his household in Acts 10. But more regularly, water baptism precedes Spirit baptism.

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