Christian Foundations 7 - Baptismنموونە

BAPTISM FOR US 

There is a question about baptism that we have not tackled directly: “How much water is necessary?” Some people in a church I pastored had become Christians as adults and had gone to their minister at the time who baptized them by sprinkling. Were they baptized believers? My opinion was that the mode (the method used) was not as important as the meaning and so I concluded that they had indeed been baptized as believers. But the word “baptize” means “dip” or “immerse” and the symbolism revolves around going under the water, so it makes sense that by far the best way to baptize is to plunge people completely under the water. In the following passage, there is yet another picture of baptism that reinforces the “dipping” mode.

Read: Romans 6:1-7

Journal

1. What is God saying to me? Which verse is most significant?

2. What do I want to discuss/explore further?

3. What do I need to do?

4. What is the new meaning of baptism (at least for this plan) introduced in this passage?

Reflect

Let me try to piece together all that we have learned about baptism through the Scriptures we have read this week. What does this symbolic action mean?

First, baptism is a symbol of repentance and death. In baptism, we are saying that we have not lived the way God wanted us to and that we are farewelling and turning away from our old life. As Romans 6:4 says, our baptism represents a burial of the old life. Just as Jesus died and was buried because of our sin, so we with Jesus, have also died and the old life has been buried under the water. It is gone. It has been killed off. We are not the way we used to be. We will never be that way again.

Second, baptism is a symbol of new life. This is the new meaning for us in this Scripture (6:4). The old life has been replaced by a brand new life filled with the presence of God’s Spirit and the freedom to live God’s way. As Jesus was raised from the dead, so we have been raised to life as children of God. Our old life and our new life are like chalk and cheese. We come out of the waters to real-life forever with God. Life to the full.

Third, baptism is a symbol of our new commissioning by God. We saw this in the baptism of Jesus. God has work for us to do and in baptism, we are saying yes to following Jesus and joining his new kingdom mission. Our new life not only involves new joy but also new sacrifice and power.

Fourth, baptism is a symbol of washing. We haven’t covered this, but in Acts 22:16 Paul recollects Ananias’ words to him straight after he had been converted, “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on his name.” The baptismal water represents the blood of Jesus that washes away our sins so that we come out of the waters clean and pure and right.

The symbol of baptism is full of meaning for us. It speaks of the death and resurrection of Jesus, of our own death to our old life and resurrection to new life, and of our commitment to following Jesus. Ananias' question to Paul (above) may be relevant to you, “And now what are you waiting for?”

Pray

What am I waiting for Lord? I want to follow you. Please help me to obey.

Respond

Answer Ananias’ question yourself: “And now what are you waiting for?”