WATER BAPTISM (Holiness.com
Response)
The
sixth chapter of Romans provides a very illustrative picture;
it says in the 3rd and 4th verses: "
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus
Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried
with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised
up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also
should walk in newness of life."
As stated above, he was buried (showing without a doubt that
he was dead), and He rose from the dead showing himself not
only to the apostles, but to hundreds of believers: 1
Corinthians 15:3-6 [For I delivered unto you first of all that
which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins
according to the Scriptures: And that he was buried, and that
he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures: And
that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he
was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the
greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen
asleep.]
Naturally speaking, when a person dies they lose all focus on
the physical world, the dead are not controlled and ruled by
the laws of society, the dead are not driven/motivated by the
desires that reign among those of us still living; daily
motivations that include getting proper meals, advancing a
career, buying gas for the automobile, wearing presentable
clothing, and etc. So, another theme we see represented in
water baptism is the fact that Christians have died to sin in
that we are no longer imprisoned to the inevitability of
fulfilling the daily desires of the sinful nature (Romans 6:2
[God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any
longer therein?] ) This destruction of the reign/control of
sin in our lives happened through repentance which includes
accepting by faith, (literally sharing in) the blessing of the
affect of Christ being crucified on our behalf. When a sinner
repents, God provides the repentant person a new nature,
literally a new life in which the person experiences the joy
of seeking after God's plan for his/her life. It is through
our sharing by faith the power of the death of Christ that we
are able to die to sin; and as Christ rose from the dead, so
we are raised to the new life that is pleasing to God; this is
symbolized in the baptism candidates coming up (or being
raised up) out of the water. I might add that no matter how
bad our past sins were, God is willing to give this new life
to all who repent; PRAISE GOD!!!!
So, baptism symbolizes our identification with (our very
dependence upon) the power of Christ's death, burial, and
resurrection and the new life produced thereby in the
Christian.
But, who has authorized this great work of Salvation which is
made available to all humanity? And, who is responsible? --
Namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost have worked
together in their perfect harmony to authorize & provide this
great Salvation. As an example, look at the book of Saint John
[Chapter 3 verse 16] "For God so loved the world, that he gave
his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should
not perish, but have everlasting life." Romans 10:9 says:
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and
shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the
dead, thou shalt be saved."
Not only do the Father and Son have an active part in
producing this salvation in a person, but the Holy Spirit is
indispensable in the work of the new birth: Saint John 3:8
"…so is every one that is born of the Spirit"
Some Bible scholars use verses such as Galatians 3:27 to
demonstrate that baptism also symbolizes the Christian's unity
with Christ. However, any person that is united with Christ
must by definition be united with the Father and the Holy
Spirit as well. Jesus told his disciples concerning the Holy
Spirit in Saint John 14:17 "…he dwelleth with you, and shall
be in you." In Saint John 14:23 "Jesus answered and said unto
him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father
will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode
with him."
This harmony and unity among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
is why I believe Jesus said to baptize believers "…in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" Matthew
28:19
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