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 (Romans 6:3-4). Continue...
For the
Christian, water baptism by immersion is important, and its significance
shouldn’t be overlooked. Our opening scripture tells us exactly the
significance of water baptism: it’s a testimony of your faith in the death,
burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When you’re dipped into water in
baptism, you’re declaring that you’ve identified with Him in His death and
burial. When you’re brought out of the water, it’s symbolic of His
resurrection; you’re thus affirming that you now walk in newness of life. Glory
to God!
Moreover,
water baptism marks your final separation from the world. When the children of Israel passed through the Red
Sea on dry ground, it was symbolic of water baptism. The Bible
says they did it by faith (Hebrews 11:29). 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 tells us that
they were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea: “Moreover, brethren,
I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the
cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the
cloud and in the sea.”
When they
went through the water and came out on the other side, the Egyptians tried to
do the same, but they were buried in the water; they all died. At that point,
the children of Israel were
separated from Egypt ; the Red Sea was their final separation. In the same way,
water baptism marks your final separation from Egypt , which is a type of the
world.
This is why
every Christian must be baptized in water; it’s a symbol of salvation, but not
in the same sense as the salvation of taking away your sins; it’s the salvation
of a good conscience towards God. 1 Peter 3:20-21 says, “...God waited in the
days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls
were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save
us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good
conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
PRAYER
Dear
Father, I thank you for separating me from the destructions that ruin men’s
lives, and the judgment of this world. I’m identified with Christ in His death,
burial and resurrection, and now walk in newness of life, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER
STUDY:
Mark 16:16
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not
shall be damned.
Galatians 3:26-27
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of
you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Source: Rhapsody
Of Realities, 12/12/2014.
No comments:
Post a Comment