THE SYMBOLOGY FOUND IN BAPTISM

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

So He went and preached to the spirits in prison—those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 3:19-21

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

I have no recollection of it but my parents had me baptized when I was a child in the Presbyterian church in my small, western Pennsylvania hometown. It was what is often referred to as a “sprinkle” baptism as the Pastor sprinkled water from the baptismal font on my little head. From that time on as I grew up in the church, a period that ranged well into my thirties, this was the baptism I always held to as a believer.  

At that time, several years after meeting and marrying my wife Grace, we felt called to leave the Presbyterian church we had served for some time and were led to a Southern Baptist congregation where we began to worship. The senior Pastor liked to meet with prospective new members and I remember vividly welcoming him into our home to discuss joining the church. It was during that conversation that the matter of baptism came up after which my wife and I shared our respective experiences and unlike me, she had gone through baptism by immersion.

I have to admit that I was caught a little off guard when the Pastor suggested that I should consider being baptized again, this time by immersion. If I’m honest, I was a little put off by that at first until he explained his reasoning while relating it to the scriptures. Not only did he explain the very symbology found in baptism but he shared how even Jesus, the very Son of God, was baptized by immersion. By following suit, I would not only gain a richer, personal understanding of baptism but also gain a stronger connection to Christ while proclaiming that connection publicly before the congregation.

With that being said, I was more than willing to move forward, allowing the Pastor to plunge me into the watery depths so I could die to self and emerge that new creation with a renewed commitment to serve and follow Jesus, my Savior. As a believer, I have only grown in strength and power through the Holy Spirit since then.

Why go into all this?

Because it came rushing to the forefront of my thoughts as I read today’s passage from our continued look at 1 Peter, chapter 3. Here are those words again:

So He went and preached to the spirits in prison—those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Vv.19-21

I want you to note the connection here between the sacrament of baptism and the death and resurrection of Jesus. For although Jesus died and was put in the tomb (connect to going under the water while being baptized), God raised Him up in resurrection power on the third day (the baptized believer rising up out of the water) and He remains alive and well today, sitting in a place of authority over everything in Heaven and on earth.

In other words, as the scriptures pronounce, the baptism of Christ believers is “effective because of the resurrection of Jesus”. Just as He rose to new life so too does every single person who places their trust in Him for their salvation. And just as He lives and will live forever, so too will every single one of His disciples.

Friends, this the good news that forms our undeniable and irremovable hope, the hope we must be prepared to share with others when they ask about it (v.15).We are saved by our simple belief in Jesus, our sin-stained selves washed white as snow through the blessed justification brought by our Savior.

Today, as well as every day, rejoice and be glad over the love, grace, and mercy that God has lavished upon Christian believers through His Son.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.