As a continuation to my last post, let us go more about water baptism. For simplicity, I mention as baptism in this post further and all the references mean to water baptism unless explicitly specified otherwise. We have seen the basic idea behind baptism is that one acknowledges his faith in Lord Jesus Christ that He accepts Him as his Lord and Savior for his life. Now, we will see the meaning of it further. Before writing anything spiritual, I just want to mention about water and life. As everyone knows, apart from blood, water is the essential content for life. Nothing can survive without water. That's why in extra terrestrial search for life, a planet is first analyzed for water presence. Water is mentioned in the second verse of the Bible before even mentioning about light."And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." Gen 1:2 and no wonder water is linked with Holy Spirit. So, we see the importance of water here. Water constitutes 60% of the human body.
Baptism is the process of getting immersed in water three times (to represent Trinity). Why it is considered a way for born again? Just think about how a baby is delivered. Before the baby has to come out, there needs to be a rupture of amniotic fluid bag in the mother's womb. We could also say that water is an essential element for baby's birth. In same way, to born again, one has to immerse and come out of water by faith in Jesus Christ.
So, what Baptism signifies? Baptism simply means that the individual who is taking baptism is dying to his previous self centered life and he is getting born again in his spirit to live a new life that is Christ centered. Refer Romans 6:3. So, he is a new born person now. This is the simplest meaning. It also means that he is dying to his old habits, worldly things and all the other selfish things that he had been doing before accepting Jesus Christ as the master of his life. Not only it symbolizes the death of the person but it also means he is crucified on cross and then buried with him through baptism and when we get out of water, we are resurrected with Jesus Christ by faith and new man is born and the spiritual man is quickened from the dead. All through faith, nothing is visible process. Romans 6:4-6. Baptism symbolizes all this process and everything happens to the person who undergoes baptism even if he is not aware of all this.
Is that all baptism signifies? Well, it signifies more than that.In last post, I have mentioned a verse from Peter that this is a covenant that is being made between the individual and God. To understand more about the covenant, lets review some of the relevant covenants from old testament. The first one is the God's covenant with Noah. God promised Noah after the great floods that He will not destroy the earth by water again. Peter exactly says that is a like figure. Noah's family of 8 members alone were saved from the entire world by getting into the ark. Baptism is comparable to that in such a way that each one is getting saved out of water through baptism as a new born member of Christ. The ark is comparable to Jesus Christ Himself and taking baptism is again compared to be within the ark (Jesus Christ). Do we have any other example of baptism in old testament apart from the Noah's ark protection on great floods? Yes, the entire nation of Israelites who came out of Egypt after pass over were baptized in red sea. Moses was named after he was taken from waters, his name itself is significant in context of baptism and he lead the entire nation of Egypt through pass over (crucifixion of Jesus) and through pillar of cloud Red sea (baptism). I am not saying this, but people who know the Bible know where this is exactly given. Yes, please go through I Cor 10:1,2.
The second covenant is the one that God made with Abraham where God told Abraham will become a great nation and as a mark of covenant, Abraham and his descendants have to undergo circumcision. The circumcision is a blood covenant as blood spills out of the process and God remembers the covenant. But, actually Jesus has established the new covenant to all who accepts Him by faith and whosoever accepts Him become a child of Abraham automatically. This is a contradiction to Abrahamic covenant as the original covenant was based on circumcision on flesh. To extend this covenant to gentiles, a greater covenant has to be done. But, how a covenant that has been made by God with a man can be abolished or changed. Only by God Himself and exactly that is what Jesus has done on cross. He became a man and stood on behalf for all mankind, shed all His blood on cross to create a new covenant in such a way that old Abrahamic covenant is no longer required. He fulfilled all the Mosaic law and hence He made a blood covenant with God on behalf of humans so that this covenant cannot be broken because Lord had made covenant with God and it is sealed. Now, anyone can enjoy the blessings of God through Abrahamic covenant by simply accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and no need for him to undergo circumcision. I will try to cover more on this in a separate chapter with reference verses. But, to give a hint, the core theme of the epistle of Galatians point to this fact. So, to learn more about old covenant, law and new covenant, please read the epistle of Galatians. The Abrahamic covenant looks a bit out of context with baptism. But, the connection is it was abolished by Jesus Christ on cross so God has made a covenant through Jesus for anyone who accepts Him. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:12,13. But, it is the covenant act of the individual from his end to take baptism by sealing that he is accepting Jesus and surrendering to live a new life pleasing to God through Holy Spirit.
Now, having gone through the foreshadows, meaning and spiritual importance of baptism, let's see what is the right approach for baptism. Many churches give the practice of infant baptism. Is it right to baptize the baby? As per the above explanation, it is wrong to baptize the baby because it is a covenant between an individual person and God and the person has to decide it, not the parents or guardians of the infant. The baby doesn't know what is good or bad or what is sin. But many denominational churches follow this practice. So, what is the right time for a person to take baptism? Let's look at our role model, Jesus Christ. Luke 2:23 says Jesus was about 30 years old when he took baptism. I would also say 30 is the perfect age for a person to take baptism unless otherwise he comes to Christianity in an older age. Because, a person would be completely matured and probably married by 30 years of age and he knows how to live a family life. So, in my opinion, 30 is the perfect age but it could be few years earlier or later depending upon the faith of the individual. So, why churches have infant baptism? My guess is during the evolving of church there could be a confusion that if a person die in young age before taking baptism, whether he goes to heaven or hell as per the verse of John 3:5. To know more about that check the wiki page of infant baptism at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infant_baptism. But, I believe dedicating a baby during naming is the right approach rather than baptizing because baptism is just a basic qualification and we cannot assure everyone who takes baptism to reach the kingdom of God. It is just a starting point. So, I believe in cases of death in young age before baptism, still the child could enter kingdom of God by faith based on the discretion of God.
So, the right approach should be followed and only the matured adults should take the baptism and then only the new creation would have a real meaning and purpose in the life of the person who takes baptism. One who takes baptism should clearly know the truths about sin and salvation by grace through faith in Lord Jesus Christ and he or she has to believe in that. Try to read the incident of Philip baptizing minister of Candace queen and the condition is if you believe with all heart that Jesus Christ is son of God, you may take baptism. Acts 8:26-39 focus on verses 36-38.
I think I covered most about baptizing by immersion in water and I might have left out something. it has already been a bigger one. In my next post, I will cover about another important process of baptism by Holy Spirit and baptizing by fire. May all glory, honor and praise to God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who promised to make us a new creation. Amen.
Baptism is the process of getting immersed in water three times (to represent Trinity). Why it is considered a way for born again? Just think about how a baby is delivered. Before the baby has to come out, there needs to be a rupture of amniotic fluid bag in the mother's womb. We could also say that water is an essential element for baby's birth. In same way, to born again, one has to immerse and come out of water by faith in Jesus Christ.
So, what Baptism signifies? Baptism simply means that the individual who is taking baptism is dying to his previous self centered life and he is getting born again in his spirit to live a new life that is Christ centered. Refer Romans 6:3. So, he is a new born person now. This is the simplest meaning. It also means that he is dying to his old habits, worldly things and all the other selfish things that he had been doing before accepting Jesus Christ as the master of his life. Not only it symbolizes the death of the person but it also means he is crucified on cross and then buried with him through baptism and when we get out of water, we are resurrected with Jesus Christ by faith and new man is born and the spiritual man is quickened from the dead. All through faith, nothing is visible process. Romans 6:4-6. Baptism symbolizes all this process and everything happens to the person who undergoes baptism even if he is not aware of all this.
Is that all baptism signifies? Well, it signifies more than that.In last post, I have mentioned a verse from Peter that this is a covenant that is being made between the individual and God. To understand more about the covenant, lets review some of the relevant covenants from old testament. The first one is the God's covenant with Noah. God promised Noah after the great floods that He will not destroy the earth by water again. Peter exactly says that is a like figure. Noah's family of 8 members alone were saved from the entire world by getting into the ark. Baptism is comparable to that in such a way that each one is getting saved out of water through baptism as a new born member of Christ. The ark is comparable to Jesus Christ Himself and taking baptism is again compared to be within the ark (Jesus Christ). Do we have any other example of baptism in old testament apart from the Noah's ark protection on great floods? Yes, the entire nation of Israelites who came out of Egypt after pass over were baptized in red sea. Moses was named after he was taken from waters, his name itself is significant in context of baptism and he lead the entire nation of Egypt through pass over (crucifixion of Jesus) and through pillar of cloud Red sea (baptism). I am not saying this, but people who know the Bible know where this is exactly given. Yes, please go through I Cor 10:1,2.
The second covenant is the one that God made with Abraham where God told Abraham will become a great nation and as a mark of covenant, Abraham and his descendants have to undergo circumcision. The circumcision is a blood covenant as blood spills out of the process and God remembers the covenant. But, actually Jesus has established the new covenant to all who accepts Him by faith and whosoever accepts Him become a child of Abraham automatically. This is a contradiction to Abrahamic covenant as the original covenant was based on circumcision on flesh. To extend this covenant to gentiles, a greater covenant has to be done. But, how a covenant that has been made by God with a man can be abolished or changed. Only by God Himself and exactly that is what Jesus has done on cross. He became a man and stood on behalf for all mankind, shed all His blood on cross to create a new covenant in such a way that old Abrahamic covenant is no longer required. He fulfilled all the Mosaic law and hence He made a blood covenant with God on behalf of humans so that this covenant cannot be broken because Lord had made covenant with God and it is sealed. Now, anyone can enjoy the blessings of God through Abrahamic covenant by simply accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and no need for him to undergo circumcision. I will try to cover more on this in a separate chapter with reference verses. But, to give a hint, the core theme of the epistle of Galatians point to this fact. So, to learn more about old covenant, law and new covenant, please read the epistle of Galatians. The Abrahamic covenant looks a bit out of context with baptism. But, the connection is it was abolished by Jesus Christ on cross so God has made a covenant through Jesus for anyone who accepts Him. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:12,13. But, it is the covenant act of the individual from his end to take baptism by sealing that he is accepting Jesus and surrendering to live a new life pleasing to God through Holy Spirit.
Now, having gone through the foreshadows, meaning and spiritual importance of baptism, let's see what is the right approach for baptism. Many churches give the practice of infant baptism. Is it right to baptize the baby? As per the above explanation, it is wrong to baptize the baby because it is a covenant between an individual person and God and the person has to decide it, not the parents or guardians of the infant. The baby doesn't know what is good or bad or what is sin. But many denominational churches follow this practice. So, what is the right time for a person to take baptism? Let's look at our role model, Jesus Christ. Luke 2:23 says Jesus was about 30 years old when he took baptism. I would also say 30 is the perfect age for a person to take baptism unless otherwise he comes to Christianity in an older age. Because, a person would be completely matured and probably married by 30 years of age and he knows how to live a family life. So, in my opinion, 30 is the perfect age but it could be few years earlier or later depending upon the faith of the individual. So, why churches have infant baptism? My guess is during the evolving of church there could be a confusion that if a person die in young age before taking baptism, whether he goes to heaven or hell as per the verse of John 3:5. To know more about that check the wiki page of infant baptism at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infant_baptism. But, I believe dedicating a baby during naming is the right approach rather than baptizing because baptism is just a basic qualification and we cannot assure everyone who takes baptism to reach the kingdom of God. It is just a starting point. So, I believe in cases of death in young age before baptism, still the child could enter kingdom of God by faith based on the discretion of God.
So, the right approach should be followed and only the matured adults should take the baptism and then only the new creation would have a real meaning and purpose in the life of the person who takes baptism. One who takes baptism should clearly know the truths about sin and salvation by grace through faith in Lord Jesus Christ and he or she has to believe in that. Try to read the incident of Philip baptizing minister of Candace queen and the condition is if you believe with all heart that Jesus Christ is son of God, you may take baptism. Acts 8:26-39 focus on verses 36-38.
I think I covered most about baptizing by immersion in water and I might have left out something. it has already been a bigger one. In my next post, I will cover about another important process of baptism by Holy Spirit and baptizing by fire. May all glory, honor and praise to God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who promised to make us a new creation. Amen.
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