What is the significance of baptism?

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

"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 (Read 1-23)

What is the significance of being baptized into Christ Jesus? Is it just an outward act of obedience to Christ's command or is it more? Is it just a symbolic act or is it a sacramental act through which God works and acts to bring about our salvation?

There are indeed many passages we can study to answer this question, for the Bible calls baptism a "washing of water by the word" (Eph. 5:26) and a "washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Tit. 3:5). The Bible teaches us that through baptism God saves us (1 Pet. 3:21) and washes away our sins (Acts 2:38-39; 22:16). Jesus' own words teach us that baptism is not something we do but the work of God Himself, for we are to be baptized "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matt. 28:19).

In Colossians 2, St. Paul calls baptism a "circumcision made without hands" and "the circumcision of Christ" (v. 11). Writing at the direction of God's Spirit, he wrote (v. 10-15): "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; [and] having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."

In our baptism, we are joined to Christ and are brought into the new covenant with God, established by the atoning sacrifice of Christ Jesus, God's own dear Son, on the cross (cf. Heb. 9:11ff.). We are joined to Christ in His death and in His resurrection – He becomes our substitute. In Jesus' death, all our sins were condemned and punished by God – atonement was made once and for all. And, as Christ was raised up on the third day, so we are raised up to new life, freed from the guilt and condemnation of our sins and alive to God (cf. Heb. 10:19ff.). In our baptism, God seals and guarantees to us the forgiveness purchased by Christ, gives us a place in His kingdom and regenerates us – it is His work, not ours.

Paul also wrote to the Galatians (3:26-29): "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye [be] Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Thus, baptism is God's work and not ours. Through it, He brings us into the new covenant established by Jesus' blood, shed upon the cross for the sins of the world. Under this new covenant with God, we have forgiveness for all our sins and a place in God's everlasting kingdom; God's Spirit regenerates us and takes up residence in our hearts, giving us new life through faith in Christ Jesus. We are joined with Christ, in His death and in His resurrection. All our sins were punished on the cross of Jesus, in His death, and were buried in His tomb. And, as Jesus rose again from the dead by the glory of God the Father, so we also are raised up from spiritual darkness and death by the working of God's Spirit and are given new life in fellowship with God. We live by faith in the Son of God and the pardon He obtained for us.

And since we have been baptized and joined to Christ in His death and resurrection, we walk in newness of life. We reckon ourselves to be dead to sin but alive to God through faith in Christ Jesus.

O gracious and merciful God, we thank and praise You for bringing us into Your new covenant through our baptism, for joining us to Christ Jesus and washing away our sins in His blood and for raising us up to new life through faith in our risen and glorified Savior. We pray in his name. Amen.

[Devotion by Randy Moll. Scripture from the King James Version of the Bible.]

Editorial on 01/15/2014