Baptized

Romans 6:3-10  “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.

For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.”

When we are born, we are automatically under the curse of death because of sin, but through baptism we can be set free from the reins of sin.

The act of baptism is the representation of an individual’s decision to no longer be a servant to sin, but instead to become a servant of Christ. The dying of the “old man” and the rebirth of the new. And while some people believe that baptism is a sprinkling of the head with water, I believe that true baptism is when someone becomes fully submerged under water. The reason why I believe this is simple: Paul used the words “buried by baptism.” When you bury a seed into the earth, you sink it down until it cannot be seen anymore, while a sprinkling of dirt will not do that, just as when a deceased body is buried it is covered completely as it is lowered into the grave.

It is this act of “burial” that marks one of the first steps that needs to be taken in the quest of attaining everlasting life. I say one of the first steps because baptism by itself will not save you. Many people can become baptized and not fully believe in the teachings of Christ. It takes true faith as well.

So the submersion under the water during baptism is the death to the sins of the flesh, the death to the carnal man inside of each of us. And the rising up out of the water is the beginning of a new man and a new life. No longer a slave to sin, but set free to go and serve Christ.

Colossians 2:12-13  “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;”

Belief, and baptism. These are things that we need to possess to attain that promise from Christ of life, as it says in Mark 16:16,

“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

Leave the old man in that water grave. Leave that sinner behind, and rise up to be a new creature. Like a sand castle washed away by the waves, be baptized in Christ!

2 Corinthians 5:17  “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

In Christ,

Andrew 

We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc  where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods.