What Is the Message of Baptism?

(1) Baptism is a symbol of one's union by faith with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection. This means we have died to sin (we are set free and no longer have to live a life of sin) and are called to live a new life - one that honors God.

"Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." (Romans 6:3-5, NIV)

"He died once to defeat sin, and now he lives for the glory of God. So you should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus." (Romans 6:10-11, NLT)

(2) Baptism is a public confession of our new life in Christ and a sign of our obedience to His Word.

CONCLUSION: Baptism beautifully illustrates two things that happen to us when we become followers of Jesus. First, when you go down into the water, it is a picture of dying and going down into the grave and being buried with Christ. It clearly pictures dying to your old, sinful way of life. This is what Paul means by dying with Christ: we have been set free from the power of sin in our lives.

Then, coming up out of the water is a picture of rising to a new kind of life in Christ. God calls us to live a new, victorious, Holy Spirit empowered life. So, God not only sets us free from our sinful past, but He also gives us the power to live the new life He has called us to live.

For a more detailed explanation of baptism, please and ask for a copy of the booklet What About Baptism? by Dr. Richard Strauss.

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