Romans 6:4
Growing up, I did not realize the significance of baptism. My first baptism was when I was eight days old. I grew up a believer and was later baptized by full water immersion in the church’s warm baptism pool. The space was safe and secure. The words from Romans 6:4 were spoken during the baptism, but I never realized the significance of really being identified in Jesus’s death and then Resurrection.
It was not until I was on a mission trip in Egypt that I began to realize the implications of and the meaning of baptism. On that day in Egypt, I watched believers from another Middle Eastern Muslim country who were refugees in Egypt show they had nothing but their faith in Jesus. I witnessed them studying the Bible in the morning and then preparing for baptism. It was explained to me that these believers were rejected by their families and would face death if they went back to their home country.
These bold believers lined up, willingly entered the waters, were submerged in them, and identified with Jesus’ death; then they came up into a brand new life with Christ.
Well, these brave brothers had been forsaken by much of their family because they left Islam to follow Christ, but I saw a reunification with several of them with their families. One brother was baptized by his earthly brother, and another husband baptized his wife, reunifying their families.
I was awestruck in wonder at the faith of these believers. But I’m always amazed at God’s love for us that, as Romans 5:8 says, “God demonstrated his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for our sins,” but living and providing an example for us through His own baptism.
These courageous brothers were not entering the water already worthy. They were coming out of it to walk in new life with Christ.
Rodger Keester
Emmanuel Faith Elder