Baptism 04: Baptism for Us
Orientate
There is a question about baptism that we have not tackled directly: “How much water is necessary?” Some people in a church I pastored had become Christians as adults and had gone to their (Uniting church) minister at the time who baptised them by sprinkling. Were they baptised believers? My opinion was that the mode (the method used) was not as important as the meaning and so I concluded that they had indeed been baptised as believers. But the word “baptise” means “dip” or “immerse” and the symbolism revolves around going under the water, so it makes sense that by far the best way to baptise is to plunge people completely under the water and that’s what we do. In the following passage, there is yet another picture of baptism that reinforces the “dipping” mode.
Explore: Romans 6:1-7
1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? 4 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.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Journal
Journal for a few minutes on the following questions:
1. What is God saying to me? Which verse is most significant?
2. What do I want to discuss/explore further?
3. What do I need to do?
4. What is the new meaning of baptism (at least for these studies) introduced in this passage?
Reflect
Let me try to piece together all that we have learned about baptism through the Scriptures we have read. What does this symbolic action mean?
First, baptism is a symbol of repentance and death. In baptism, we are saying that we have not lived the way God wanted us to and that we are farewelling and turning away from our old life. As Romans 6:4 says, our baptism represents a burial of the old life. Just as Jesus died and was buried because of our sin, so we with Jesus, have also died and the old life has been buried under the water. It’s gone. It’s been killed off. We’re not the way we used to be. We will never be that way again.
Second, baptism is a symbol of new life. The old life has been replaced by a brand new life filled with the presence of God’s Spirit and the freedom to live God’s way. As Jesus was raised from the dead, so we have been raised to life as children of God. Our old life and our new life are like chalk and cheese. We come out of the waters to real life forever with God. Life to the full.
Third, baptism is a symbol of our new commissioning by God. We saw this in the baptism of Jesus. God has work for us to do and in baptism we are saying yes to following Jesus and joining his new kingdom mission. Our new life not only involves new joy but also new sacrifice and power.
Fourth, baptism is a symbol of washing. We haven’t covered this, but in Acts 22:16 Paul recollects Ananias’ words to him straight after he had been converted, “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptised and wash your sins away, calling on his name.” The baptismal water represents the blood of Jesus that washes away our sins so that we come out of the waters clean and pure and right.
The symbol of baptism is full of meaning for us. It speaks of the death and resurrection of Jesus, of our own death to our old life and resurrection to new life, and of our commitment to following Jesus. Ananias' question to Paul is relevant to you, “And now what are you waiting for?”
Pray
What am I waiting for Lord? I want to follow you. Please help me to obey.
Respond
Answer Ananias’ question yourself: “And now what are you waiting for?”
