The ordinance of the believer’s
baptism is a marvelous picture of the Christian’s
vital union, and identification with Jesus Christ in
His death, burial and resurrection.
There is a “wet” baptism and a
“dry” baptism. The “dry” baptism is without water
and is the work of God the Holy Spirit placing the
believer in Christ the moment he believes on Him as
his Savior.
The “wet” baptism is the
ordinance that Christ gave to the church. It is a
believer’s baptism by immersion in water which
presents in symbolism the Christian’s vital union
with Jesus Christ. Take away the Biblical mode of
baptism and you lose the vital theological message
of baptism.
“Do you not know that all of us
who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been
baptized into His death? Therefore we have been
buried with Him through baptism into death, so that
as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory
of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of
life” (Rom. 6:3-4).
The ordinance of baptism is a
constant reminder of how we were redeemed. It is an
outward symbol of an inward, silent and real
experience.
Baptism by immersion in water
does not put the believer “into Jesus Christ.” The
Holy Spirit did that when we believed in Christ.
This is the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the life
of every believer. Immersion is a picture of what
the Holy Spirit did in our identification with
Christ.
Dead in Christ, risen with
Christ. Buried with Christ, alive in Christ (Rom.
8:34).
The burial confirms that we
died with Christ. “Our old man was crucified with
Christ.” Unless one die with Christ we cannot live
with Him. All our condemnation and guilt were buried
with Christ, and they remain buried.
It is a blessing to know that all of our sins
and transgressions are swept away by the blood of
Christ and buried in the tomb (Ps. 32:1, 2).
The believing sinner has
learned to look into the grave of his Lord and see
the burial of all his sins. There is no longer the
burning resemblances, bitter accusations, and
stinging reproaches of sin and guilt. Therefore the
believer has learned to forgive himself in God's
deep river of forgiveness.
The baptismal waters are a
perpetual witness to this great truth. The water
says, “I buried the believer with Christ.” It says,
“I rolled my wave like a stone against the door of
his tomb. I set the seal of the new covenant in the
blood of Jesus inscribed with the triune name upon
his tomb.”
The believer needs to remind
himself that every tinge of a guilty conscience is
silenced by the atoning blood of Jesus.
The tomb of Jesus is a shelter
against the raging storm of the wrath of God.
“Buried with Christ” tells us that our sin debt has
been paid in full. We have propitiation in the blood
of Jesus Christ.
It is a constant reminder that
we cannot enter into “the power of Christ’s
resurrection” except through conformity to His
death. “I am crucified with
Christ” and buried with Him.
The waters symbolize this union
with Christ in that the buried form is raised up
from the water in the likeness of Christ’s
resurrection. Alive in Christ. We have a new
relationship with sin and God. We also have a new
identification—we are saints. We are saved sinners.
Every believer who comes up out of the water has a
new identification. You can distinguish him from
everyone else because he or she is dripping wet.
Believers have a new identification and people can
see that we are “in Christ.”
The believer has died to the
old life, and has been raised to enjoy a new life in
Christ (Col. 2:12).
We have been made alive in
Christ. We stand on resurrection ground. We have the
authority and power to live triumphantly over sin.
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
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Unless otherwise noted "Scripture quotations taken from the NASB."
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE" © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://www.bible.org/. All rights reserved.
Wil is a graduate of William Carey University, B. A.; New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Th. M.; and Azusa Pacific University, M. A. He has pastored in Panama, Ecuador and the U. S, and served for over 20 years as missionary in Ecuador and Honduras. He had a daily expository Bible teaching ministry head in over 100 countries from 1972-2005. He continues to seek opportunities to be personally involved in world missions. Wil and his wife Ann have three grown daughters. He currently serves as a Baptist pastor and teaches seminary extension courses in Ecuador.
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