Baptism in water now should be done for the same basic reason that the people of Israel should have got baptized in water through John the Baptist’s preaching.  1 Peter 3:21 compares Christian baptism to the salvation of the eight people saved by water from the flood in Noah’s time.  Peter makes it clear there that the water of baptism doesn’t save- but rather the answer of a good conscience towards God.  

Imagine if the thief on the cross had not sided publicly with Jesus like he did.  The thief on the cross, though not baptized with water, was essentially baptized by fire in repenting and taking on the proper attitude towards Jesus Christ’s authority as each was being crucified.  That is the proper attitude which a baptism must stem from in order to be valid Biblically.  Baptism without this is a meaningless show.  

Romans 6:1-4: “What shall we say then?  Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid.  How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?  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.”

The whole of Romans chapter 6, and the overall train of thought in the Book of Romans, show how the grace of God in Christ is given for no other purpose but to make people servants to God who are free from sin’s dominion.  

Christian baptism is intended to represent agreement and alignment with this purpose.  

Romans shows emphatically that there is no grace offered otherwise, and no everlasting life promised otherwise, but rather the guarantee of death.  Remember also John 8:51 where Jesus said  “Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.”  

Baptism is basically the Lord’s appointed means of signing up to learn to observe whatsoever Christ commands through His Word (when really done out of an obedient heart towards Him).  It is ironic that one group of people who frequently fight against the thought that the Christian’s security is conditioned on being faithful to the responsibilities of man which are involved in Christ’s covenant are called Baptists.

The Lord brought Israel out of Egypt under Moses’ leadership that they should be a holy people unto Him.  Israel as a nation was thus baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea (as 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 explains).  We then see in 1 Corinthians 10:5-10 that God was displeased with those Israelites who didn’t live up to the purpose of their baptism and they became objects of His wrath.  We then see in 1 Corinthians 10:11-12 how these dealings with Israel are applied directly in warning baptized Christian church members.

Aaron’s email is: [email protected]

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