Welcome to Part 7 of Phil’s series.
𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐓, 𝐆𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋, 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄, 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐇, 𝐁𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐌
𝐁𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐦
What many people call “getting saved” is actually accepting a marriage proposal from God. We state a willingness to be in covenant with God (the one between the Father and Jesus). At the point we accept that proposal we are engaged, betrothed. The “promissory ring” of the engagement is the gift of the Holy Spirit who teaches us about Jesus. But we aren’t married until the Wedding. The wedding is not in this body, and it’s not on this earth. It’s in Heaven in Revelation 19.
In this body on this earth we’re still in the broken covenant we were born into from Adam. We have to exit that old covenant. That means dying. “Till death do we part.”
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,…
Death and the afterlife is something we will all face. So it’s a good idea to prepare for it by rehearsing your mindset before it happens.
What then is baptism? Is it just a rinse in water to remove some dirt from your body? No, it’s much more than that.
𝐁𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐥 to prepare you for your death, which is the exit from the covenant that Adam broke, and then to resurrection, being “born again” into eternal life in Christ Jesus. It consists of a few simple elements:
* Your declaration of faith
* Your simulated death and burial
* Your simulated resurrection
Depending on your circumstances, declaring your faith moments before you die might not be possible. It may occur suddenly or while you’re unconscious. So it’s a good idea to “bank” your statement of faith. Make it known to yourself so you’re confident. And make it known to others so they can have peace when you’re gone.
The Apostle Peter explains that baptism is so you may be at peace, having a good conscience toward God before you die.
1 Peter 3:21 “…baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,”
Jesus Himself referred to His death as a “baptism”.
Luke 12:50 “But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!
Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
Jesus wasn’t talking about us wearing a piece of jewelry, He was talking about following Him to our baptism through death and resurrection into eternal life. Not the rehearsal, the real thing. This is why the rehearsal is so important. Because when death comes it will be the ultimate test.
The question of whether or not “the thief on the cross” next to Jesus had to be baptized is simply answered by recognizing that he wasn’t rehearsing.
Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:3-5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
It’s not just dying and resurrecting that we rehearse with baptism, from that point on it is a rehearsal of our “walk in the newness of life” for eternity. So that when we cross over into eternity we will be familiar with it because we have rehearsed the walk. Our previous sinful lifestyle simply isn’t appropriate there. We should start getting rid of it now.
Our physical death is the exit from this covenant of sin and death that we are born into from Adam. Our bodies have already been corrupted by sin. We have to shed this mortal existence to be free of it. We wouldn’t want eternal life in a body that continually sins and decays!
1 Corinthians 15:53-54 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
Through our true baptism of death and resurrection we are “born again” into eternal life.
John 14:1-4 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
