Because Slavery Sucks

My son is getting baptized today, YAY! This decision is a big deal. In the church, there is great debate over this act. Some say it’s an outward showing of an inward committment, like a wedding ring. Others will hold it as a requirement to heaven for the remission of sins. Each side backs up their viewpoints with scripture. This short post is in no way a comprehensive look at the meaning of baptism.

I just don’t think either of these views encompass the mystery, the urgency and the majesty of a simple act of obedience to an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving God who sent His own son to die for the sins of all.

My friend has a theory that I think does explain the mystery, urgency and majesty of baptism, total immersion in water in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. What if after coming up out of that water, you look different, not in this natural world, but in the spirit world? The supernatural world sees you as marked: here’s another soul clothed in the light of what the Christ did on the Cross.

Now this is just a theory, mind you, if you don’t get immersed in water, are you still saved? Yes. Are your sins forgiven? Yes, Jesus died for you while you were still a sinner (Romans 5:8). And now that you’re following Jesus, you will run to do His bidding. Your soul is most satisfied when clothed in obedience. It’s a beautiful thing not to be tied down by the natural world.

Romans 6:3-10 Or didn’t you realize we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land! That’s what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we’re going in our new grace-sovereign country. Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the Cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer at sin’s every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ’s sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us.