A couple of weeks ago I shared a little about the two ordinances of the church. The first ordinance is the Lord’s Supper. The church observes the Lord’s supper as Jesus commanded us to share this meal until He comes again in remembrance of Him.
The second ordinance is baptism. I have many good memories of baptisms over the years; 1) When I was first baptized with my two brothers on the same Sunday, 2) When I was baptized with my wife and my three children in Lincoln on the same Sunday.
But my memory when Tricia was baptized is my most favorite. She was 16 or 17 years old, and the Pastor told her to wear a bathing suit underneath the white robe. So, she did. Her bathing suit was a hot pink bikini that the white robe stuck to as she came out of the water.
From that day forward, for the young men in the church, baptism became something to look forward to.
Baptism is a symbol; it is a sign that when we go under the water, our old life has been buried and as we are raised up, we are raised into a newness of life through the power of God, as Jesus was raised from the dead out of the tomb.
There is no doubt that baptism is important because it was a command of Jesus.
Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
Baptism is the first act of obedience for a new believer. But we should remember that baptism itself is not unto salvation. No one goes to heaven just because you have been baptized, and no one goes to hell because you have not been baptized.
But there are some essential points about baptism that we should understand. Baptism is necessary, not in salvation, but in submission to the command of Christ.
Secondly, while baptism does not save us, it does publicly set us apart from the world and brings us into the family of faith. When we are baptized, we identify with other believers and the local church.
In baptism we unite with Christ and in His death, burial, and in His resurrection.
And finally, baptism is a starting point, an ordinance that each believer must commit to as we get ready for service to our God.
That’s what I think anyway…
Jody <><
