Recently , we had a water baptism service at our church . Over 30 people were baptized in a very moving service. Adults, teenagers and children declared their belief in God and His son Jesus in an outward declaration. One man called it one of the greatest days of his life. That's special!
Water baptism symbolizes the death and resurrection of Jesus. Romans chapter 6 discusses what being baptized in water symbolizes.
3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
If we do not take this symbol to heart , then it is just like being in the bathtub or pool. I think of the American flag, to me as an American, it symbolizes all that our nation is about. A person from another country may not feel the same way about the what the American flag symbolizes, but I do see it as an important symbol.
When we are baptized in water whether it is in tank such as we had in church or the Susquehanna river, the Bible declares that we are "joining"Jesus in his burial. Just as the stars on the American flag represent the 50 states of our Union, the water in the baptism tank represents the tomb . Just as the thirteen stripes represent the thirteen original states, when the individual is lifted out of the water it symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus after three days and our sinful nature is symbolically left in the water.
If the citizens of a nation do not take what their flag symbolizes to heart and realize how important or take the time to understand the colors and shapes are on the flag are, the flag is meaningless. If a person is baptized in water and does not take what the dunking under of water means then the act might is not symbolic. A symbol taken to heart can be very meaningful and can represent a milestone in a person's life.
Water baptism is is the outward symbol of an inner, spiritual work that has occured in a believer's life. This outward symbol represents a person's death to their old life and a rising to new life in Christ. We are baptized in water to follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ and because He has instructed us to do so as well.
Water baptism is the outward symbol of an inner, spiritual work that has occured in a believer's life. This outward symbol represents a person's death to their old life and a rising to new life in Christ. We are baptized in water to follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ and because He has instructed us to do so as well. text from http://www.sanmarcoscommunitychurch.org/beliefs.php
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