Last weekend I was blessed to attend a church baptism event. A group of forty people went out to a nearby lake, and seven of them were baptized. What makes this kind of event so powerful, is that these people made their own decision about Christ and His call to salvation. When we are baptized as infants, we cannot make that decision for ourselves. It's more of a ceremonial dedication which falls on the congregation as a whole, to help raise the child in the ways of God. But when you are older, you can make the decision for yourself. That is why I have always been in favor of a 'second baptism,' where a person can choose for themselves.
As I helped lower people backwards into the water that day, I thought a lot about the significance of the ceremony itself. We know that the simple act of getting wet doesn't save us; only Jesus can redeem and forgive. But our Lord did command believers to get baptized also, once they make a commitment to God. The understanding is that we go down into the water in the same way our old, sinful bodies go down into the grave. We are in effect, dying to self. Once risen up out of the water, it then symbolizes redemption and Christ's renewal. We are reflecting the truth that Jesus makes all things new. That is why we refer to it as the believer's baptism. They believe in Jesus, and then demonstrate this belief in a public way in front of friends and family.
One of the church elders present that day reminded me of something a local pastor once said. While other clubs and organizations typically mark their members physically (with tattoos or some other type of indicator), God uses water. Now this is curious, because water dries out and leaves us without a permanent mark. Nothing other than our belief to identify the Christian from the non-believer. And I think that was the pastor's point. God doesn't let us off the hook with a physical marker; that would be too easy. Instead, we are required to show our allegiance to Jesus by our behavior and actions. Our faith must be transparent and obvious to all. This is our branding.
Now this is no small task. I think it would be easier to simply wear the right kind of clothes or obtain some type of tattoo, in order to show our allegiance to Christ. Maybe a well placed fish bumper-sticker might suffice. But no such luck for the devoted Christian. Our water baptism may symbolically wash away our sins, but it is also up to us to stay in alignment with Jesus, in terms of how we speak and what we do the rest of our lives.
Romans 10:9 is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. It's very simple, yet also profound. The Apostle Paul says, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." This Scripture reminds us that we cannot save ourselves, but that we must also take action. It is on us to believe, repent, and accept God's free gift of grace and salvation. He offers it, and we should take it.
After being baptized, our hair and clothing will eventually become dry again - but our hearts better not fade back to old habits. We must be the lamp on a lampstand that Jesus talks about in his parable from Luke 11. We dare not hide our faith or store it away somewhere out of sight. People should know that you are saved, and that you belong to God. And in this way, others will find their own way to the baptismal fount someday. Christians set forth the example of Christ; we are to reflect His light and grace in a way that honors and glorifies the Lord. This is the light from the lamp that Jesus talked about.
After the baptism event was finished and everyone went home, I turned on the television. Our town has a channel that shows a live camera feed of the lake and beach area. The water looked serene and calm again - no one out frolicking or making noise anymore. Everything went back to normal. The water may hold it's secrets, but we should not. Tell other people that you know God, and that He made a difference in your life. Show them the way home to their heavenly kingdom. One day, you may just find yourself at a lake somewhere, but this time watching someone else get immersed. What a joy that will be for everyone involved, and what a joy it will be for God as well!
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