If you haven’t read our Wisdom Wednesday blog post last week, I went through, what baptism is and why we should get baptised. So, before reading this blog post make sure that you have read the last one, to get a foundational understanding of baptism to understand what we are going to discuss today.
Today, I am expanding on what we went through last week. I am going to explain the symbolic representation of baptism. So, the purpose to why we should get baptised and what it means.
What does baptism symbolically represent?
Now, we don’t get baptised like this, but the excitement the kid had to get baptised is what I pray for believers to have.
And I believe that starts off by understanding why we get baptised, instead of just seeing it as something to mark off your “to-do” list of what a Christian is supposed to do.
Instead when we experience a relationship with Jesus Christ we come to this desire to want to get baptised because we begin to understand the significance of it and what it beautifully represents.
Romans 6:3-4 explains that when we get baptised in water and of the Holy Spirit is to symbolically represent us dying to our sins and being alive in Jesus Christ.
When we are baptised in water and in the Holy Spirit, we are becoming one with Jesus.
“3 Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death? 4 We 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.”
So, imagine this, when you are submerged in the water, this represents you dying and being buried to your sins, just like Jesus died on the cross for your sins and was buried.
Then, when you rise from the water, this represents you resurrecting from dying to your sins, and now being alive in Christ as a new creation; living a spiritually filled new life in Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17). Just like when Jesus resurrected from the dead and gave us the Holy Spirit before He ascended into heaven.
So, literally you are starting this new life with a clean slate. YES a CLEAN slate. God has washed you of all your sins from your past and now you are born again – as though you are a new born baby who hasn’t committed any sin.
Now, that doesn’t mean then and there is the only time God has washed your sins and from now on when you sin you are doomed, NO. Because salvation has 3 tenses:
- Past: “I am saved and freed from sin.”
- Present: “I am being saved by the power of sin”
- Future: “I will be saved by the presence of sin”
So, what that means is Jesus as we know has already saved us from sin by dying on the cross over 2,000 years ago; so the past. But just because it is in the past doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a spiritually effect on us in the present time.
Because when we presently give our lives to Christ (salvation) and then get baptised, we receive the Holy Spirit, who will help us from the power of sin.
As, we are human and we are going to sin, so we need the Holy Spirit to give us the power to continue to live righteously in this new life we have been given through baptism.
Therefore, when you are baptised in water and of the Holy Spirit, you too will be able to live life on earth like Jesus did, because He sent His Spirit to dwell and be filled in us, so we can produce fruits (characteristics) that are like His (Galatians 5:22-23).
Thus, as we intentionally live through the Holy Spirit to live a righteous life we have in mind that we will one day go to heaven, just like Jesus ascended into heaven, and be freed from the presence of sin. But this can only happen through putting your faith in Jesus AND being baptised in water and of the Holy Spirit. (John 3:3-5).
For practical steps, if you are looking to get baptised (which I hope by these blog posts, you all are), be on the lookout for a Baptism Handbook that I will be coming out with soon, that will help prepare you for your baptism.
This is what I wished I had when I got baptised at 17, in 2015. And it’s one of the reasons why I started F.A.I.T.H. because I was not prepared at all. I didn’t even bring a change of clothes, or a towel. I know. So, already you know, please bring a change of clothes and a towel loo0l.
I hope this blog post helped you understand baptism a little more, whether you are new to the faith, or have grown up in the faith.
Stay Blessed,
Divine L.
Hi, I am Divine L., your sister-in-F.A.I.T.H., who is passionate about discipling Christian girls to be a walking embodiment of Jesus Christ in their daily lives and to help young girls and woman become who God destined for them to become. It is a great blessing to welcome you to the F.A.I.T.H. sisterhood!