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Practicing Believer’s Baptism: Identifying with Christ’s Life, Death and Resurrection

Chances are you have heard about baptism. Maybe you were baptized as a baby, or perhaps you know it as a water ritual a church performs. Because there are different understandings and traditions, let’s look at how the Bible describes baptism and demonstrates its importance for every believer.

In Jesus’ time, baptism was a public, physical demonstration of a spiritual reality. Baptism represented a turning point for a person when they repented of their sin and began a new life of turning away from that sin (Mark 1:4–5). You walk into the water, acknowledging your sin. Then, just as you repent from your sin and put it to death, you “bury” your old life when you’re submerged in water. As you emerge, you are symbolizing a new life in Christ.

The apostle Paul described baptism as a picture of what Christ did through His death, burial, and resurrection. When we commit to faith in Christ, we crucify our old life with Him so that sin may not rule over us (Romans 6:6). We are buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead, we too may live a new life (Romans 6:4).

The beauty of baptism is that it is personal and communal. It is a personal step in obedience to Christ, and it is corporate because “we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free” (1 Corinthians 12:13). This new life you commit to in Christ is a life with a new family—a family without hierarchies or people of different statuses. Through baptism, you are joining a group of people on a collective journey to follow Jesus, through joys and sufferings, need and plenty.

Have you thought about baptism since your decision to follow Jesus? If not, consider using the prayer below to ask for God’s help in understanding and obedience.

Prayer

“God, thank You for giving us baptism to remind us of Christ putting our sin to death on the cross, then resurrecting in victory and new life. Help me want to follow You with all of my life. Show me the right person to talk to and community to celebrate with as I consider baptism.”

Explore at Your Speed

We’ll look at the Christian practice of the Lord’s Supper in the next lesson. Take some time now to reflect on your understanding of what the Lord’s Supper is (maybe you’ve heard it called the Eucharist or the Lord’s Table). Read John 20 to remember the physical reality of this tradition.