What Jesus Said About BaptismНамуна

What is the meaning of baptism?

Read Romans 6:3-11. Here, we find the most extensive description of the meaning of baptism in Scripture.

Baptism is a symbolic act demonstrating the Christian's union with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection. It is a public embracing and personal declaration of the complete sacrifice of Jesus and the new life He provides for us.

Baptism is symbolic but also a public declaration, a spiritual statement. What do we declare when we are baptised?

·We confess that we are baptised into the death of and buried with Jesus: of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into His death? We were, therefore, buried with Him through baptism into death.

·Coming out of the water after baptism refers to the resurrection – being made alive with Christ: just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life.

Baptism symbolises moving from a life of sin, death, and destruction to a new life, being set free from sin: we, too, may walk in the newness of life.

·Baptism helps us to understand that we are united with Jesus Christ: united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection.

·Through the cross, the stronghold of sin over our lives has been broken. Being baptised resembles this: our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless.

·Baptism proclaims that we are not slaves to sin anymore. We have been set free: we should no longer be slaves to sin, for anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

·Because Jesus died, we also died, and because He was raised from the dead, we were raised with Him, and we will not spiritually die again. Now, if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. We know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again.

·Through the cross, the blood, and the resurrection, we are set free to live for God. We count ourselves dead to sin and start to live for God: He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. So you too must count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.