Nov. 17, 2024

Water Baptism 

Introduction - This brief introduction is a simple prelude to a water baptism service we are having later today.  Water baptism is the main public confession we make concerning our belief  in Jesus.  In particular, I’d like to address the question “Why be baptized in water?”  

Acts 2:38 “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…

This verse sounds like water baptism is the way we get our sins forgiven.  Actually, our entire record of sins was forgiven the instant we believed in God.  The Greek word for forgiveness in this verse, aphesis, is really a key to understand what water baptism does for us.  The word means freedom or liberty.  It is a forward-looking concept, talking not only about the believer’s forgiveness of past sin, but it looks forward to the breaking of the bonds of sin over the believer’s life from the moment of baptism onward.  Water baptism will help a person overcome sin all of his earthly life!

Secondly, there is a very practical reason to get baptized in water:  to avoid as many of life’s problems as possible. This is not a bad motivation, and one God is eager to help us with! 

1 Peter 3:18-22 Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit. So he went and preached to the spirits in prison— 20those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. 21And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority NLT

Noah’s ark was a dramatic illustration of the saving of 8 people who were inside it. All the earth around them perished in a flood which covered the entire earth, but Noah and his family were saved and reintroduced back onto the earth after the flood. When we get water baptized, we step into a similar protective shelter, safe from the many rigors of life which otherwise would have assailed us.  Many diseases, accidents, spiritual deceptions, assaults from other persons, premature death, weather calamities, wars, etc. will never touch us because of the protection gained in water baptism.  The book of Romans sums it up well:  

Romans 6:4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. NLT

Conclusion - If you want to have a new life, get baptized in water!