Baptism is one of the two ordinances that Jesus instituted for all believers in the church age. Along with observing the Lord’s Supper, all believers are to be baptized after placing their faith in Christ.
When we trust in Christ for salvation, are instantly spiritually baptized into the body of Christ. We have passed from death into life.
As believers we are then to follow with water baptism (sometimes called ‘believers’ baptism’) and that reenacts the baptism by the Spirit.
We also are baptized to show a public profession of our faith. We identity with Christ in His death (by going down under the water), and we will walk in new life with Him (as we come up out of the water). It is the gospel on display.
While there are no saving powers of the physical water, baptism illustrates to the world that we belong to Christ, and we identify with His death, burial, and resurrection. Every place that the gospel is preached and people are saved, they are to be baptized.
[Christians Digital Artwork]
Romans 6:4 ... Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
1 Corinthians 12:13 ... For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. ❤
