Everything Changed

There are times that people will push back, try to argue (although I work really hard not to argue with people), or simply leave Life Bridge because I teach what I do about baptism.  “Why do you make it such a big deal?”  What I try to help them see, though, is that I don’t make it a big deal.  God does.  That’s why the enemy works so hard to divide Christ’s Body over it.

Baptism...now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. (1 Peter 3:21-22 ESV)

Note what the Apostle Peter says here.  Baptism saves you.  This is the way we receive God’s salvation-gift.  It is also the way we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Now why are you waiting? Get up and be immersed, and wash away your sins, calling on His Name. (Acts 22:16 TLV)

Much of our imagery and assurance comes from the picture we have in our minds from the moment we were baptized.  Notice the picture here: God washed our sins away.

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Galatians 3:26-27 NIV)

In the Old Testament, the prophet Zechariah had a vision where Joshua the High Priest was being put on trial before God.  Satan was there as Joshua’s accuser.  The LORD rebuked Satan, making it clear that Joshua was going to be forgiven of his wrongdoing.  Then, what followed is a picture for us today.

Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes." Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you." Then I said, "Put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the LORD stood by. (Zechariah 3:3-5 NIV)

Joshua was clothed with new, fine garments and a clean turban.  We were clothed with Christ…when we were baptized (see Galatians 3:26-27 above again).

When we are baptized at Life Bridge, we lower people down like they are laying down backward in the water.  That’s because this is the way we typically bury a person who has died.  The image helps us match Scripture again.

For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with Him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. (Colossians 2:12 NLT)

Remember what we receive when we repent and are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ?  Peter said we are promised to receive the forgiveness of our sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body--whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (1 Corinthians 12:13 NIV)

Baptism gives us pictures of our forgiveness, death of our old rebellious selves, our new lives walking with God, and our connection to one another as Christ’s Body (The Church).  As of that moment, everything changed.  Like I said, I don’t make a big deal out of baptism.  God does.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:4-6 NIV)

How about you?  Has everything changed for you?