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Baptism
that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized So Noah was saved by the hand of God. But how is that
into his death? We were buried therefore with him through anything to do with the ordinance of baptism? The Apostle
baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the gives the answer:
dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in
newness of life. For if we have become united with him in the
likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his 1 Peter 3:18 – 21 GNB
resurrection For Christ died for sins once and for all, a good man on
behalf of sinners, in order to lead you to God. He was put to
death physically, but made alive spiritually, and in his spiritual
Baptism is an "act of purification and initiation"? Is this existence he went and preached to the imprisoned
a principle found in the Old Testament Scriptures? If we look spirits. These were the spirits of those who had not obeyed
for examples of purification, we may find the origins of the God when he waited patiently during the days that Noah was
ordinance of baptism. building his boat. The few people in the boat---eight in all---
were saved by the water, which was a symbol pointing to
John the Baptist was a son of a Levite Priest, Zacharias, who baptism, which now saves you. It is not the washing off of
had a Levite wife, Elizabeth. John would no doubt have been bodily dirt, but the promise made to God from a good
familiar with the practice long before he began his ministry. conscience. It saves you through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ,
Ephesians 5: 25 -27
So we see two examples of how the principle of baptism can The Levites needed to be cleansed before doing the service Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the
be seen throughout the O.T and in fact is extant throughout for the Lord. Moses’ sprinkling of the water of purification church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and
the whole Bible. upon them is an act of cleansing, signifying the application by cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he
faith in the shed blood of Christ upon us for our service to might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot,
The principle is that of being spiritually cleansed. That’s what Him. or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and
God has always wanted ever since Adam. He wants us to be without blemish.
free of, to be washed of sin. David said in his repentant Another type of Baptism
Psalm 51:
Throughout the Bible God has given instructions for that
But let’s see that other type of baptism John the Baptist cleansing. We saw it in the Old Testament examples:
Psalm 51: 3 – 12 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and referred to: a baptism of the Holy Spirit to be performed by
my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I Christ Himself, referring no doubt to the Day of Pentecost in
Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit was sent to the disciples as a • Noah and Moses in symbolic enactments;
sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be
justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. promise of the Father:
• Atonement rituals;
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother
conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: Acts 1: 4 - 7
and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know • Consecration of the Levites for the Temple service;
And, being assembled together with them, commanded them
wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the
me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Create in me a clean promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized We see it in the New Testament with all the many familiar
away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. When they examples of baptism.
me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying,
with thy free spirit. Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to The principle is clear. God wants a clean people, not
Israel? cleansed by having a bath in water to wash the physical
And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or grime, but a spiritual cleansing of the soul.
Note the progression:
the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
God wants a clean world, a clean society, a clean church; He In the meantime, we have to continually ask Him to wash us
always did! And He will have it!! of sin as we miss the mark throughout our daily walk in this
present evil world.
All of us who have been baptized would have come to a state
of seeing ourselves as God sees us. We counted the cost of By H. Robertson
what we were getting in to, and said OK.
It was so easy to say OK in the office of the minister; there
was no immediate demand to put our life on the line, no gun Distributed free by:
being held at our head. That may come later, but at the
time, we thought: let’s get this baptism done.