Baptism Challenge - Day 2

What is the Meaning of Baptism?

Welcome to Day 2 of the Baptism Challenge!

So excited you're here! If you don't have a Baptism Challenge book, you might want to talk with your pastor about it, since the booklets are available to any church that subscribes to NewStart Discipleship tools. If your church isn't a subscriber, you can still get a copy sent to you. Email darrell@newstartdiscipleship.com for details.

Here's the scripture on Baptism in today's video: Romans 6:4

Each day, I'll be including the Scripture of the day in 3 different versions: ESV, NIV, and KJV. If you have a preferred translations at your church, great. Hopefully it's one of these. It can be helpful to compare various translations to get a feel of the full texture of what the Scripture is saying.

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (English Standard Version)

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. (New International Version)

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. (King James Version)

The meaning of Baptism

You prayed yesterday and told God that you would take His command to baptism seriously, but you probably still have some questions. Why is baptism important? What, exactly, does it do? Read Romans 6:4 to see what the Apostle Paul had to say about baptism.

Romans 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (ESV)

Baptism is symbolic of burial & resurrection with Jesus

Paul says that baptism is symbolic of being buried with Christ in His death and raised with Christ in His resurrection. When you got saved, you died to your old life and were brought to a new life in Christ. In John 3, Jesus called it being born again. He said, “If you want to see the Kingdom of God, you must be born again.”

Baptism is "An Outward Sign of an Inward Work"

Obviously, Jesus wasn’t talking about being physically reborn. If you’re a Christian, you’ve been born again, but you’re still the same age. No doubt, your attitudes and desires have changed, but you still look the same. You didn’t actually turn into a baby again. The work that Christ did in your life was on the inside. It’s a spiritual work.

Just like you can see the effects of the wind but you can’t actually see the wind, you can see the effects of someone who has been spiritually reborn but it’s not something you can physically see. Baptism is an outward symbol to everyone looking on of what Christ did on the inside. It’s a symbol that you have died to your old life and have been raised to walk in newness of life.

Today's Baptism Challenge: Pray a prayer of praise to God for the inward work that He did in your life.

Next day