The Baptism Connection
Matthew 3:11 (TLV)
For many uninformed people, they believe that as long as you are baptized (immersed) you are saved and are going to heaven and can continue to live as you always have. This belief is far from the truth of the Word of God. For many think, as long as they say a prayer with the preacher, which many call it as the Sinner's Prayer, they are good to go with God, so they can continue living as they always have. There are many who think as long as they belong to a certain religion or church assembly and give some sort of tithes and show up now and then, they are good with God, while they continue to live as they always have. There are some who believe if you do not speak in tongues then you are not saved, even though not all will speak in tongues (1 Corinthians 12:27-30). There are some that believe if they dress a certain way, do good works, use a Christian cliché, or even post Christian statements on a social media site, or even type “amen” to someone's else Christian statement, they are good with God, while they continue to live as they desire, because God is a loving God and He will not send a good person to hell. (James 2:14-26)
The above statements are statements I have read and heard others use. Yet, why do many believe this way? Because many want a connection to God to be such as fire insurance. Their desire is to make it to heaven by their own works or the works of a religious or denominational belief or membership. How do I know this? It is because I, like many, used to believe that was all I needed to be good with God.
John the Baptist, as he is called in our English translation, was a descendant to Aaronic priesthood, and he was the forerunner to Jesus' ministry. What was the high priest's highest ministry? To Baptize, to cleanse the people from their sins.
Sadly, many today believe as long as they are baptized that is all they need because they never were told there is a significance of baptism. Matthew wrote this “I immerse (baptize) you in water for repentance.” The key word here is “Repentance” Repentance means to turn away, to make an about-face in how you live and conduct yourself. Repentance is dying from how you were and begin a new life in Messiah Jesus. As the Apostle Paul, who was an extremely religious man, discovered his religious actions and positions were false and through his encounter with Jesus, his life was dramatically changed. This is why he penned these words, “And He (Jesus) died for all so that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised. So, from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Messiah according to the flesh, yet now we no longer know Him this way. Therefore, if anyone is in Messiah (Christ), he is a new creation. The old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:15-17).
Two statements in these verses are, “so that those who live might no longer live for themselves” and “The old things have passed away”. Both are important to a relationship with God. We must first realize that we on our own abilities (works) will not save us and that without a personal relationship with Messiah Jesus we will not enter the kingdom of heaven (John 14:6). Second, we must recognize that Jesus is Lord and confess with our mouth and believe (commit to) in our hearts who He is and what He did (Romans 10:9-10).
The title “Lord” also means “Master” as someone who we submit to by following through evidence of our lives as to no longer live as we did. It is our willingness to turn away from the sins that have ensnared us. This requires what is called Repentance, to no longer live governed by your fleshly (lustful) desires that are contrary to the Word of God. The old things passed away is another meaning to repentance. Henry Ford coined a phrase that can go along with the meaning of repentance, “If you always do what you have always done, you will always be what you have always been.” So, if you always live like those who are not genuine followers of Messiah Jesus, then you will always be like those who will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
So, what is The Baptism Connection? The importance of baptism is not that it produces salvation, it is your public declaration before others of your willingness to die to your old sin natured self which is symbolic to being buried in the grave, then the coming out of the water is symbolic to our resurrection in our new life in Messiah Jesus. The declaration by word and action before others is what Jesus said, “Therefore whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.” ~ Matthew 10:32-33
This is the beginning in your new life and as a new life (baby aka born-again) those who genuinely follow Messiah Jesus are to help you grow by being living examples of how we should live. No genuine follower of Jesus will be perfect, but it should teach us how giving up an old sin filled life and learning to grow through a repented life. We all who genuinely follow Jesus are being perfected (sanctified/set apart) by the washing of His Word.
The Baptism Connection also means we must daily confess and repent of our sins, for God is faithful and merciful and will cleanse (wash) us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
Where are you regarding the Baptism Connection? It depends in your heart and life.