Rebirth Through Immersion Of Water

In My Life Story My Way Day 73, I touched on how I felt when I was Baptized. Today I want to enhance a little bit on that Baptism! I spoke about how I felt when I come out of that water and how pure that feeling was. Now, I want to explain what led up to my decision to be Baptized.

Surely most of you have seen a baby or even held a baby. I would like for you to take a moment and think of that feeling when you experienced seeing or holding that baby. Think back on how small and how fragile that baby was – pure innocence!

When we were each born we were innocent as a baby. We depended on an adult to care for us, to feed us, and to protect us. We each were born innocent and free. We had no cares in the world, until we grew up a little bit and realized we had responsibilities, relationships, and every day worries. We had become those adults who took care of us.

When we are a child, we are corrected by the wrongs that we do. We have someone older that is supposed to guide us and lead us into God’s word. Some are very unfortunate and do not have anyone in their lives to help them in their faith life. Some are very lucky to have that faith guide.

In Mark 10:14, Jesus said, “Let the children come to Me; do not hinder them, for to such belong to the Kingdom of God. Again in Matthew 19:14, He says the same thing. Also in Luke 18:16, He has written again to show everyone that in each of those four Gospel accounts, He says these children are innocent!

Please bear with me on this because I am trying to drive on an important point. When we are born and throughout our childhood, in Jesus’s eyes, we are innocent and already belong to Him. Those such already have a place in Heaven.

Throughout the history of the Bible, it was a practice that those who sought God, Jesus Christ, always were baptized by entering into a body of water. There are no examples in the Bible of babies being baptized – just those who believed. This practice started in the 15th century when there was an illness and babies were dying. People then were concerned about the babies’ souls not going to Heaven because they were not yet Baptized. So, the Council of Trent Decided to take it upon themselves to satisfy the people. Therefore, the Baptism of infants took place. They changed His Word and that first chapter in Galatians and the last chapter in Revelation explains what happens to those who add or change His Word!

I think I addressed this before in one of my previous stories, but this is also where Confirmation was born. They knew that in the past, it was the true believer that was Baptized, so they put this Sacrament into place to accommodate. That being said, this was supposed to be a personal choice whereas now, it is made into a rule that at a certain age you have to be confirmed.

Jesus himself walked into the water and was Baptized by John the Baptist. When He came out of the water, not being sprinkled by water, God Himself spoke of how proud He was of His Son. This was His choice. This was not a rule nor was it forced, but He did this as an example for us. We are told to live our lives like Christ. We live by His very own example. Jesus has always been innocent and without sin, yet He Himself gave us example of being Baptized. See, we are the sinners. We need His forgiveness to get to Heaven!

In 1 Peter 3:21, God says, “And this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also – not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” In Romans 6:4-6, God says, “Therefore we have been buried with him through Baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too, might walk in the newness of life.” We are buried not sprinkled. We have to be buried by His example to get to Him.

In Acts 8:26-40, Philip was sent on a certain path and met up with a eunuch, which is a court official of sorts. The eunuch was reading scripture but he did not understand what he was reading and Philip helped him understand the scripture. The eunuch was touched so much that he had to do something right away and he convinced Philip to go down into the body of water and be immersed into Baptism to be saved.

In Acts 16:31, Paul and Silas responded to the jailer (that was thankful the two and other prisoners did not escape when the jail was hit by an earthquake and the doors and chains were loosened) to “believe in the Lord Jesus, and be saved. This he said of the jailer and his household. There is never a mention if there were babies or children in the household, but those who were able to believe. That next hour, those who believed were Baptized.

In John 3:5, Jesus says that, “No one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit. You shall not be surprised at my saying you must be born again.“ They grumbled about that concept and couldn’t imagine going back through the womb. They didn’t understand that this meant to come to Christ Spiritually as He tells them later! They didn’t understand that it meant to hear, believe, be Baptized, and change your ways with a new beginning.

Jesus also says in John 3:16 that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Right after this conversation in John 3:23, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside and spent some time with them, and Baptized. Jesus already said that the children and babies were already innocent and he was telling people to believe. He responded to their belief by Baptizing! Can a baby and a child understand and really believe?

I was baptized as an infant. I grew up going through a priest to ask for forgiveness from a priest instead of Jesus Christ. The priest would tell me to say so many Hail Mary and so many Our Father prayers and my sins were absolved. But when I read Acts 2:38, Peter says, “to repent and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.“ Also, when I read the book of Hebrews, God is specific about going through Jesus Christ alone because the old ways were done away with when you come to Christ.

I felt like those people in Acts 2:37 when the people were cut to their hearts. I had to do something! I am like everyone else in this world and I am a sinner. If I died before I was truly Baptized, I couldn’t go to Heaven because I was such a sinner and had not changed my behavior! I was not immune to the things of teenage young living. I was a young adult being stupid like everyone else in this world. But when I sought His Word, I was awakened to His truth!

This world has gotten so far away from God that it is scary. There are way too many unbelievers around us and that does not help us to grow with God. We need more love, Bible, fellowship, and Jesus in our lives. I understand where He says few will make it. Throughout my experience in all of my life, God has always been the one to raise me His way. Through His actions, He cared, fed, and continues to protect me! He is my faith guide!

God is in control of everything. No matter what happens in our future, His plans are bigger than ours! How ready are we for His plans? We are His children and I know I want to go to Heaven but I have to do my part to get there! His grace has saved me and I am so thankful to Him! Are you saved? Do you believe so much that your heart thumps through your brain in desperation? God wants you – He wants us all!