Newness of Life

Baptism in water is a turning point for those who truly want to start a new life with the Lord Jesus.

After His resurrection, the Lord Jesus taught His disciples about its importance by giving them a clear command: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:15-16)

The meaning of baptism in water

In the same way that the burial of a body after death is the ceremony that pronounces the breaking of the last tie between man and his earthly life, baptism in water is the public declaration of a believer’s breaking with his own natural life. Our inner self is mortified, and sin no longer has dominion over us.

Water is the most natural and purifying element found in nature - that is the reason why baptism is by immersion in water. It signifies the beginning of a person’s new way of living.

When the Israelites left Egypt, they had to be symbolically baptised in order to live a new life. Their baptism took place in the Red Sea. Noah was also baptised in the waters of the flood in order to become the patriarch of a new generation on earth.

For us to live in newness of life, it is imperative that we be baptised in water. When Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them, they all paid very close attention to what he said and were then baptised in water, both men and women. (Acts 8.4-12)

Preparing for baptism in water

A person will be ready for baptism in water only after repenting and being sure of his faith in the Lord Jesus. That is the reason why we do not baptise children, for baptism requires that the person repent of his sins.

Repentance involves the following aspects:

a) The sinner has to acknowledge his sin. This is the first and most important step to sincere repentance.

b)The sinner has to hate sin. If he does not have an aversion to sin to the point of hating it, he will certainly sin again and will remain in his addiction to it.

c) The sinner has to abandon his sins. If he does not turn his back from his sins immediately, he will never be able to leave them.

d) The sinner has to forget his sins completely.

May God bless you all abundantly,
Bishop Edir Macedo