The Waters of Baptism

Spoke at the Water Baptism service this afternoon based on the following text (1 Pet 3:18-21 NIV):
18For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 19through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison 20who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Water baptism has a rich symbolic meaning. It's a sacrament instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ to remind us of our identification with His death and resurrection. The flood waters in Noah's days speak of the death of the wicked, which typifies carnality in our sinful flesh. Baptism also speaks of the death of Christ and the believer who places his trust in the Lord. The apostle Peter mentioned that water baptism is not to be seen as a ritual to remove dirt from our physical body but rather a step of obedience taken to pledge in following God fully.

The way to live with a good conscience before God is to allow our spirit man to be washed by the "waters" of baptism. The waters of baptism is a picture of
1. The Word of God - Christ has cleansed the church by the washing of water with the Word. When you're submerged in the waters, it represents the Word having full authority over your life. It should govern your thought and behaviour in life.
2. The Holy Spirit - the river of life that flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Rev 22:1). When you're submerged in the waters, it represents the Spirit having full control over your life. He would lead and guide you into all truth.

When we bathe, we clean ourselves on the outside. However, the clean ourselves on the inside, we need to allow God's Word and Spirit to rule over our inner man; obeying His Word and responding to the Spirit's prompting would cause us to speak and act in a manner pleasing to God. When we do so, we take steps in crucifying the sinful nature and to allow God's grace to work in our lives. It is important that we spend time in solitude with God - praying in the spirit and meditating on His Word. May the sacrament of water baptism reminds us of our pledge to live before God as such - letting His Word richly dwell within us (Col 3:16) and being constantly filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18) in order that praise and thanksgiving will flow freely from our lips to God the Father. That's how water baptism saves us - when we allow God to complete His work in us through His Word and His Spirit on a daily basis.