Water Baptism

Our children would be going through the waters of baptism this evening at the Mandarin service in church.  This is the culmination of a series of lessons they have been attending the past few months.  They were also interviewed by Pas Andrew regarding their decision to go through water baptism.  There is no age limit to when one can be baptised as long as we know the significance of what we are going through. 

Water baptism is one of two sacraments instituted by our LORD when He was on earth.  The other was Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper.  Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist in order to fulfill all righteousness (Mt 3:13-16).  Even though He had no sin, He chose to identify with sinful humanity, leaving us an example that we should follow in His footsteps (1 Pet 2:21-25).  Water baptism symbolises our identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection.  Though the practice of baptism may differ, (sprinkle, pour or immerse in water) it's important to know the significance of this sacred act.   Our church observed water baptism by immersion, as it best represents the symbol of death, burial and resurrection, unless the candidate is infirmed. 

When the candidate is immersed in the water, it represents dying with Christ to the elementary principles of this world (Col 2:20).  This means our old sinful habits and nature are dead and buried; equivalent to us considering ourselves dead to sin (Rom 6:6,11).  And when the candidate is raised out of the water, it represents resurrection with Christ to newness of life whereby the spirit man is given a renewed mind to seek the things that are above (Col 3:1-2, 10).  Does it mean then that we would no longer struggle with sin after water baptism?  The obvious answer is no as the warfare between the spirit and the flesh continues until the day when we shed this old sinful body through physical death (Rom 8:20-23). 

By going through water baptism, the candidate demonstrates his/her obedience to God and pledges, in all good conscience, to follow Christ fully, enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit which raised Christ from the dead (1 Pet 3:21).   It is an occasion to witness to the world and we are using this opportunity to bring my dad to church to see how this sacrament is carried out, with the hope that one day, he too can be baptised. 



"As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving."  Col 2:6 (NKJV)