Baptism: The SIGN-ification of God's grace
Through-out the bible, God unveils himself not as a God of theory, but activity. He's an "active God", even when paradoxically he's seen as a "resting God." In the grand narrative, it was not uncommon for God when after doing some great feat of redemption or creation, to establish some sort of activity or tradition intended to be sign pointing back (or forward) to that initiating activity.
3 SIGNS POINTING TO GOD
1. The Sabbath - Just so that man would never forget that God created the heavens and the earth, and rested afterward, He told man to do the same, rest that is...after his creating. This sign and gift was given by God as a pause from his/her work week, so they could enjoy God and his good creation.
2. The Passover - This annual meal was to be a vivid reminder (or sign) of God's kind act of redemption over the harsh tyranny of Pharaoh, by means of a slaughtered lamb.
3. The Communion - This sacrament given by Jesus was intended to be a two way sign, looking backward to His loving sacrifice on the cross, and forward to His second coming.
"as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."
(1 Corinthians 11:26 ESV)
Think of various practices, traditions, actions + expressions as signs, intended to direct peoples’ attention to God’s greatness in creation + redemption (new creation)
The list of signs intended to point to God is virtually inexhaustible, especially when you rightly understand to full-orbed intention of gospel, and its redemptive effect upon humanity and all of creation.
WHAT BAPTISM SIGN-IFIES
Like the above given examples, baptism fits tightly into this biblical context. Baptism SIGN-ifies at least the following four things.
1. Cleansing from Sin
Acts 22:16 Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins...
1 Cor. 6:11 you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Eph. 5:25 Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word
2. New life
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
3. Indwelling of God
Ephesians 1:13-14 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
1 Corinthians 12:13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body
4. Union w/ Jesus’: death, burial + resurrection
Romans 6:3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? [4] We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
[5] For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
We practice baptism becasue it IS a sign which points to the reality of God's redemptive process at work in us, personally and corporately.
I spoke with a girl whose mom just died a few days ago. She told me that, her mothers devout commitment to Christian Science ended while on her deathbed, when she realized the lie she had believed for many years, had failed her, and thus trusted Jesus. Her mom wanted to display God's redemptive work of salvation in her life, but was greatly weakened by the cancers impact upon her brain and body. Unfortunately, handing out "the 4 spirituals laws" tract, was not an option for her. So, this girls pastor from home (she's from San Diego, and attends Cal Poly) came to the hospital and baptized her mother in the presence of friends, family, doctors and nurses. This act, boldly and loudly SIGN-ified what Jesus had done for this lady. before she took her final breath.