Tuesday, February 20, 2024
No dry baptism
I occasionally have discussions about baptism where someone says baptism is not in water but is just a spiritual exercise.
My problem with that view is that the Bible connects baptism with water in several passages.
In John 3, while talking with Nicodemus, Jesus refers to the need to be born again of water and the Spirit. Doesn't say that is baptism but never have figured out what else that would refer to except baptism.
In I Peter 3, there is a passage that links baptism to water, salvation, an appeal to God, a clear conscience, and the resurrection.
In Acts 8, the Ethiopian hears the good news of Jesus. When he sees water, he asks to be baptized. Phillip takes him down into the water to baptize him.
Saul is told in Acts 22 to be baptized to wash away his sins. Language connected to water.
At the end of John 3, both Jesus and John are baptizing in the countryside because there is much water there.
Of course baptism is a spiritual activity. A spiritual activity that literally happens in the water.
