BAPTISM
CREATION
Gen.1:[1] In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
[2] And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
2Pet.3:[6] Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
The earth created in Genesis chapter one verse one was destroyed by God. Little is known of this world but it is sufficient to know God created it and destroyed it as an act of His judgment. The world perished and was buried under water then resurrected and new life began. The earth was reborn and from Genesis chapter one verse three we have an account of the reestablishment of life on earth.
The world died and was buried under water being baptized by God and then the rebirth occurred.
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[6] And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
[7] And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
[8] And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
[9] And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
[10] And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
Just as Adam being called the son of God being created in the image of God began a life of similar creatures called humanity so Jesus, the second Adam is the first born of new creatures being born again in His image.
Genesis 1:[26] And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
[27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Genesis 5:[3] And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:
Luke.3:[38] Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
1Cor.15:[22] For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
[45] And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
Rom.5:[14] Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
Adam was a figure of Jesus Christ being the “son of God” and the first of the new race of beings. Jesus died, been buried and resurrected and become the firstborn from the dead.
Colossians 1:[15] Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
[16] For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
[17] And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
[18] And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
BAPTISM
Matthew 28:[19] Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Just as Adam was made in the image of the Godhead existing as a triune being so we are baptized in the name of the Triune Godhead. Baptism being a symbol of the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord. It is a physical display of a Spiritual act. Showing we have died to sin, are buried with Jesus and have been resurrected with Him to a new life.
Tit.3:[5] Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
1 Co. 12:[13] For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Death
Colossians 1:[12] Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
[13] Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
[14] In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
[15] Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
[16] For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
[17] And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
[18] And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
[19] For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
[20] And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
[21] And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
[22] In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
We have identified ourselves with what Jesus has done for us. We identify with His death having become now dead to sin and alive unto God.
2Cor.5:[14] For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
[15] And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Rom.6:[2] God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
[4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
[11] Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
1Cor.15:[31] I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
W e were spiritually dead in our sins but now we have died to sin and live to God being born again by His Spirit.
Rom.7:[9] For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
Eph.2:[1] And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
[5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Col.2:[13] And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Burial
Colossians 2:[6] As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
[7] Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
[8] Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
[9] For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
[10] And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
[11] In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
[12] Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
[13] And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
[14] Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
[15] And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
[16] Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
[17] Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
We have identified ourselves with the burial of Jesus Christ having buried the old man who was corrupt by our sins. We have no business “digging” up our old man and experiencing guilt for the sons of our past. We must leave him dead and buried.
Rom.6:[4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Resurrection
Colossians 3:[1] If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
[2] Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
[3] For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
[4] When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
[5] Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
[6] For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
[7] In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
[8] But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
[9] Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
[10] And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
We now walk the “resurrected” life having become dead to sin and buried the old man which was corrupt we now walk a new man born again by the Spirit of God.
Gal.2:[20] I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Rom.6:[13] Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
We now walk with a new destination and a new hope. We now have a new outlook towards life. We should now exhibit the same compassion Jesus had for those lost and out of the way.
Ga. 3:[26] For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
[27] For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
In the end of time this world will once again perish and be baptized. The next time it will be baptized with fire instead of water.
2Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Revelation 20:[11] And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Symbolism is a sign of the law. As grace believers we require no symbolism to identify with the gospel of grace. Signs (symbolism) and wonders (more signs) was for the kingdom. The gentile had no need of such as we are saved by faith and do good works because, and not as signs.