Part 2 – Baptized in Truth
Believer’s baptism as a Biblical choice after conversion
A lot of water needed for baptism
In the Bible a lot of water is used in baptism or in rituals that are a foreshadowing of baptism. In this part of the study, passages in the Bible are examined where there was much water.
The earth in the watery grave
Genesis 1:1 shows the earth. Well, “shows”… It is dark, there is no light. But in the mind’s eye the earth can be “seen”: a ball of water. Perhaps here and there some sand or mountains, sand and stones. It may have been a ball of water, because the Bible says in
Genesis 1:2: “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”
It seems as if the earth is dead, buried in its watery grave. Then God comes to the earth… and then the earth “sees” light. God separates light from darkness. When God’s Spirit works in a person, that person also sees the difference between light and darkness.
Further on in Genesis the earth comes out of its watery grave, it becomes visible and its fruits also become visible. The earth brings forth seed-bearing plants and fruit-bearing trees. Just like people: when they turn to God, they bear spiritual fruit.
Noah’s ark
In Noah’s time things were not much better than in the beginning. There was chaos again. Genesis 6:5 says: “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
It was a different kind of chaos than in the beginning, but these people also did not bear good fruit. Jesus says in Matthew 15:19: “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.”
Again God cleanses the earth with water (Gen. 6–9), after which a new beginning follows. Genesis 9:13: “…it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.”
The flood was a baptism of creation itself. After the baptism the earth came to new life. Peter also connects this with baptism:
1 Peter 3:20–21: “The water of the flood symbolizes baptism that now saves you also… by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
Baptism stands for judgment and salvation: dying to the old, rising to new life.
In Noah’s ark there is a picture of salvation through Jesus. Noah builds the ark according to God’s blueprint. He works on God’s commission. The ark had only one door. Jesus says of Himself that He is the door (John 10:9). Entering through that door means being saved. Remaining outside means death.