Tell God You Love Him by Telling Others You Belong to Him

“When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land! That’s what baptism into the life of Jesus means”

(Romans 6:3 MSG)

Baptism makes three powerful, public statements, expressing how we belong to God:

The first reason you need to be baptized is to say, “I believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus.” And you give a picture of that by going under the water and coming up. And when we come up out of the water, we enter into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land! (based on Romans 6:3 MSG).

Second, baptism is a picture of what happens to you: “Going under the water was a burial of your old life; coming up out of it was a resurrection, God raising you from the dead as He did Christ” (Colossians 2:12 MSG). When you’re baptized you’re saying, “I'm dying to all my old sins. They’re forgiven, they’re forgotten, and they’re out of my life. I'm beginning a brand new life in Christ.”

Third, it symbolizes your new life in Jesus Christ: “And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes” (Galatians 3:27 NLT).

Rick Warren