Theme · liturgical
Baptism
Water as a boundary between death and life appears at the Red Sea crossing and the Jordan entry into the Promised Land. John the Baptist calls Israel to a baptism of repentance, and Jesus submits to it to 'fulfill all righteousness.' After Pentecost, baptism becomes the initiatory rite of the church: 'Repent and be baptized.' Paul interprets baptism as union with Christ in his death and resurrection — going under the water is burial with Christ, coming up is rising to new life. Baptism marks the passage from the old creation into the new.
Passages expressing this theme
- 1Cor 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.
- 1Pet 3:21 — The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
- Acts 2:38 — Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
- Acts 2:41 — Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
- Acts 8:36 — And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
- Acts 8:38 — And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
- Acts 10:47 — Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
- Acts 16:33 — And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
- Acts 22:16 — And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
- Col 2:12 — 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.
- Eph 4:5 — One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
- Gal 3:27 — For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
- Matt 3:6 — And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
- Matt 3:11 — I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
- Matt 3:16 — And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
- Matt 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:
- Rom 6:3 — Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
- 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.
- Titus 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;