God Without Religion_ Can It Really Be This Simple_ - Andrew Farley [47]
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption. (1 Cor. 1:30 NASB)
For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son. (Col. 1:13 NASB)
With this miraculous transfer came a radical change at the core of our being. Our human spirit became compatible with God’s Spirit. He now literally resides there, just beneath our humanity. We’re literally and actually born of God, equipped with everything we need for a new life. And we actually participate in God’s divine nature!
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (2 Peter 1:3–4)
In 2005, one hundred thousand people woke up Canadian. It’s time we Christians wake up and realize who we are. We’ve got a new spiritual lineage and a new citizenship. And it’s our newness in Jesus Christ that liberates us from any need for religion.
21
Daddy, what does it mean to be baptized?” Lindsey said.
My friend Steven had an opportunity he didn’t want to waste. His young daughter Lindsey was asking him about baptism and what it all means.
“Let’s go over to the kitchen sink,” Steven said. “And bring that water bottle.”
Steven plugged one side of the sink and filled it with water. Once the water was deep enough, he shut it off. He took the empty bottle and held it over the sink.
“What’s going to happen when I drop this bottle in the water, Lindsey?”
“It’ll fill up with water,” she replied.
“And will it float or sink?” Steven asked.
“It’ll sink all the way to the bottom,” she said.
“That’s right, Lindsey. And this is a picture of what happens to us when we believe in Jesus,” Steven said as he let the bottle fill with water and sink to the bottom. “We’re baptized spiritually into Christ. He is in us just like the water fills this bottle. And we’re in him, just like the bottle is in this water. The water is in the bottle, and the bottle is in the water. But there’s one more thing we need to do.”
Steven reached across the counter and grabbed the bottle cap. He put his hands down into the water and screwed the cap on the bottle, leaving it submerged with water inside.
“After God fills us with the Spirit of Jesus, he seals us until his return. He’ll never leave us. We’re in him and he’s in us, permanently.”
That day, Lindsey got one of the best lessons anyone can get on the true meaning of water baptism, right there at the kitchen sink.
Color Me Purple
Baptism is a beautiful picture of our death, burial, and resurrection in Christ. Our spiritual baptism is portrayed and celebrated with water baptism:
Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. (Rom. 6:3–4)
As we’re lowered into the water, this depicts our death with Christ. And as we’re lifted out of the water, this symbolizes our being raised to newness of life. But I believe there’s even more to appreciate about water baptism. Perhaps its deepest meaning can be understood better by examining an ancient tradition that took place long before any Christians were ever baptized.
Thousands of years ago, ancient dye workers would crush sea snail shells to form a purple powder. Once the powder was mixed with water, it became a very effective purple dye. Then the workers would dip their fabric into a large jar of this purple dye. Naturally, the fabric would take on the purple color of the dye as it was “baptized” into the dye.
The color purple has traditionally been associated with royalty in both Greek and Roman societies. When a white cloth