52: Baptism Matters!

Many churches treat baptism like an optional symbol, often rushing to add, “But baptism doesn’t save you.” Why the disclaimer? Because they’ve misunderstood it as a human work. In this episode, we explore how baptism is God’s way of making grace tangible—something we can see, feel, and remember. Let’s talk about why that matters more than we think.

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to the Ready for Eternity
podcast, a podcast and blog dedicated to
inquisitive Bible students exploring
biblical truths that might not be fully
explored in typical
sermons or Bible studies.

(00:20):
My name is Eddie Lawrence.
It's very typical for church leaders to
downplay baptism because they've
misunderstood it as a work. But baptism
is God's way of making grace tangible,
something we can see, feel, and remember.

(00:41):
Let's talk about why that
matters more than we think.
Deuteronomy matters because we humans
need something visible and tangible to
cement in our minds that God's promises
are true. Consider Abram in Genesis 15.
God had promised him a child and in

(01:03):
Abram's extreme old age, God speaks to
Abram to reconfirm his intentions. He
also reiterated the land promise, but
Abraham asks, "Lord, how can I know that
I will gain possession of it?" In
response, God made a blood covenant with

(01:26):
Abram to reassure him. You
see, we humans need assurance.
We believe the gospel and repent, but God
knows that like Abram, we need a sign or
a right to solidify the promise in our
minds. And the right changes everything.

(01:47):
People need rituals. The following
illustration by Jay Guehen helps us to
understand the process
of becoming a Christian.
"Consider a young couple. The young man
embraces his girlfriend and for the first
time says, I love you. She hugs him,

(02:08):
smiles, kisses him
passionately, and the evening ends.
Later, he discusses the evening with a
friend over coffee. The friend says,
"Wow, it's great that you have a
girlfriend who is so affectionate. Can't
you see in her eyes how much she loves
you?" "Yes, I know she loves me," the
young man says, "but I need her to say

(02:31):
that she loves me. In fact, if she won't
say it, I don't think I can
continue in this relationship."
Is he right to consider her reluctance to
express her feelings a
barrier to their relationship?
Why not travel on her
body language and behavior?
Why are the words so important? And you

(02:51):
know, the words really are important. Not
because of tradition or his inability to
perceive her emotions. They are important
because his girlfriend
has to make a decision.
She may feel love for him very much, but
saying that she loves him changes their
relationship, and it changes her.

(03:12):
It forces her to admit to herself that
this is how she feels.
And once she admits
that, it changes her life.
As soon as she admits her love, she has
to make a commitment and be willing to
make sacrifices. Moreover, once he hears
her words, he'll behave differently.

(03:32):
He'll see her as a companion. No more
will they just be dating. They'll be
bound to one another in a way that's
radically different from before. The
words matter. And if she never says the
words, their relationship will not
progress much at all. In fact, it will
end. So when did she fall in love with

(03:55):
her boyfriend? When she first felt those
feelings? When she started imagining what
it would be like to be married? When she
found her dreams filled with him?
When she says the words?
Well, she fell in love over time. For
some, it takes a few weeks. For others,
it takes years. But true love is never at

(04:16):
first sight. It always takes some time.
When did their relationship change?
Well, it changed incrementally, a bit
here and a bit there. They were
strangers. And then two people on a date.
And then they were a couple.
And then they were a couple in love. When
do they become a couple in love? Well,

(04:38):
not until they admit it to themselves and
then to each other. The words matter. The
words change everything. The words change
both lives forever. But of course, many
couples say, "I love you." And don't mean
it. The words only
matter between honest people.

(04:59):
Lies happen. And then there are some
couples, not many, who fall in love, get
married, have children, and grow old
together, never having said, "I love
you." Is it essential that you tell your
boyfriend that you love him if you want
to one day be married? Yes. Well, almost.

(05:20):
Relationships don't always follow the
rules, but the rules are the rules for a
reason. They matter.
Like the young couple who acknowledge and
verbalize their love and commitment to
each other, immersion is the result of
deciding to make a commitment to God. It
changes us. And it changes the way other

(05:42):
people see us because the initial
evidence of our
commitment is our baptism.
But that's not all. The Old Testament
washings for purification were a shadow
of that which was to come,
according to Hebrews chapter 10.
The substance of those Old Testament

(06:02):
purification rites is found in the waters
of baptism, during which the Holy Spirit
performs the ultimate purification, the
removal of our sins.
This is why baptism matters.
Thanks for listening to the podcast. We

(06:25):
hope this episode has deepened your
understanding of Scripture. If you found
this content valuable, please share it
with your friends. For more biblical
studies, visit our website at
readyforeternity.com. That's the word
"ready," the number four, and the word
"eternity." Readyforeternity.com. Be sure
and leave a comment on the Ready for

(06:47):
Eternity Facebook page or reach out on
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Keep studying your Bible, growing closer
to God, and getting ready for eternity.
See you next time.