What does baptism symbolize

Share this. Charles Stanley. Meaning of Baptism Pictures frequently communicate in ways that words cannot. That is a baptism, Peter tells us in 1 Peter 3. It is his judgement upon Jonah. How Should Baptism Be Done? Should Infants Be Baptized? Is Baptism Enough for Salvation? As you are lowered into the water, B, you symbolize Jesus buried in the tomb.

As you are raised from the water, C, you symbolize Jesus rising from the dead. And since you personally are being baptized, you are also saying, "I died with Jesus Christ, I was buried with him and now I am raised with Christ to brand-new life. In short, in your baptism you are preaching a sermon without using any words at all.

And your sermon in your baptism will be more effective with your friends than any sermon the pastor preaches on Sunday morning—more effective because it comes directly from you.

Basic Christian Doctrine, p. Baptism requires water. Matthew Baptism required plenty of water. John Baptism requires going down into the water. Acts Baptism requires coming up out of the water. Matthew , Acts Furthermore, the figures of speech used by the Apostle Paul accord well with immersion.

Finally, the testimony of church history is that immersion was indeed the mode of baptism practiced in the early church. Our Savior commands us to follow His example in all things, including baptism : Matthew says, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

John the Baptist was calling the Jewish people to confess their sins and demonstrate repentance through immersion in the Jordan River. Sinless Jesus joined the crowd at the river and asked John to baptize Him. The Lord chose to affiliate Himself with sinful man.

When we follow His example in the waters of baptism, we're publicly confessing our faith in the Savior and identifying ourselves with Him. Baptism allows us to demonstrate our connection with Jesus and with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We're all members of one body under the authority of the same Lord. But it's important to remember that Ephesians says faith in Jesus Christ is the only requirement for salvation, not baptism. But, to fulfill His command, we're to be baptized following our decision to accept Him into our lives.

In Baptism, Jesus is speaking to the believer, to the assembled congregation, and to the watching world, identifying this person with himself in death, in burial, and in resurrection.

And so in Baptism, what you have is a sign of an execution. It's a sign of a drowning. This is the reason why, when Jesus is baptized, John the Baptist can't believe it.

Jesus comes to him and says, "I want to be baptized by you," and John says, "No, no, no, I need be baptized by you. Why is John so alarmed by this? Baptismal ceremonies are not identical from one church to another.

For example, the symbols and procedures are not the same in a Lutheran church as in a Catholic church. The ceremony is generally full of symbolism, regardless of the denomination.

The traditional baptismal font holds the water used for the baptism. It symbolizes the baptismal streams, rivers, or pools of water in centuries past, like the River of Jordan where Christ was baptized by John the Baptist.

According to a particular denomination's tradition, the child is either immersed or dipped in the water in the font or water from the font is sprinkled or poured over the baby's head. Baptismal fonts are made of stone, metal, wood, or marble and have usually been present in the church for generations.

The scriptural readings during a baptism are taken from the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. They celebrate God's word and call for a renewal and profession of faith. The readings also recall Christ's baptism and the symbolic meaning of this which is to die to self and be raised from this death as Christ was raised after the crucifixion. The prayers during the baptismal ceremony beg freedom from sin for the child and ask for Christ's protection, blessings, mercy and grace on the child, the parents, the godparents, the family, and the congregation.

A baptism represents a rebirth and union with Christ and through this, the child gains entrance into the membership of the church. The church community's members represent the holy body of Christ. The congregation gathered bears witness to the child's baptism and welcomes the baptized into Christ's holy church and the company of God. The tradition of godparents is to help the parents raise the godchild in the Christian faith. The godparents are chosen by the parents, and their role in a baptism ceremony varies.

In some churches, a godparent will hold the baby during the baptismal rite, but in others, godparents stand with the parents to support them and bear witness to the ceremony. For some cultures, godparents hold an honorary title, while in others, godparents take their roles seriously and involve themselves in many aspects of the child's life.

All the symbols are important to traditional church baptism ceremonies although the details of their use may vary. The only symbol that a parent or relative is responsible for is dressing the child in a white garment before the baptism or providing such a garment for use after the baptismal sacrament.

Of course, your child may receive several cross ornaments or jewelry items from family and friends, but you may want to have one for your baby to wear during the religious ceremony itself.

You can use these items to teach older children about the symbolism surrounding the sacrament of baptism. A baptism symbol worksheet can be a helpful tool for this kind of lesson. Alternatively, you can make a scrapbook with all the symbols, with pictures from the baptism ceremony, to teach the child who was baptized about it several years later. The symbols of baptism are closely interwoven into the Christian faith and rituals. Some of these symbols can also be found in many other sacraments of churches rather than just during a baptism ceremony.

They are reminders of the beauty of traditions preserved through generations. Baby Baptism 9 Baptism Symbols and Their Meanings As your child or a close family member prepares for an upcoming baptism, you'll want to familiarize yourself with the most common baptism symbols.

Familiar Symbols Used in Baptism There are five universal symbols of baptism: the cross, a white garment, oil, water, and light. The Cross The cross is a universal symbol of Christianity.