Q
LIFE APPLICATION. Casual English Bible says John the Baptizer taught that baptism would show that people :
- regretted their sins
- were going to start saying no to sin
- were forgiven of their sins (Mark 1:4).
The footnote to the verse adds this. “A more literal translation says that John preached aa baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.’ Bible scholars have different ways of explaining what this means.” What do you think baptism means to most Christians today?
A
For many Christians, baptism is a public declaration of their faith.
Other Christians see symbolism in the ritual. As they go under the water, they remember the death of Jesus. As they come up out of the water, they remember the resurrection of Jesus and the new life he had. They can think of themselves as dead to their old sinful way of living and alive to the kind of life that would honor Christ. They think of themselves as cleansed of their sins and devoted to spending the rest of their life saying no to sin and yes to God.
Baptism is considered one of the most important and common rituals in the Christian church, along with the ritual of matrimony and communion, also known as the Eucharist or Mass.
Potlucks don’t qualify. Yet.
Excerpt from the Leader’s Guide & Atlas for Mark
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Casual English Bible
Two other questions about baptism:
1) Must there be water involved or is baptism more about a decision than getting wet?
2) Is it only a True Baptism if administered by an ordained minister, or can any believer baptize another believer?
1. John the Baptist said Jesus would bring something better than baptism with water: baptism with the Spirit.
2. John the Baptist didn’t seem to be ordained by anyone other than God.
That’s not necessarily to say we could get baptized by a hairdresser with a blow drier. On the other hand, there was a sound like rushing wind.