The Sacrament of Baptism
But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. That day the LORD saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. (Exod 14:29-30)
Baptism is a very important subject in the Christian faith – it is a matter of life and death! Vast as it may be, this space is sufficient to introduce and point you to important aspects and implication of Baptism. It is one of the two great sacraments given by Christ to his Church, and is the sacrament by which God adopts us as his children and makes us members of Christ’s Body, the Church, and inheritors of the kingdom of God – we learn these things in the Catechism. The outward and visible sign in Baptism is water, in which the person is baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, while the inward and spiritual grace in Baptism is union with Christ in his death and resurrection, birth into God's family the Church, forgiveness of sins, and new life in the Holy Spirit.
The phenomenon of receiving life from water seems to be an age-old matter: in the beginning the earth was formless and empty and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters; the Great Flood that destroyed a terribly wicked world was survived by those that God saved in the ark – they were ‘baptized’ into new life. The escaping Israelites were only sure they were out of Egypt completely after crossing the Red Sea with a wall of water on either side; and that very sea destroyed their enemies. “And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant” (Exod 14:31). Naaman the Syrian dipped himself in the Jordan seven times before his leprous skin was cleansed completely – the ‘better’ rivers in Damascus were of no help. Prophet Isaiah pens wonderful assurance to comfort God’s people: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you” (43:1-2).
Each of the above stories powerfully brings out the sign of water and the grace of God. In particular, take heed that the waters will not destroy you as they did the Egyptians – enemies of God’s people and on a mission outside God’s will! Though they had bitterly complained in their desperation before the crossing, they now feared the LORD and put their trust in Him when they saw the mighty deliverance. May this message on Baptism help you to grow deeper in faith, and to trust Him firmly even in the direst of circumstances.
God bless you all.