EGF - Day 12
Day 12
Encountering God Through Sacraments
"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." - Romans 6:4
"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." - Romans 6:4
In this profound verse from Paul's letter to the Romans, we discover that baptism is far
more than a symbolic ritual or public declaration of faith. It is a mysterious, sacred
moment of encounter with the divine—a spiritual experience where we participate in the
very death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Paul uses language that transcends mere symbolism. He doesn't say baptism represents
burial with Christ; he declares we "were buried with him through baptism." This isn't
symbolic language but participatory reality. In the waters of baptism, believers experience
a genuine spiritual union with Christ's death. The old self—with its bondage to sin, its
allegiance to the flesh, its participation in the broken systems of this world—is submerged
and put to death.
But the encounter doesn't end there. Just as surely as we join Christ in His death, we also
join Him in His resurrection. The emergence from the waters becomes our participation in
resurrection power—"we too may live a new life." This new life isn't merely a fresh moral
beginning or a second chance. It is literally resurrection life—the same divine power that
raised Jesus from the dead now animating our mortal bodies.
In this light, baptism becomes a threshold experience—a sacred moment where heaven
and earth intersect, where eternity breaks into time, where divine power infuses human
weakness. The person who enters the water is not the same person who emerges.
Something profound and cosmic has occurred: a death and resurrection that changes
everything.
Throughout church history, believers have testified to experiencing God's presence
powerfully during baptism. Some describe overwhelming peace, others a sense of
cleansing, still others a tangible awareness of God's love. While experiences vary, the
spiritual reality remains the same—in baptism, we encounter the transforming power of
the Triune God.
For those already baptized, this verse invites us to continually live in the reality of our
baptismal identity. We need not be re-baptized to access this power, but we can daily
remember and reclaim the truth that we have died with Christ and been raised to new life.
Each temptation, each struggle, each moment of weakness becomes an opportunity to
declare, "I have been baptized into Christ's death and resurrection. Sin no longer has
mastery over me. I live in resurrection power."
more than a symbolic ritual or public declaration of faith. It is a mysterious, sacred
moment of encounter with the divine—a spiritual experience where we participate in the
very death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Paul uses language that transcends mere symbolism. He doesn't say baptism represents
burial with Christ; he declares we "were buried with him through baptism." This isn't
symbolic language but participatory reality. In the waters of baptism, believers experience
a genuine spiritual union with Christ's death. The old self—with its bondage to sin, its
allegiance to the flesh, its participation in the broken systems of this world—is submerged
and put to death.
But the encounter doesn't end there. Just as surely as we join Christ in His death, we also
join Him in His resurrection. The emergence from the waters becomes our participation in
resurrection power—"we too may live a new life." This new life isn't merely a fresh moral
beginning or a second chance. It is literally resurrection life—the same divine power that
raised Jesus from the dead now animating our mortal bodies.
In this light, baptism becomes a threshold experience—a sacred moment where heaven
and earth intersect, where eternity breaks into time, where divine power infuses human
weakness. The person who enters the water is not the same person who emerges.
Something profound and cosmic has occurred: a death and resurrection that changes
everything.
Throughout church history, believers have testified to experiencing God's presence
powerfully during baptism. Some describe overwhelming peace, others a sense of
cleansing, still others a tangible awareness of God's love. While experiences vary, the
spiritual reality remains the same—in baptism, we encounter the transforming power of
the Triune God.
For those already baptized, this verse invites us to continually live in the reality of our
baptismal identity. We need not be re-baptized to access this power, but we can daily
remember and reclaim the truth that we have died with Christ and been raised to new life.
Each temptation, each struggle, each moment of weakness becomes an opportunity to
declare, "I have been baptized into Christ's death and resurrection. Sin no longer has
mastery over me. I live in resurrection power."
How Does Baptism Allow Us to Encounter God?
1. We Encounter God’s Cleansing Power.
a. Baptism symbolizes being washed clean from sin, just as water cleanses the body.
b. "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins." (Acts 2:38)
2. We Encounter Christ’s Death and Resurrection.
a. Going under the water represents dying to our old life, and coming up represents being raised to new life in Christ.
b. “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
3. We Encounter the Holy Spirit.
a. Just as the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus at His baptism, we too receive the Spirit’s presence and power.
b. "For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body." (1 Corinthians 12:13)
4. We Encounter God in a Public Declaration.
a. Baptism is a moment where we publicly declare, “I belong to Jesus.” It is an act of faith and obedience that brings us closer to Him.
1. We Encounter God’s Cleansing Power.
a. Baptism symbolizes being washed clean from sin, just as water cleanses the body.
b. "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins." (Acts 2:38)
2. We Encounter Christ’s Death and Resurrection.
a. Going under the water represents dying to our old life, and coming up represents being raised to new life in Christ.
b. “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
3. We Encounter the Holy Spirit.
a. Just as the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus at His baptism, we too receive the Spirit’s presence and power.
b. "For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body." (1 Corinthians 12:13)
4. We Encounter God in a Public Declaration.
a. Baptism is a moment where we publicly declare, “I belong to Jesus.” It is an act of faith and obedience that brings us closer to Him.
Reflection Questions:
• If you have been baptized, what do you remember about that experience? Did you
sense it as a moment of divine encounter?
• How might your daily life change if you continually lived in the reality that you have
been "buried with Christ" and "raised to new life"?
• Are there areas of your life where you're still living as if the old self is alive rather
than embracing your resurrection identity?
Prayer:
Father, thank You for the sacred gift of baptism, where I have encountered Your transforming power. Thank You that in those waters, I was united with Christ in His death and resurrection. Help me to live each day in the reality of my baptismal identity—dead to sin and alive to You. When temptation comes, remind me that my old self was buried with Christ. When I feel weak, remind me that resurrection power flows through my veins. When I forget who I am, bring me back to the waters where You claimed me as Your own. May my life increasingly reflect the new creation You have declared me to be through baptism. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Posted in encounterfast
Recent
Archive
Categories
no categories