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Volume 7 ... #26
Baptism For Us Today Is Like Circumcision of the OT ...
A Sign
Abraham believed God. And it was counted to him for righteousness. Romans 4:3
Jesus once told his disciples: This is the work of God. That you believe on HIM ...
Romans 4 ... 9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
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We believe ... so then we are baptized.
Baptism does not make us believers.
After we believe in God, we are baptized as a sign of our belief in God. Water baptism is identification with the death and resurrection of Christ.
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When I was lowered into the water, the Holy Spirit said to me, "This is like being buried with Christ." (Those who die are buried. This is a sign of my flesh dying, being crucified with Christ that I no longer have to bow myself to the will of my flesh, serving my flesh for now I reckon my flesh dead and buried.)
When I was raised from the water, the Holy Spirit said to me, "This is like being raised with Christ." (So I could now walk a new life, not by will of my flesh but by will of God)
After God revealed HIMSELF to me and I was born again, then I was baptized in water as a sign of my conscience of God.
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