Water baptism is a way to visually preach the gospel. Standing in the water symbolizes Jesus dying on the cross, immersing in the water symbolizes Jesus being buried in the tomb and being raised from the water symbolizes Jesus rising from the dead. We bury the 'old life,' and we rise to walk in a 'new life'.
Precious friend, truth be known, I used to believe this
visual {by sight?}
symbolism, but kept digging and searching
God's Word Of Truth, and FOUND:
Only trouble is with
symbolic interpretation is that, as the "baptismal
regenerationists" told us,
water MUST "be INFERRED" for it "to fit" Into
Romans 6! And, Then, THERE IS NO
symbolism, at least not in U.S. protestant
traditions! In South America {
Contrary to your "water symbolizes crucifixion"},
THEY do, as they "carry crosses, and
mutilate themselves" to
symbolize:
Rom_6:6 "
Knowing this, that our old man is Crucified With HIM..."
Even you, my Precious friend, would "raise hands in horror"
at such a
practice In the church, right?
So sorry,
Only The Holy Spirit Of God Can BAPTIZE {Identify} one {spiritually},
Into The Death, Burial {THREE Days! *}, And Resurrection, AND Place them Into
The {Spiritual} Organism, The Body Of CHRIST, Seated In The Heavenlies!
Physical water has no such spiritual powers =
It IS "The OPERATION Of God!"
Thus, Under GRACE, {where we SHOULD ( "...walk by faith, NOT by sight:.. )
(2_Cor_5:7
KJB!), symbolism FAILS,
But God's ONE Baptism supercedes/
replaces the OT "ritual of
water," for the "priesthood of Israel"
{see #'s
4, 9, and 10 here: 12 baptisms }, being found in God's NEW Message Of:
The Preaching Of JESUS CHRIST, According To The Revelation Of The MYSTERY!
The Gospel Of The PURE GRACE/MERCY Of God! = ONE apostle, Paul!!
Not to be
Confused With,
BUT:
Rightly Divided (2_Timothy_2:15
KJB!) From
“Things That DIFFER!”:
God's Other
Program of prophecy/law for The TWELVE tribes of
ISRAEL, with TWELVE apostles, and the gospel of the kingdom.
So, yes, there are a FEW of us stuck in "dual gospels," because
we
FIND them BOTH In God's Word Of Truth, BUT we DO NOT
"marry" them TOGETHER INTO one {causing MASS
Confusion}!:
God's Approval/TWO Different Gospels
* q: How does "holding one
for a second under water symbolize" burial,
When Jesus HIMSELF Said:
Mat 12:39 "But He answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall
no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
Mat 12:40
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
Good-bye
symbolism? "( we
walk by faith, NOT by sight: )," Correct?
+
"raise hands, Again, in horror"?:
About
tradition of "immersion" = How is putting young/middle-aged women
into the baptistry
Any DIFFERENT than the world, that has wet T-shirt contests
at UNgodly liquor establishments?
Did Not COMMAND us to:
"Be NOT conformed to the world" (Romans 12 : 2 KJB!)? God's OPERATION, Or:
man's
symbolism? I believe all KNOW "my" choice by now, Correct?
Be Blessed!