Among the Old Covenant ceremonies that foreshadow the Christian’s covenant with Christ is the water of purification. Consider how this ritual pre-figures Christian baptism.
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Baptism by immersion was practiced by first century Christians. Their burial in water connected with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
John records a conversation between Jesus and a Pharisee, Nicodemus. Jesus reveals to this esteemed teacher how one must be born again to enter the kingdom of God.
John the Baptizer introduced the concept of baptism prior to the arrival of Jesus. What made John’s baptism different from the baptism later taught and practiced by the disciples of Jesus?
Ceremonial washings were found in both pagan and Jewish rites. What makes Christian baptism different?
When Paul met the disciples in Ephesus for the first time, he asked, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit?” Amazingly, these disciples of Jesus had never heard of the Holy Spirit. Paul then asked, “Into what were you baptized?” What does baptism have to do with having the Holy Spirit?
Pain is one of the reasons why we search for meaning and purpose in life. We all suffer from time to time (or, in some cases, all the time). An untimely death, an unexpected illness, a particularly malevolent co-worker, or a terrible accident strikes and suddenly our perception of life is crushed by reality. We think, “life wasn’t supposed to be this way.” We wonder why we have it so hard when others seemingly have it so easy. Our sense of justice and fairness is violated. Why me? Why now? Why, God, why?
I’m a Kansas City Royals baseball fan which means I have watched a lot of bad baseball for the past 25 years. Like many of my fellow KC seam-heads, I thoroughly enjoyed their return to relevance in 2014-17. What made the Royals’ championship in 2015 especially satisfying was their emphasis on tried and true baseball principles — speed and defense — combined with exploiting a facet of the game undervalued by the market: an outstanding bullpen. The Royals reminded an industry dominated by saber-metrics that there are multiple ways to reach the same goal.
At the core of Christianity resides three key elements — faith, hope, and love — and all three elements share a common trait: they motivate one to act. James teaches us to live out our faith through works. John challenges us to love with deeds, not just words. And like its brethren, true hope compels one to seize a better future through action.