I was talking to our Pentateuch lecturer after class to clarify a few questions. The conversation moved to the subject of baptism and we linked it back to Genesis 1 where it says the Spirit of God hovered over the chaos.
I have never really understood the significance of water baptism and have thought of it as a tradition that we put into practice, in obedience to the word. But today I had a light bulb moment as to the importance and symbolism of water baptism…for water in the OT often signifies chaos / darkness.
Therefore when one goes down into the water and is totally immersed its signifying the status of the individual living in chaos, living in brokenness, living in a world that is broken and in fact signifies a world that drowns us in brokenness and smothers us in sin and if you remain in it, you will simply die.
At the same time, coming up out of the water is representing that you are a new creation in Christ Jesus. The old has passed away. You come up out of the chaos / darkness and into light, signifying new life and a new creation.
Exciting hey!
Trinitarian Dance 