MORE THAN WATER · PART 2 OF 9
Quick answer: Baptism is an outward sign of an inward reality. When a believer is lowered beneath the water and raised again, baptism pictures Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection and publicly declares that they have been made new in Christ. The water itself has no special power. It points to what God has already done.
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Imagine someone watching a baptism for the very first time. They see a person step into a tub of water. A pastor asks a few questions. The individual is lowered beneath the surface for a moment, then lifted back up. The congregation applauds. Some people wipe away tears. Families embrace afterward. Pictures are taken. Smiles fill the room. To an outside observer, it may seem like a simple ceremony. But what appears simple on the outside is profoundly significant on the inside.
Baptism is one of the most beautiful pictures God has ever given His Church. It tells the entire story of the gospel without saying a word. Before a pastor speaks. Before a testimony is shared. Before the congregation applauds. The act itself proclaims Jesus. That’s because baptism isn’t merely something Christians do. It’s something God gave His people to remember who they are.
Throughout Scripture, God often gives visible signs to communicate invisible truths. When Noah saw the rainbow, it reminded him of God’s covenant. When Israel celebrated Passover, the meal reminded them of God’s deliverance. When believers gather around the Lord’s Table, the bread and cup remind us of Christ’s sacrifice. Baptism belongs in that same category. It is an outward sign of an inward reality.
Notice the order. The inward work comes first. God saves. God forgives. God gives new life. Then baptism becomes the visible declaration that those things have already happened. The water itself has no special power. It isn’t holy because of where it came from. It doesn’t contain grace. It doesn’t remove sin. Rather, God uses something ordinary, water, to point us toward something extraordinary: the saving work of Jesus Christ.
Perhaps you’ve noticed something about baptism. It looks strangely familiar. Someone goes down. Someone comes back up. Why? Because baptism is telling a story. Paul explains:
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead… we too may live a new life.
— Romans 6:4
Think about what happens during baptism. The believer enters the water. This identifies them with Christ’s death. They are lowered beneath the water. This pictures burial. Then they rise again. This celebrates resurrection. In just a few seconds, baptism visually proclaims the greatest event in human history. Jesus died. Jesus was buried. Jesus rose again.
And because we are united with Him through faith, His story has become our story. That doesn’t mean we physically died. Nor does it mean baptism somehow accomplishes these things. Rather, baptism announces what God has already done in Christ.
One of the New Testament’s greatest themes is identity. When someone trusts Christ, they don’t simply receive forgiveness. They become someone new. Paul writes:
If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
— 2 Corinthians 5:17
Notice the language. Not improved. Not repaired. New. This is one reason baptism matters. It becomes the public declaration that our deepest identity has changed.
The world often asks us, “What do you do?” “Where are you from?” “What political party do you support?” “What labels describe you?” Scripture asks a much deeper question. Whose are you? Baptism answers that question. “We belong to Jesus.” Not because we are perfect or have earned it, but because Christ has made us His own.
One phrase appears throughout the New Testament more than almost any other. “In Christ.” Paul uses it over and over again. Because becoming a Christian isn’t simply adopting new beliefs. It’s becoming united with a Person. Jesus. Everything that belongs to Christ now belongs to those who trust Him. His righteousness. His inheritance. His victory. His family. His future. His Spirit.
Baptism celebrates that union. When someone is baptized, they’re saying, “Our lives are no longer centered on ourselves. Our lives are hidden with Christ. Our future belongs to Him.” This is why baptism is so much more than a symbol of forgiveness. It’s a celebration of belonging.
Many people say, “Faith is personal.” They’re right. Faith is deeply personal. But in Scripture it is never merely private. One of the first things new believers did throughout the book of Acts was publicly identify themselves with Jesus through baptism. Why? Because the gospel is meant to be witnessed.
Think about a wedding. The vows belong to two people. But they’re spoken before witnesses. Not because witnesses make the marriage valid. Because public commitment matters. Baptism functions similarly. It allows the Church to celebrate. It allows family to witness. It allows the believer to declare, “We have decided to follow Jesus.”
Sometimes people think baptism marks the end of their spiritual journey. “It’s done. We’re finished.” Scripture presents the opposite. Baptism is the beginning. It’s one of the first steps of a lifelong journey of following Jesus.
At Wooddale, we often talk about the Five Personal Marks of Spiritual Maturity:
Baptism doesn’t mean we’ve mastered these marks. It means we’ve begun walking toward them. It’s our joyful declaration that we intend to spend the rest of our lives becoming more like Christ.
This article is part of More Than Water, a series on the beauty, meaning and mission of baptism. Start with the complete guide to baptism.
Whether you’re new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, we’d love to celebrate this step with you. Register for baptism, email our pastoral team or call 952.944.6300.
Wooddale Church is a multigenerational, Bible-teaching church in Minnesota with locations in Eden Prairie, Edina and Minneapolis near the University of Minnesota. Whether you’re looking for a church near you, exploring faith for the first time or simply curious about what happens at church, we invite you to join us.
If this article has raised questions, encouraged you or helped you see baptism in a new way, we’d love to continue the conversation. Whether you’re exploring Christianity for the first time, considering baptism or simply looking for a church family where you can continue growing in your faith, we’d be honored to walk alongside you. Following Jesus was never meant to be a journey you travel alone.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
