Hi E.Christian baptism has TREMENDOUS spiritual implications, and that is why it was a commandment of Christ. See Romans 6 for details.
1. It tells the whole world that a former sinner -- perhaps a criminal or evildoer -- has totally turned his back on his former evil life, and will be under the total authority of Christ. Hence death, burial, and resurrection as symbolized in baptism by full immersion. That he is dead to sin and alive to God.
2. It is the first step of obedience and submission to God and Christ for one who was an enemy of God and an alien from Christ. Obedience to the Gospel is immediately followed by obedience to Christ's command. That is why in the book of Acts, Christian baptism was almost immediately after conversion (and that truth has been generally lost in Evangelicalism).
3. It tells the whole world that this person has been "raised to walk in newness of life" by the symbolic resurrection from water. Which means that the former sinner has renounced the world, the flesh, and the devil. And as we see from some ancient Christian writings, this was in fact how new converts were baptized while speaking out their renunciation.
4. It gives the believer an opportunity to "confess with his mouth the Lord Jesus". That (just like the Ethiopian with Philip) he believes with all his heart that Jesus is the Son of God (God manifest in the flesh) and that he has received Him as both Lord and Christ. Philip insisted that only upon such confession of faith could this man be baptized.
5. Baptism also symbolizes the inner washing with the blood of Christ and the Holy Spirit. As Ananias told Paul "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Obviously, water does not -- and cannot -- wash away sins and guilt.
Great post.
I've copied it and put it in my file. (I don't use this stuff, it's for me)
I do see in the N.T. that John baptized for the forgiveness of sin.
Then we see Jesus telling the Apostles to wait for the Holy Spirit so they could be empowered.
Are there more?
Is believing a form of baptism?
That would make three types of baptism...