It’s a Good Day to Die!
Jesus says to Nicodemus in John 3:5 : “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
Some say this is a direct reference to baptism and Nicodemus understood that. There is a baptism of the “water” and a baptism of the “Spirit.”
Nicodemus was a leader of the Jews and he seemingly understood the importance of baptism.
We understand that in this passage Jesus is directly speaking to us as believers just as much as he is speaking to Nicodemus. We welcome and embrace John chapter three as our own — Jesus is speaking to us in this passage but consider that he is speaking first and foremost to a leader of the Jews named Nicodemus. Nicodemus would have understood the practice of baptizing a gentile that wished to become a Jew and to celebrate in that Jewish religion, and the new life the gentile would receive. It was a common practice in the Jewish faith. To die to self…to strip away the old. It speaks of repentance and NEW LIFE!!!!
Is the act of baptisms simply a New Testament ceremony?
Historian and Teacher John Lightfoot (29 March 1602–6 December 1675) was an English churchman and rabbinical scholar. Talking about a grown man wishing to practice Judaism Lightfoot wrote in the 1600s: “As soon as he (The Jewish convert) grows whole of the wound of circumcision, they bring him to Baptism, and being placed in the water they again instruct him in some weightier and in some lighter commands of the Law. Which being heard, he plunges himself and comes up, and, behold, he is an Israelite in all things.”
Nicodemus understood what Jesus was instructing when he mentioned baptisms in John chapter three. Perhaps Nicodemus understood on a deeper level the importance of baptism and the idea that we need to be born into that New life both spiritually and ceremonially.
Belief in Jesus! And because of that, a stripping away of the old man, and embracing the new. Jesus makes the point here that baptism is important.
If you are thinking of the day Jesus was executed and the criminal on the cross that died the same day as Jesus. You will remember that the man was presumably never baptized yet at the criminals confession of his belief in Jesus, Jesus tells him “today you will be with me in paradise.”
That unnamed criminal of the cross next to Jesus was converted while on the cross, so where is that man’s baptism? He went to paradise but was not baptized.
I agree. Baptism, we can conclude, therefore, is NOT a prerequisite for heaven!
The Bible is clear that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ-ALONE, not by works of any kind!!! including baptism (Ephesians 2:8–9).
But Christ makes it clear that baptism is part of the Christian life. This ritual, this awakening, this revival is all part and parcel of who and what we would be in Him.
Believing in Him…Living and dying in Him!
Some years ago at a baptism a man in the crowd before he was to be baptized was asked “Do you have anything that you would like to say to those here?”
“Yes,” the man said looking up and seeing the crowd. He was a big man that worked …and lived …and sinned in Carson City, Nevada. He was coming from a life that was not all that saintly but he understood baptism! He simply shouted out like a warrior… “It’s a good day to die!”
Ultimately that is what baptism represents. Dying to self…living for Christ. That’s the life of a true believer! to quote Lightfoot — -he plunges himself and comes up, and, behold, he is an Israelite in all things.
Baptism is not meant to be some membership into a country club religion but rather it is a public ceremony to live and die for the Creator of the world. For the Creator of our lives.
To willingly say Yes! Lord Jesus. I will take your yoke upon me. You will lead, I will follow! In life and in death.
“It’s a good day to die.”
(Patrick Herman is an author, radio announcer for the Pilgrim Radio Network and blogger. He lives with his wife and four kids in Carson City, Nevada).
