Last Sunday I went to a baptism. Eighteen people came as new believers who wanted to begin their Christian life with this public profession of faith. Baptism is a wonderful symbol of what Christian life is all about. We come to God in repentance, asking for forgiveness for our sins. Because Jesus died, was buried, and rose again from the grave, we can be forgiven and made new, with a purpose for this life and a sure hope of eternal life. Baptism doesn’t make this happen but it symbolizes what God does in our hearts. Going down into the water symbolizes our death to self. Rising out of the water symbolizes rising to a new life, forgiven, cleansed, and empowered by the Spirit of God.
This baptism occurred at a lake outside a town in southern Moldova. People who came to go swimming or boating that day may not have expected to hear the gospel preached, but it was preached – and dramatized by these baptisms. There were sermons in both Romanian and Russian. When the preacher spoke Russian, one of my Moldovan friends translated into Romanian for me. (Imagine! I used to need things translated FROM Romanian, now it’s TO Romanian.)
It was a beautiful and special day, and celebrations were held in heaven and on earth. “there is joy in the presence of God over one sinner who repents…”. Praise the Lord!
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