JessiccaJourney of Water Baptism
March 20th 2007 01:27
Water Baptism, to many people around the world is a very crucial and important ceremony for many believers of Christ. Some might say, “Oh… that’s the end, they are lost to their faith, they can never come back.” These refer to many Chinese families whose background came from the traditional way. Some believed that they are already fanatic, they won’t turn back, they’ll go extreme to talk about God and everything, etc… etc… etc…
But what does Water Baptism really mean? To the scholars they’d probably state, “The word ‘baptise’ comes from the Greek word ‘baptisma’ or ‘baptizo’, which means ‘to immerse, to submerge, to dip’.” Theologians would quote:
“Don’t you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
(Romans 3:6-7, Romans 3:11)
There’s a lot to digest. To me, it was simple. It was releasing my hands that was holding so much in the past that I have guilt in, probably many would say Sin or strongholds, and have a trustful faith to walk forward. Let me share a short summarised story I read from self-empowerment:
“A man who was good in hiking decided to climb a mountain. Because he thought he was really good he went alone. He did not stop to rest for he wanted to reach the summit sooner, and when the night came he couldn’t see a thing, slid and fell off the cliff.
Lucky for the rope around him was tight and saved him from falling straight to death. In total darkness, haven’t the slightest idea where he was, hanging in mid air, he shouted, “GOD! SAVE ME!”
A voice came from above said, “Do you think I can save you?”
The man said, “Yes! Because you are God!”
“Then cut the rope that is tying to you.” The voice said. And there was silence. The man decided not to cut the rope.
The next day, he was found hanging 10 feet from the ground, frozen and dead.”
This was my queue to Water Baptism. I knew that I was holding on the rope that tied me to many sad pasts that I couldn’t let go, the pasts that I couldn’t forgive others, or myself, the distrust that I easily have that leads to jealousy and doubt. I knew I had to let it go. I knew I had to “cut the rope” and have good faith that I will land on the ground, probably bruised but alive to move on.
It was something I needed to do in order to reborn again, to say good-bye to the negative mind and to welcome the positive hope in every step I take. Now there are many ways to do so, some would said (I know my dad would say that), “It is all in the mind”.
But all the thinking saying to friends and family about “changing for the better” and not the slightest action taken is meaningless. If you don’t do something about it and just keep saying “I’m gonna change, I’ll do better” is useless. Even those chicken-soup for the soul books would say the same thing.
Where many will find other ways to change for the better, I chose this particular path because it was part of my believes and also a very good symbol for myself. I never learn to let go of my hand and relax. And for that very few seconds of allowing myself to be submerged into water, lying below the surface of water and be pulled out again without using my very own strength, gave me total silence and peace, that gave me the ability to “cut the rope and land onto the near ground below me”.
Well… you can say it’s like a total cleansing of the soul.
Yet this does not mean that I will be super-holy and lead a true sinless life. That’s a stupid and arrogant thought. We are all human; we can still make mistakes anytime. But this baptism gave me hope that I can relive everything I have lost and doubt. I can love truly and I know that I can forgive others and myself.
It’s my humble beginning once again.
But what does Water Baptism really mean? To the scholars they’d probably state, “The word ‘baptise’ comes from the Greek word ‘baptisma’ or ‘baptizo’, which means ‘to immerse, to submerge, to dip’.” Theologians would quote:
If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
(Romans 3:6-7, Romans 3:11)
There’s a lot to digest. To me, it was simple. It was releasing my hands that was holding so much in the past that I have guilt in, probably many would say Sin or strongholds, and have a trustful faith to walk forward. Let me share a short summarised story I read from self-empowerment:
“A man who was good in hiking decided to climb a mountain. Because he thought he was really good he went alone. He did not stop to rest for he wanted to reach the summit sooner, and when the night came he couldn’t see a thing, slid and fell off the cliff.
Lucky for the rope around him was tight and saved him from falling straight to death. In total darkness, haven’t the slightest idea where he was, hanging in mid air, he shouted, “GOD! SAVE ME!”
A voice came from above said, “Do you think I can save you?”
The man said, “Yes! Because you are God!”
“Then cut the rope that is tying to you.” The voice said. And there was silence. The man decided not to cut the rope.
The next day, he was found hanging 10 feet from the ground, frozen and dead.”
This was my queue to Water Baptism. I knew that I was holding on the rope that tied me to many sad pasts that I couldn’t let go, the pasts that I couldn’t forgive others, or myself, the distrust that I easily have that leads to jealousy and doubt. I knew I had to let it go. I knew I had to “cut the rope” and have good faith that I will land on the ground, probably bruised but alive to move on.
It was something I needed to do in order to reborn again, to say good-bye to the negative mind and to welcome the positive hope in every step I take. Now there are many ways to do so, some would said (I know my dad would say that), “It is all in the mind”.
But all the thinking saying to friends and family about “changing for the better” and not the slightest action taken is meaningless. If you don’t do something about it and just keep saying “I’m gonna change, I’ll do better” is useless. Even those chicken-soup for the soul books would say the same thing.
Where many will find other ways to change for the better, I chose this particular path because it was part of my believes and also a very good symbol for myself. I never learn to let go of my hand and relax. And for that very few seconds of allowing myself to be submerged into water, lying below the surface of water and be pulled out again without using my very own strength, gave me total silence and peace, that gave me the ability to “cut the rope and land onto the near ground below me”.
Well… you can say it’s like a total cleansing of the soul.
Yet this does not mean that I will be super-holy and lead a true sinless life. That’s a stupid and arrogant thought. We are all human; we can still make mistakes anytime. But this baptism gave me hope that I can relive everything I have lost and doubt. I can love truly and I know that I can forgive others and myself.
It’s my humble beginning once again.
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