Baptized into Christ

~~~ Galatians 3:22-29 ~~~ Psalm 105 ~~~ Luke 11:27-28 ~~~ 

For all of you who were baptized into Christ

have clothed yourselves with Christ.

When I think of Baptism I think of water.

I do not think of being clothed.

To be clothed with Christ is something that happens to our soul.

Baptized into Christ...

If we dwell on just this part of the verse we might 

overlook the deeper implication.

To be Baptized into Christ includes his death, burial, and resurrection.

In Baptism we are submerged into the water.

We must hold our breath at least for a few moments.

Without breath we would have no life.

We need air to breathe.

Being submerged into water 

even for a few moments symbolizes our dying.

We cannot have a resurrection without first having a death.

When we emerge from the waters of Baptism we are changed...

we are now claimed as belonging to Christ.

Baptism becomes our identification card; we are marked for God.

Emerging from the waters we put on Christ...

we take upon ourselves all that is of Christ.

The desire for God is fulfilled through our Baptism.

When we clothe ourselves with Christ 

we are set on our life long journey.

At first, clothing ourselves with Christ seems too daunting.

Perhaps this new garment is too large for us.

We feel overwhelmed by the meaning.

Baptism is about accepting God's love in a special way.

When you love you want to imitate.

We imitate Christ by uniting ourselves

 with him through the refreshing waters of Baptism. 

In Baptism we cannot deny that we are also

 participating in his death and resurrection.

There is no need to baptized more than once because we can only

 emerge as united with Christ one time.

Multiple Baptisms would  seem to be questioning whether 

or not we were really claimed by Christ the first time.

Even if we are Baptized as an infant we come out clothed with Christ

 symbolized by the white garment...the baptismal gown. 

When we die we are again clothed in the white garment 

which is draped over the casket.

When we experience resurrection for the final time 

God will bring us up to himself.

The symbols of our earthly life 

will give way to the eternal realities...

Emerging from the waters of Baptism

 foreshadows our final resurrection.

Baptism sets the stage for the rest of our life...

a life in Christ.

We give thanks for our Baptism today.

The Blessings of Baptism last throughout our entire life.

Do you know when you were Baptized?

Look it up if you do not know.

That is the day to celebrate your belonging to Christ.

~~~Peace~~~