Abounding Grace: Belonging, Washed Clean

Over the next few weeks, we’re going to consider the meaning of baptism. As was stated last week, the sacraments (baptism and communion) communicate God’s pledge to us, rehearsing his promises in the covenant of grace. These religious rites are meant to communicate that we belong to God by his grace. When a person receives baptism, or when we witness a baptism, we rehearse God’s promise to cleanse us from sin, enabling us to belong to him in righteousness. As Paul says, “He chose us in him (Jesus)…that we should be holy and blameless before him,” Ephesians 1:4. He continues, saying of Jesus, “(He) gave himself…that he might sanctify her (church), having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,” Ephesians 5:26.

Sin makes us unclean preventing us from walking in fellowship with a clean, holy God. Discontent with our broken relationship, God moved to provide us the cleansing that we would need to have restored fellowship with him, to belong to his family. This cleansing is demonstrated by the application of the solvent of water. It dates all the way back to the book of Leviticus where God uses ceremonial washings to illustrate Israel’s need to be cleansed of their uncleanness. It was an uncleanness that water could not solve because it is spiritual. It was an uncleanness that only God could provide through the work of his Spirit, and is similar to the rite of circumcision. Once cleansed by the Spirit, a person’s relationship with God is restored, and they belong to him. Join us Sunday as we worship our Savior and consider his cleansing work.