Baptism - Baptism and Rebirth

Baptism and Rebirth


All men are destined to die because of their sin. The kingdom of heaven is a place where our physical bodies can never step foot. Even though our bodies are slaves to sin and destined to die, God allows us the opportunity to return to heaven. To enter the eternal kingdom, our spirit should be born again.


John 3:3-5 『In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit."』

To  be born again, our body must first die to pay for our sins. To make us realize this principle (of the forgiveness of sins and rebirth), Jesus made atonement for our sins by shedding His blood on the cross and then resurrecting. As Jesus died on the cross, our body should be buried through baptism. And as Jesus rose from death, we are to be born again as the righteous, only after our sins are forgiven through the grace of Christ.

1 Pet. 3:21 『...and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also-not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.』

Rom. 6:3-11 『Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized 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...Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him...In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.』

The purpose of the law of baptism is not to wash the dirt off of our body, but to wash the sin off of our soul, so that we may be revived.

(continuation)