2. What’s the ‘Big Deal’ about Baptism? “Why are you ‘Church of Christers’ the only ones who really stress it?” Three quick initial points: 1)While others may do so, please don’t refer to yourself as a ‘Church of Christer’! 2)There are other religious groups that do stress “baptism”- or at least their version of it. 3)Try not to put yourself in the position of speaking for other religious organizations or groups.

3. The ‘Big Deal’ about Baptism: The Easy Answers  It is featured prominently in the N.T. – nearly every book speaks of baptism, Acts 2:38,41.  It comprises half of the requirements Jesus stressed for salvation in the Great Commission, Mark 16:16.  It is how we are “born again,” John 3:3-5.  It not only typifies Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, but it signifies our own, Rom.6:1-7.

4. The ‘Big Deal’ about Baptism: The ‘Not Hard’ but perhaps ‘Less Obvious’ Answers Spiritual Baptism mirrors the beginning and progression of Physical Life (plant and animal):  Seed is planted, Jas.1:18 (note the comparison to the “birth” of sin, vv.13-15)- the seed is the word of God, Luke 8:11.  Gestation is required, Acts 2:22-36; gestation is the period of fetal development prior to birth; these men had seen, heard, and crucified Jesus while the seed He planted was gestating!

5. The ‘Big Deal’ about Baptism: The ‘Not Hard’ but perhaps ‘Less Obvious’ Answers Spiritual Baptism mirrors the beginning and progression of Physical Life (plant and animal):  Then, when gestation is complete, the Miracle of Birth follows, 1Pet.1:23-25. The wonderful departure of the spiritual from the natural is that the spiritual seed never perishes! It may gestate for years before birth occurs.  Growth, Maturation, and Reproduction naturally follow, 2Pet.1:5-11; unless something hinders the process, Matt.13:19-23.

6. The even bigger ‘Big Deal’ about Baptism: Jesus said you cannot “see” or “enter” the kingdom of God without it, John 3:3,5. Why?  Everything physically alive must be “born” from living seed of some type.  But for humans, who have been given a soul, sin- which is transgression of God’s law, causes death (physical and spiritual), Gen.2:16-17; Rom.5:12.  And all of an accountable age have sinned, Rom.3:23; and therefore have died spiritually.

7. The even bigger ‘Big Deal’ about Baptism: Jesus said you cannot “see” or “enter” the kingdom of God without it, John 3:3,5. Why?  Therefore, we must be reborn spiritually in order to live eternally with Him.  This spiritual rebirth is accomplished after the similitude physical birth:  Seed is planted,  Gestation produces fetal development, and then  Rebirth by the waters of baptism produces a new creature in Christ, cf. John 3:5-7; 2Cor.5:17!

8. The ‘Big Deal’ about Baptism Now the questions:  Has the good seed of the Word of God been planted in your heart?  Has it fully gestated (developed) to produce:  Knowledge of your sin;  Need of your salvation; and  Understanding of how and why baptism is a “big deal” to you?  If so, then are you ready to be born again?