WATER

 

      Water is very important to the human race. We use it for cleaning, cooking, cooling, and a whole host of other things. Water is a key to survival for every living creature. As humans we must consume water to keep our bodies in proper working order. There is even a popular phrase that states "Water is Life." No doubt water is an important part of our physical life.

 

      Water is also an important part of our spiri­tual life. Throughout the Bible water has played a significant role in the faith of the followers of God. In Genesis the Bible records the massive worldwide flood. This water both destroyed and saved. It destroyed the old sinful world but also served as a savior to eight souls abroad the ark. Water acted as a savior in the sense that it lifted the ark up and away from the sinful world. It stood as a barrier between good and evil. In the story of the exodus, water saved the nation of Is­rael by swallowing Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea. There are a whole host of other stories where water played a vital role (Naaman, Baby Moses, etc.)

 

            It should come as no surprise to Chris­tians that Water is still an important part of our spiritual life. "Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized? Then Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him." (Acts 8:36-38.) Water is the point at which a person is separated from the sinful world and joined into union which Christ. (Romans 6:3-4.) In 1 Peter 3:20-21 the Bible shows again the important role of water baptism in our spiritual life when it says "The longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, herein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."                                     

 

 - - - - JOSH WEBSTER

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