Articles
Water Salvation (2)
The Bible contains a number of inspired stories of various individuals and people that were saved through water. In fact, in our last article we noticed how the family of Noah was saved through water, and how penitent believers today are as well in baptism (I Peter 3:20-21).
Another great Bible story of water salvation is when Israel crossed through the Red Sea.
And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” And the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:13-16).
The apostle Paul made reference to this story of salvation as he wrote to the church in Corinth. “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (I Cor. 10:1-2).
Paul declared concerning Israel – “all were baptized into Moses.” Israel following the cloud and passing through the Sea made them disciples of Moses. It placed them under obligation to recognize Moses’ divine commission and submit to his authority.
Think of the parallel of this found repeatedly in the New Testament, when penitent believers obeyed the gospel and were “baptized into Christ” (Acts 8:16; 19:5; Romans 6:3). We are commanded to be baptized in the name of the Lord (Acts 10:48). We are to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). We only “put on Christ” after we have been “baptized into Christ” (Gal. 3:27).
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:18-20).
Being baptized into Christ makes us His disciples and brings us under His authority. Therefore, to refuse baptism into Christ is to reject the authority of the Son of God Himself. And to reject His authority on this requirement of salvation, or any other, causes that individual to be lost!
