Caleigh Coleman was baptized into Bethany Primitive Baptist Church on October 28, 2012. Â Caleigh is the ten year old daughter of Sister Tammy Wise. She had professed a belief in Christ and the hearing of a still small voice the previous Sunday when she presented herself to the church. Â Baptism is the ultimate commitment to following Jesus Christ as it is symbolic of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. Â The believer is immersed (buried) beneath the water and arises to walk in newness of life. Â “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Â (Rom. 6:4).
Baptism is a watery grave in which past sins are buried and washed from the eyes of the believer as they start their Christian journey in following Christ. Â Ananias told Paul after he had been arrested by the love of God: “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Â (Acts 22:16). Â There is a saving in baptism but not a saving from death to life or the filth of the flesh. Â Peter describes it thus: “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:” Â (I Pet. 3:21).
It is especially good to see the young believer, like Sister Caleigh, have courage to act on the leading of the Spirit and be baptized in that watery grave.  Just as Jesus did not stay in the grave, the believer doesn’t stay in the watery grave; he or she arises to really live an abundant life with the joys of peace and happiness; that is as long as all looking is directed upward to the eternal unseen things.  The Ethiopian eunuch went on his way rejoicing after being baptized by Phillip having finally understood about Jesus Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection.  Pray for Sister Caleigh that she will be faithful  and that more of God’s children would follow that same path into the watery grave.–October, 30, 2012–Elder Larry Wise
