Pictures of Consacration

This transcript was generated automatically. Its accuracy may vary

Short Summary
The discourse celebrates the baptism and consecration of three sisters, explaining consecration through three illustrations: a calling, a covenant, and a school. It emphasizes that consecration involves answering God’s call with humility, entering a covenant of sacrifice with both present and future commitments, and lifelong growth through spiritual education and fellowship. The speaker offers personal advice, encouragement for their spiritual journey, and explains baptism as a symbolic act representing death to the old self and new life in Christ.

Long Summary
Detailed Summary of the Baptismal Discourse Delivered to Sisters Julia Hosu, Ellie Chrishan, and Jocelyn Buxton

Introduction and Purpose
– The speaker expresses joy in addressing the three sisters, known personally since birth.
– The discourse is dedicated specifically to the three newly consecrated sisters, focusing on the significance of their baptism as a public symbol of inner consecration to Christ.
– The discourse will last approximately 35 minutes and includes three main illustrations of consecration, loving advice, and an explanation of water baptism symbolism.

Consecration: Biblical Context
– The words “consecration” and “consecrate” appear relatively few times in the Bible and only in the Old Testament.
– However, the concept is widespread in Scripture, described with different terms and illustrated in various ways.
– The speaker focuses on three illustrations of consecration:
1. A Calling
2. A Covenant
3. A School

—

### 1. Consecration as a Calling

Understanding a Calling
– Common usage today refers to a “calling” as a strong passion for a particular life work.
– Biblically, God calls a “little flock” of true believers to follow Jesus Christ.
– Each sister responded to this divine call, influenced by upbringing in consecrated homes, spiritual mentors, and fellowship.
– Example of spiritual mentors includes Brother Ben and Sister Gabriella Stein for Jocelyn.

Scriptural Foundation for the Call
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14: God chose believers for salvation through sanctification and called them to the gospel of Jesus Christ’s glory.
2 Timothy 1:9: The calling is described as “holy.”
Hebrews 3:1: The calling is termed “heavenly.”
Philippians 3:14: It is a “high calling.”
1 Corinthians 1:26-29: God does not call the worldly-wise, mighty, or noble but the humble.
James 4:6: “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
– The called are often average people who humbly seek truth—members of the “3H Club”: Humble, Honestly hungry for truth.

Three Parts of Consecration
1. Presenting oneself to God.
2. God’s acceptance of that presentation.
3. Growth in grace and knowledge, as emphasized by 2 Peter 3:18: Grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.
– Growth involves both character development (fruits of the Spirit) and doctrinal understanding.
– Believers start as spiritual “babes” and must mature to “strong meat” through personal study and fellowship.
Hebrews 10:25: Importance of assembling with brethren regularly.
– Loving fellowship with brethren is a vital part of the calling.

—

### 2. Consecration as a Covenant

Definition and Illustration
– A covenant is an agreement or contract.
– Everyday contracts have “fine print,” but the “fine print” of the consecration covenant is beautiful and wonderful.

Terms and Conditions of the Covenant
– Based on the foundational Bible doctrine of the ransom:
1 Timothy 2:5-6 and 1 Corinthians 15:22 explain that Adam’s sin brought death to all humanity, but Jesus’ sacrifice ransoms mankind and guarantees resurrection.
– Consecrators sacrifice:
– Their guaranteed earthly resurrection right.
– Their present earthly hopes, aims, ambitions, and their will, submitting fully to God’s will.
– The covenant demands “all” — complete surrender.

What God Offers in Return
– Future benefit: Divine nature and privilege to be associated with Christ in heavenly kingdom work.
– Present benefit: Adoption as children of God by His Spirit, relationship with Jesus as a prospective bride member, fellowship with brethren.
– Life of joy and trials to prepare for future work.

Supporting Scriptures
Romans 12:1: Present bodies as “living sacrifices” acceptable to God.
Revelation 2:10: Faithfulness rewarded with “crown of life.”
Matthew 6:25-33: Seek first the kingdom, and all things will be added.
Philippians 3:13: Focus on the calling, forgetting the past.
– Provisions for failure and forgiveness:
1 John 2:1: Jesus as advocate for those who sin.
– Assurance of acceptance:
Romans 8:16: Spirit bears witness that we are children of God.
– Questions to self-assess the witness of the Spirit include: attraction to Christ, growth in character, love for truth and brethren, desire to do God’s will.

—

### 3. Consecration as a School

Analogy to College Education
– Sisters Julia and Elia are beginning college; Jocelyn has completed a year.
– The “School of Christ” is a lifelong educational journey preparing for heavenly service.
– Curriculum includes Bible and writings of Brother Russell.
– Learning methods: lectures (discourses), homework (personal study), recitations (ecclesial studies), practicum, final exam.

Fields of Study
– Julia and Elia preparing for medicine careers, symbolically healing mankind.
– Jocelyn pursuing education, symbolizing teaching the world in the Kingdom.

Lessons in the School of Christ
– Contentment: Hebrews 13:5 — “Be content with such things as ye have.”
– Sufferings and trials are part of schooling.
– Fellowship with brethren is essential for spiritual health.
– Patience with growth; knowledge deepens over time.
– Graduation leads to a joyful, meaningful role in God’s Kingdom.

Encouragement and Support
– Lord’s “office hours” are always open through prayer.
– Speaker offers personal availability for help and guidance.

—

### Loving Advice from the Speaker

– Emphasizes making wise decisions, noting that right decisions may be hard to make but easier to live with.
– Importance of balancing mental and physical health, including rest (referencing Ecclesiastes 12:12).
– Distinguishing black-and-white issues from gray areas requires justice, wisdom, and love.
– Quotes from a college commencement speaker about career success apply spiritually:
1. Know what you want.
2. Know what you are willing to give up.
3. Associate with successful people.
4. Plan and work your plan.
– Personal encouragement for each sister based on their backgrounds, talents, and personalities.
– Practical advice to Julia and Elia to maintain contact with their mothers as they move away from home.

—

### Symbolism of Water Baptism

Meaning of Baptism
– From Greek *baptizo*, meaning to immerse fully.
– Baptism is a symbol, not a means of salvation.
– Represents death to the old nature and resurrection to new life in Christ.
– As the candidate is immersed backward, this symbolizes burial of the old self; rising upright symbolizes new life and justification by faith.

Supporting Scriptures
Romans 6:4: Baptism symbolizes being buried with Christ and walking in newness of life.
Matthew 28:19: Jesus’ instruction to baptize disciples.

Baptismal Questions and Affirmations
– Candidates confirm repentance and faith in Christ’s merit.
– Affirm full consecration with all talents and resources to the Lord.
– Following their public declarations, they are welcomed as members of the household of faith.
– Closing encouragement with Romans 8:38-39: Nothing can separate them from the love of God in Christ.

—

Summary of Key Bible Verses Cited

– 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
– 2 Timothy 1:9
– Hebrews 3:1
– Philippians 3:14
– 1 Corinthians 1:26-29
– James 4:6
– 2 Peter 3:18
– Hebrews 10:25
– Psalm 55
– 1 Timothy 2:5-6
– 1 Corinthians 15:22
– Romans 12:1
– Revelation 2:10
– Matthew 6:25-33
– Philippians 3:13
– 1 John 2:1
– Romans 8:16
– 1 John 3:14
– Hebrews 13:5
– Ecclesiastes 12:12
– Romans 6:4
– Matthew 28:19
– Romans 8:38-39

—

Keywords: Consecration, Calling, Covenant, School of Christ, Baptism, Baptizo, Ransom, Sacrifice, Spiritual Growth, Holy Spirit, Fellowship, Trials, Faithfulness, Water Baptism Symbolism, New Life, Public Declaration, Biblical Doctrine, Divine Calling, Humility, Grace, Knowledge, Christian Education, Spiritual Maturity, Forgiveness, Advocate, Prayer, Christian Fellowship, Eternal Life, Kingdom of God.

Transcript

Sister Julia Hosu. Sister Ellie Chrishan. Sister Jocelyn Buxton. It gives me great pleasure to call you Sister Julia, Sister Elia and Sister Jocelyn. I’ve known all three of you since you were born.

Today, all of us are delighted to be here with you to witness your baptism into Christ as a symbol of the consecrations you have already made in your heart. Thank you for asking me to deliver your baptismal discourse. For the next 35 minutes or so, I’m going to talk to just the three of you about the step that you have taken. The rest of you in the room and those of you joining us on zoom can listen in if you like. But this discourse is for our three newly consecrated sisters.

We Bible students use the term consecration very often, and yet the words consecration and consecrate appear relatively few times in the Bible and only in the Old Testament. However, the concept of consecration is found in many places in the Scriptures, described in different words and pictured by a number of illustrations. Three of those illustrations I’ll discuss today. A calling, a Covenant and a school. A calling, a covenant, and a school.

Then I’ll finish with some loving advice from my heart and then a brief overview of the symbol of water baptism.

Our first illustration of consecration is a calling. There’s a common expression we use today to compliment someone who pursues his life’s work with a passion and dedication to leads to excellence. We say he was called to be a musician or she was called to be a teacher, and the sense of that expression is perhaps that God himself wanted the person to follow that path in life and that God helped that person along that path. The Bible tells us that God does indeed call some not to an earthly career in music or education, but God does call a little flock of true believers to answer that call and follow in the footsteps of his only begotten son.

The three of you heard that call and answered, how did God call you? I asked the three of you to tell me about when you started to think about consecration and what or who were the influences that led you to take this step you are symbolizing today. You gave me a variety of answers, among them being raised in a consecrated home, the examples of your parents and the brethren attending young people’s studies camps and seminars, seeking the advice of brethren close to you who were your spiritual guides when you had doubts about your worthiness or readiness to consecrate? Jocelyn, you mentioned specifically Brother Ben and Sister Gabriella Stein as your spiritual mentors. All of you had the blessings and the advantages of these spiritual influences in your lives and came to the conclusion that consecration is the best use you could make of not only your time but your lives.

Let’s look at a few scriptures that describe the call which you answered. How were you called, and to what were you called? Our First Scripture is second Thessalonians 2:13 and 14 but we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Whereunto he called you by our obtaining to the gospel of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So we are called by the hearing of the gospel of the divine plan of the ages, and we are called to salvation and the glory of our Lord Jesus.

In 2nd Timothy 1:9, Paul refers to this calling of God as a holy calling, and in Hebrews 3:1 he writes the phrase heavenly calling. Also in Philippians 3:14 the apostle describes this calling as as a high calling. So the question that no doubt came to your minds when you considered consecration was, why me? Why would God call me to this heavenly and high calling? And the answer is given in another scripture which speaks of our calling.

1 Corinthians 1:26 29 for ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called that no flesh should glory in his presence. For the most part the brethren are pretty much average people in the world’s estimation. But in that averageness we have a great spiritual advantage, because presidents and geniuses and business leaders, the wise and mighty and noble and wealthy of this world are not whom God calls. Such great people are usually proud of their talents and accomplishments, proud of themselves and not humble. So God does not call them.

As we read in James 4:6, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. We sometimes say that God calls members of the 3H Club. Those who are humble and honestly hunger for the truth and a relationship with God. None of us deserves to be called. None of us is worthy to be called to this honor.

And if we thought we were, then we wouldn’t be.

We often speak of the two parts of consecration, our part in presenting ourselves, our lives to God, and the second part being God’s acceptance of our presentation of ourselves if he so chooses. But there is actually a third part of consecration, and that is growth. The apostle Peter, in the final closing words of his Second General Epistle, gave his readers the most important thought he wanted to leave impressed upon their minds, but grow in grace and in knowledge of the truth and of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So you see that growth has two growth in character, the fruits and graces of the Spirit, and growth in knowledge of the Scriptures of God’s character and plan the doctrines of the truth. One without the other is not sufficient, not complete growth.

Both are required of you as the third part of consecration. Right now you are babes in Christ, dependent on others to teach you how to grow in grace and in knowledge. Continue to observe their example and the example of all the brethren and learn from them. But remember to mature into independent Christians beyond being fed the milk of the Word by others, into eating strong meat for yourselves, that is making the truth your own from your own studies, knowing what you believe and why you believe it, and also grow into close relationships with your brethren of all ages, especially the old ones. Forsake not the assembling of yourself with your brethren as Paul exhorted in Hebrews 10:25 Be a supported member of your ecclesias, involved in whatever activities as the opportunity may present itself.

Develop a fervent love for the brethren and show it in little ways as well as big ways. This is your calling. Blessed are your ears, for you have heard the call. As we sang in our opening hymn and have answered, the second of our three illustrations of consecration is a covenant. Our familiar key scripture is Psalm 55 Gather my saints together unto me, those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.

A covenant is an agreement or a contract. We’re well familiar with contracts in everyday business dealings. We sign them every time we open a bank account or buy a car or apply for a credit card, cell phone service, Internet access, and so many other business transactions. We scroll past the fine print, all the terms and conditions, so we can get to the bottom and tap on I accept.

Does anybody ever read all that stuff? Now, as for consecration as a contractor covenant, there is also fine print. But it is fine print not in the sense that it’s small and difficult to understand. The fine print in your covenant of consecration is fine in the sense that it is wonderful and beautiful. It’s a fine covenant indeed.

So let’s read some of the fine print. The terms and conditions of your consecration, your covenant by sacrifice, what you agreed to do, and what God agrees to do. To understand what a covenant of sacrifice is, we must first understand the foundation doctrine of the Bible, the ransom for all to be testified in due time, as it says in one of our hallmark Bible student scriptures, 1st Timothy 2, 5, 6, and also in 1st Corinthians 15:22 for as in Adam all die, even so shall all in Christ be made alive. Simply put, the doctrine of the ransom teaches that when perfect Adam sinned by disobedience, he became imperfect and brought the penalty of death upon himself and all mankind, including you and me. Jesus, by his voluntary death on the cross, ransomed Adam and all mankind, including you and me, from that penalty, guaranteeing all mankind, whether they understand it or not, a resurrection from death to God’s future kingdom on earth.

Under the terms and conditions of our covenant of consecration, we understand that we have a guaranteed resurrection from death in God’s kingdom on the future perfect earth, and we sacrifice. We give up that guaranteed resurrection on earth. We receive from our Savior our future earthly restitution rights by faith now, and we sacrifice them now. That’s something valuable indeed that we sacrifice.

But that’s not all. Besides voluntarily giving up that valuable future benefit of the ransom, we also give up something in the present, our earthly hopes, aims and ambitions. Now we give up our will to follow instead God’s will for us in all matters of life, the big matters as well as the little matters, we give up our all.

There was a humorous Bible student expression used a few years ago to remind ourselves how complete, how minute by minute, how, how hour by hour our covenant of sacrifice is. We used to say to ourselves, you gave up your all. What part of the word all don’t you understand?

So now what are the terms and conditions of our covenant on God’s part? What does God offer in return? Again, there is a future benefit and a present benefit. As for the future benefit we are promised if we do our part, God’s own nature, the divine nature, and the privilege of being associated with our Lord in heaven, doing the kingdom work of restoring mankind to perfection on earth. As for the present benefit, we have a relationship with the Heavenly Father as an adopted Son begotten by His Holy Spirit to a new nature.

And we have a relationship with our Lord Jesus as a prospective member of his bride class, and we also have the love and the fellowship of every one of the brethren.

Along with the blessings of those relationships which words cannot adequately describe, comes a lifetime of joys beyond human comprehension and a lifetime of trials to fit us for our future work. But the terms and conditions of your covenant of consecration are so one sided in your favor, it’s no wonder that Paul wrote in Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies, living sacrifices, wholly acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Here are some more scriptures that detail the terms and conditions of your covenant of consecration. Revelation 2:10 Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Matthew 6:25 32:33 Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, or for yet for your body what ye shall put on for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things but seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you I recently read that Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, two of the most successful businessmen in the world, each said that the single most important thing that was critical to their success is in business was focus.

So it is with us who are always about doing the Lord’s business. A singular focus on fulfilling the terms of our covenant is essential, as we read in Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.

Also in the fine print of your covenant of sacrifice are provisions for what to do when you fail to live up to your part of the covenant, and we all do. Many times those provisions are in First John 2:1 and the surrounding context. My little children, these things write I unto you that ye sin not, and if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ. The righteous forgiveness for your sins and shortcomings when they will come, is readily available from God through our advocate Jesus.

If you ask for it in prayer, never forget that and never let Satan discourage you when you fall short of your commitment with suggestions that you aren’t worthy to continue your walk along the narrow way or you never were begotten of the Spirit to begin with. Don’t let Satan tempt you.

I said before that there are three parts to consecration, the first two being our part of presenting ourselves and God’s part, if he so chooses, of accepting our presentation of ourselves to be living sacrifices. That begs the question to be asked, how do I know if my presentation of myself has been accepted? Romans 8:16 helps us answer that question to them who by patient continuance and well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality eternal life to those the Spirit itself beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God. In Volume five, Pastor Russell devotes an entire chapter, Chapter nine to the baptism, witness and seal of the Holy Spirit. If you haven’t read this chapter recently, I highly recommend it.

In that chapter Brother Russell describes the evidences of the witness of the Spirit how we may know if we are Spirit begotten children of God. Among those witnesses expressed in the form of questions to ask ourselves Was I drawn to Christ? Did I consecrate myself? Am I experiencing trials and prunings? Can I see in myself growth in the fruits of the Spirit?

Do I delight to do God’s will and sacrifice the old will? Can I tell that I am different from my friends and my relatives in the world? Do I love to tell the truth to others? Do I have an increasing interest in an understanding of the truth? And do I desire to meet together with others of like precious faith?

My brethren, if you can answer these questions in the affirmative, then you have the witness of God’s Holy Spirit, the earnest of your inheritance, that he has accepted your offer of your lives in sacrifice.

Our third illustration of consecration as a school is particularly appropriate to the three of you because Elia and Julia, you will begin your college education in the fall, and Jocelyn, you have just finished your first year of college. There’s an old saying among Bible students. I’ve enrolled in the School of Christ and I’m hoping to earn my master’s degree, and there are many similarities between the college experience and consecration.

Sister Julia and Sister Elia, you have chosen college curricula that will prepare you for careers in medicine, a fitting profession since your spiritual college is preparing you for a career in the healing of mankind from all the diseases of sin and death in the Kingdom. Sister Jocelyn, you are pursuing a career in education which will prepare you for an earthly career as a teacher, also a fitting profession to prepare you to educate and instruct the world of mankind in the blessings and and the responsibilities of the Kingdom arrangement in the School of Christ. All of you will spend not just the next three or four or eight or more years in school, but rather the rest of your lives. Your curricula and lessons are carefully and lovingly custom tailored for you. There are textbooks, lectures, homework, recitation, practicum and a final exam.

Your textbooks are the Bible and the writings of Brother Russell in this harvest message. Lectures are discourses that you hear. Your homework is the frequent personal study of these textbooks. Your recitation is the ecclesia studies and other such gatherings where scriptural learnings are shared and your final examination is described in 1st John 3:14. Want to know how you can tell if you’re going to pass the final?

Let’s read First John 3:14. We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren.

Here are a few of the lessons you’ll learn along the way in the school of Be content with such things as you have. Hebrews 13:5. You know, much unhappiness in the world today is simply because people want more than they have, and they find it difficult and frustrating to get what they want. Godliness with contentment is great gain.

Another lesson Schooling is sometimes hard, even painful, and your lessons in the school of Christ will include sufferings in your personal life as you choose. You choose to sacrifice your earthly hopes, aims and ambitions at school, at work, in your home, day by day and week by week. Here’s another lesson. Christian fellowship is God’s prescription for a healthy body member. Keep in close contact with your brethren at Sunday and weekday meetings and conventions.

Another lesson don’t get discouraged by feeling that all the other brethren seem to know so much about the truth, the prophecies, chronology, types and antitypes, the tabernacle, and so on. While you seem to understand so little, your knowledge will grow, perhaps rapidly, perhaps slowly, in society today, getting into a good school is important. Students want to do well in high school so that they can get into a good college, so that they’ll find a good job, so that they’ll have a profitable career, and so that they’ll have a happy life. You have made an excellent choice to enroll in the School of Christ, and if you graduate with our master’s degree, you’ll find one of the best jobs in the universe waiting for you a position in the heavenly phase of the kingdom, working to bring the world of mankind up to perfection in the kingdom on earth. Now that’s a happy life.

What a prospect.

On a personal note, college professors have what are called office hours, a few hours every day or so where they are available to any of their students for help and guidance on a walk in basis. Our Lord has office hours too. 24, 7, 365. It’s called prayer, and if you ever think that I can help you with any of the issues that you are struggling with, or trials or difficulty of any sort, my door will always be open to all three of you.

Before I close with a few thoughts about water baptism, here are some golden nuggets of loving advice I have accumulated over the last 50 or 60 years. This is not the wisdom of the ages. This is the wisdom of the aged.

Some of it is practical. Some of it is spiritual. Some of it has a dual application. Learn to make good decisions. In many cases, the right decision is hard to make, but easy to live with afterward.

By contrast, the wrong decision is easy to make but hard to live with afterward. Here’s more Tired people often make poor decisions. As Ecclesiastes 12:12 says, much study is a weariness of the flesh. When your body is tired, exercise your mind. When your mind is tired, exercise your body.

When both your mind and your body are tired, get some sleep also Some issues in life are black and white. Some are shades of gray, discerning which is which comes from life’s experiences. Applying justice is how we deal with issues of black and white. Applying wisdom and love is how we deal with issues in shades of gray. People devoid of justice see all issues of shades of gray.

People devoid of love and wisdom see all issues as black and white strive to attain a balance excuse me, another one 25 years ago at our son’s college commencement, the keynote speaker offered these four suggestions to the young graduates as they were about to embark on their adult careers. 1. Figure out what you want in life. 2. Figure out what you’re willing to give up in order to get what you want.

3. Associate yourself with those who are successful in your chosen field and learn from them. 4. Plan your work and work your plan. You have already completed numbers one and two in your spiritual career and are actively involved in number three.

Continue the good work in a lifetime of number four and if your plan occasionally needs a course correction, the Lord will provide it.

And now for my heart.

Julia, you have been raised in a consecrated home, the daughter of a gifted pianist and a skilled craftsman. One of our deacons. Outstanding performance is in your DNA, and you have gathered many academic awards and athletic recognitions, particularly in track in your high school years. Apply that same competitive drive for excellence to your covenant of consecration. Run the race before you with diligence and outrun Satan’s attempts and efforts to distract you and tempt you.

Elia, you were likewise raised by consecrated parents, a highly qualified neurologist, and an elder in Eraklesia. High achievement through advanced training is in your DNA. When I taught the Sunday teenage studies, I was always relieved when I saw you enter the room because I knew I could count on you for good answers to my questions, just as I could count on your sister Esthera, because for you, apply your talent for learning and sharing your knowledge of the truth for the benefit of others, and dear Jocelyn, you are the daughter of my niece and nephew, the granddaughter of my sister, which means that in your DNA is some of my DNA. You poor kid, I feel so sorry for you, but you still have much to be thankful for your parents.

Jim and Charla provided opportunities for you to attend camps, conventions and seminars. Your special talent is your positiveness, your ever present infectious smile and your engaging personality. Use that talent to bring a much needed message of hope to so many in this dark and troubled world who are searching for something positive to believe in, something to hope for. Give that to them with your smile, and lastly, for Elia and Julia, you will both for the first time be living away from your homes and outside the bubble of your parents protective care and concern for your well being.

It will be a scary time for your parents.

Call your mothers often.

For our final discussion, I’d like to spend a moment considering the symbol of water baptism. What is the significance of this ceremony that we will observe shortly? The English word baptism comes from the Greek word baptizo, which means to completely submerge or immerse in water. We speak of baptism as a symbol because the baptism itself has no literal effect on one’s salvation. Rather, the baptism is an outward declaration before witnesses of the covenant by sacrifice, the consecration one has made in their heart.

The symbol is a fitting one, for as the candidate is lowered backward into the water, it pictures the death, the burial of the old nature and the old will lying backwards in the water. The candidate is helpless to save himself. The immerser, representing our Lord, lifts him back upright out of the water, picturing your new standing with God, justified by faith and walking in newness of life, as we read in Romans 6:4. 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.

Jesus in Matthew 28:19 instructed his followers to use water baptism as a symbol of discipleship, and so we continue that practice to this day.

Will you please stand and turn and see the smiling faces of your fellow Christian soldiers, your classmates in the school of Christ? I’ll ask you two questions and please give an audible reply, and I’ll try to pass this microphone. Keep facing this way. I think my arm’s long enough.

We’ll see. Have you repented of sin? And are you trusting in the merit of Christ’s sacrifice for the forgiveness of your sins and the basis of your justification? Yes, yes, yes, and have you made a full consecration of yourself with all the powers that you possess, talent, money, time, influence all to the Lord to be used faithfully in his service, even unto death?

Yes, yes, yes. On the basis of these declarations, we acknowledge you as a member of the household of faith, and give to you as such the right hand of fellowship and a hug in a minute, in the name of the Redeemer, our glorified Lord and his faithful followers, along with the scripture in Romans 8:38,39. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate you from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Click Here for the PDF transcript.