Baptism Like A Wedding Ring

Baptism like a wedding ring (at Youth Gathering)

Baptism like a wedding ring:

Just as a wedding ring symbolizes your marriage, Baptism symbolizes your identification with Jesus.

Just as a wedding ring itself doesn't make you married, Baptism doesn't make you Christian.

Just as a wedding ring without a marriage vow means nothing, so does Baptism without faith in Jesus

Just as denying receiving the wedding ring would make your vow to marry invalid, your denying to be baptized would mean you are not a believer, to begin with.

Just as a wedding ring serves others to recognize you as married, Baptism would serve others that they recognize you as Christian.

Just as a wedding ring serves as a constant reminder for yourself that you are married, Baptism serves as a constant reminder that you are His: You belong to Jesus.

Just as you care about the wedding ring if you cherish their marriage, you care about your Baptism if you cherish your relationship with Jesus.

Just as a wedding ring is a token of your commitment to your spouse, Baptism is a token of your commitment to Jesus.

Just as a wedding ring is given before the congregation just as Baptism is given before the congregation.

Baptism and marriage ceremony is more than an event. Once you are married, you are always married. Once you are baptized, you are always baptized. Once you married, you are no longer alone. Once you are baptized, you are no longer alone; you belong to Jesus and His body, the church, which is the family of God.

Last week I explained to Andy, Eric, and Chloe that Baptism is like a wedding ring. A wedding ring is a symbol that I am married to someone.

But suppose that Eric wears this. Does that mean he married? Of course not. On the other hand, suppose I don't wear this, which I rarely do. Then does that mean I am not married? Of course, I am. The point is the wedding ring as such doesn't make you married. Likewise, Baptism as such doesn't make you Christian, but faith in Jesus Christ does.

Why do I say this? Whether you realize it or not, there are many people out there who claim Baptism itself makes one Christian. That's why they baptize even infants who know nothing about Jesus, the gospel, faith, etc.

But, there is another reason that I say this. I realized some of you still might think you have to be baptized to be saved. But, let me tell you, you are not being baptized to be saved but because you already accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You are being baptized because you were saved by the moment you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior as you heard the gospel. That's why I said Baptism is like a wedding ring, which is given after you vow to marry your spouse.

If Baptism is required for our salvation, I can't imagine how come Paul said the following: I Cor 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel" If Baptism gives you salvation, then Paul wouldn't have said such. It isn't Baptism, but your hearing the gospel and believing in it that saves you: "In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation--in Him when you believed--were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. "Eph 1:13

There is plenty of evidence in the Scriptures that you are born again through the word of God.

You are being baptized because you are children of God, just as you were given a wedding ring because you are married.

But on the other hand, suppose you refuse to receive the ring intentionally, then your marriage vow wouldn't be valid, and you are not married. I think Baptism itself doesn't make you Christian. But, if you continue to reject and deny being baptized, I don't think you are Christian yet.

What is a wedding ring for?

It is so that you may reveal you are married, and people may recognize you are married. The same is true in Baptism; Baptism shows the world that you belong to Jesus. Baptism shows to the world "through Jesus Christ the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."

As baptized, you can't live as if you can do whatever you want to do.

"Gal 6:14 But as for me, I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."

But, at the same time, I believe a wedding ring serves for you. Actually, I wear this wedding ring almost all the time, even when I sleep and I take a bath. It is nearly a part of my body. If my marriage is important, so is my wedding ring because the wedding ring serves as a constant reminder that I am married and I belong to someone, saying please, don't bother me, and I wouldn't bother you.