Baptism Testimony

I made the decision to be re-baptized on Sunday and was asked to give a testimony explaining why. Here it is.

Those of you that heard my life testimony know that I was already baptized as a child but while I knew I was publicly declaring my faith in Christ at that time, there were a lot of things I didn't understand. In the past few weeks I have done an extensive study of Baptism in my Bible and would like to be baptized again this morning now that I have a clearer idea of what all a baptism symbolizes.


Romans 7:18-19 says, For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

I used to really relate to the defeat in that verse. As I look back now I realize what a copout it was to try and use that verse to justify my never ending submersion in sin and self pity. I would say, "If Paul felt this way, who am I to expect any better of myself?"

What I failed to see was that this was Paul's explanation of a life trying to live by the law with the limited abilities of our flesh. It was never impossible for my flesh to be overcome, it was only impossible for me to do it on my own.

Romans 7:6 says, But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

When I gave up my life, my selfish pursuits, and let God take control I was able to see the victory of Romans and what Paul was really getting at. I was not just saved from an eternal hell. I am saved right now from a life enslaved to sin. My eternity started the moment I accepted the Lord as my savior, I just wasn't letting Him perform His perfect work in me.

Romans 6 says, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 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. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.

It is only now, in the past few years that I have begun to understand the power of God over the sin in my life. Now instead of relating to those few defeated verses in chapter 7, I relate to the many verses given to me like Romans 6:6, telling me that my old fleshly man has been crucified with Him and I am free to walk after the spirit. This is true Christian liberty, the freedom to be a servant.

I know I will not, in my mortal lifetime, be freed completely from the influence of sin. But I can honestly say that sin no longer reins in my life, sin does not control me, Christ does and with that in mind, I would like to be re-baptized by Pastor this morning.