Shedding the Old Man

I listened to a teaching last night about water baptism... the speaking pastor did a great job explaining and giving new insight into the symbolic and obedient act of baptism. One of the parallels he used in his description really stuck with me.

He talked about full water (submersion) baptism, and how when we are dunked under the surface of the water, it represents putting to death our "old man," which we are enabled to do because of the sacrifice of death made by Jesus. Then, as we rise up again from the water, we're affirming the life of Christ within us, and embracing in faith the resurrection of a new self within our hearts. This is the putting on of the new man.

It got me thinking about some of the things that I've done over the years as symbolic gestures. Shortly after I recommitted my life to Christ as an adult, I had a little ceramic jar that I used as part of my daily quiet-time ritual. When I had things that were on my mind and weighing on my heart, I had a really hard time giving them over to God (I still find this tough to do sometimes!). So, as they came up in prayer or meditation, I'd scribble them down on a little piece of paper, ball them up and stick them in the ceramic jar. That part of it was meant to be a physical action that re-enforced me giving up the issue. Then, when I was done with my prayer time, I'd burn whatever was in the jar that day. It symbolized putting those worries on God's to-do list, and that they were now gone from mine.

It might sound silly, but for me, it worked. I had names and topics I had to put into that jar probably hundreds of times, but eventually, they'd fall off my radar. And, more importantly, I was taking actions in faith that I could surrender my cares to Him and that I could trust Him to deal with them.

So, when I think about shedding the old man, I like the idea of water baptism, full submersion - fully apart from the fact that it's something Jesus wants us to do. Like I wrote about yesterday, obedience seems to have an infinite number of "bonus" outcomes. God is so great like that; His creative mind and masterful plan of creation amazes me again and again. I love that.