John Dekker's Day

Thursday, October 6, 2005

10:25AM - Where Were You Baptised? (Part One)

When I tread the verge of Jordan, bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death and hell's destruction, land me safe on Canaan's side.

An important metaphor for the Christian's salvation is that of deliverance from slavery. In fact, when Jesus is on the Mount of Transfiguration, Luke 9:31 says that he talked with Moses and Elijah about his coming exodus.

The Belgic Confession takes this idea a bit further when it says that Christ “is our Red Sea, through which we must pass to escape the tyranny of Pharoah, who is the devil, and to enter the spiritual land of Canaan.” In other words, Egypt represents our slavery to sin – through Christ, we have be rescued from all that. At the moment we are wandering in the wilderness, headed for the promised land.

Thus, we can see ourselves as being baptised in the Red Sea – that was the start of our journey of faith.

And it implies that the River Jordan represents death – our entrance into heaven. This is brought out in many hymns and gospel songs, like “Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah” mentioned above.

Now, this is a glorious truth. But it's not the whole picture...

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