Devotional #73

Question 73. Why then does the Holy Spirt call baptism “the washing of regeneration,” and “the washing away of sins” (Titus 3.5)?

Answer: God has good reasons for these words.  He wants to teach us that the blood and the Spirit of Christ wash away our sins just as water washes away dirt from our bodies (a).  But more important, He wants to assure us, by this divine pledge and sign, that the washing away of our sins spiritually is as real as physical washing with water (b).

(a) Revelation 1:5: and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.
Revelation 7:14: I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
1 Corinthians 6:11: And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

(b) Mark 16:16: Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Galatians 3:27: For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

For your personal reflection:
How does baptism offer you assurance?  Do you now know this assurance?