but being born again is by the Spirit of God, not baptism.
I agree that being born again is by the Spirit of God. I disagree that baptism is simply a "symbol"... the Scriptures nowhere teach us that baptism is a symbol.
For instance, the old testament temple had the outer tabernacle, the veil and the holy of holies, which the high priest was able to enter only once a year.
All of this was symbolic... we know this to be true because Hebrews 9:1-10 tells us that it was... An important symbol to be sure, but one that is no longer necessary because Christ has now arrived.
Baptism on the other hand is never treated as a "symbolic" act... but rather response to the receiving of the gospel. The pattern set is very clear, the Gospel was preached, the person believed and the person was baptized.
Ephesians 5:26 deserves a good look:
Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.
There are several ways one can break down the phrase "washing of water with the word"... You break it down as the Scriptures "cleanse" us... which I agree that the Scriptures certainly cleanse us in the sense that they shine light upon our true nature and our need for God.
But, I look at passages like Acts 8 and Acts 16, and see that the word and the water are intrinsically linked. We receive the gospel, we are baptized.
I don't read Ephesians 5:26 as "the washing
which is the word" but rather "the washing
with the word"
I think we could all agree that the Scriptures are a means of God's grace. God extends His grace to us through His word and by His word we receive what we need in order to be saved. We can say, we are saved by His word. We can say we are saved by faith. We say we are saved through baptism... all of these things are correct because all of these things are ways God brings His grace to us.
What is the Grace of God.... Blue Letter Bible gives as good a definition as anyone:
1) grace
a) that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech
2) good will, loving-kindness, favour
a) of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues
3) what is due to grace
a) the spiritual condition of one governed by the power of divine grace
b) the token or proof of grace, benefit
1) a gift of grace
2) benefit, bounty
4) thanks, (for benefits, services, favours), recompense, reward
If we take definition 2:a
of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues
we can ask, how does God extend His merciful kindness and exert His holy influence upon souls, turning them to Christ. How does He keep, strengthens, increase our faith, knowledge, affection and kindle us to the exercise of Christian virtues.
Certainly, not the Gospel but even those who preach it are means of God's saving grace. As
Romans 10:13-15 states:
13 “ Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.†14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “ How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!â€
Obviously the Scriptures are a means of God's saving grace:
14You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3
What I'm submitting here isn't the same old, tired and unending argument of does baptism itself save or is it a mere symbol.
I'm submitting that just like the Gospel, just like the Scriptures, baptism is also a means by which God extends His grace to us... and I think the Scripture that makes the clearest case for this is 2 Peter 3:21, but the texts from Romans 6 and Colossians 2 make a solid case for the important of baptism as a means of God's grace as well. Our baptism, the going down and coming up out of water is intrinsically linked to the death of the old man and the creation of the new.
How it works on God's side, I don't know and I don't think anyone does. But, that the Scriptures teaches us that it is, is clear.
And I'll repeat... We tend to look at baptism as a "work" we do...
We need to learn that when we are baptized, the one doing the work is God and God alone.
;)