Now He Which Stablishes Us With You In Christ and Hath Anointed and Sealed Us and Given the Earnest of the Spirit In Our Hearts - Part 1584

"Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. wherefore let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee form idolatry." (I Corinthians 10:1-14)

Indeed, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. The scripture saith that the Ark is Jesus, and the door or entrance into the ark is accomplished when our being is buried or baptized into His death. When we are buried/baptized under the water, our old sinful past life is drowned. When we arise out of the water, we are resurrected to a new life.  For when we are resurrected with Him, not only are we resurrected, but we arise totally justified from all our sins.

"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." (Romans 6:1-4)

Further, water baptism is similar to the time when the children of Israel in the old covenant crossed the river and followed that spiritual Rock which was Christ. (I Corinthians 10:1-4) It is said that in so doing, they were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea. Reaching the other river bank in safety, while the Egyptians endeavouring to do the same all drowned in the water. It is evident that they were not in the ark of safety. 

Today, believers are baptized into the death of Jesus. He is the covenant of promise, the ark of safety where believers are saved by God. Not because they were deserving of salvation and neither was it because that they had cleaned up their fleshly conduct. Rather, it was because they reverently feared and believed that God had prepared an ark of safety for them. As believers then, their faith was expressed by their baptism into the death of Jesus, the only begotten Son of the Holy Ghost. Again, the ark of safety. These believers simply put their lives into the hands of a faithful, loving Saviour. They trusted in Him as young children believe and trust in their parents.

Additionally, when the believers were baptized, they knew in whom they had faith, and as a consequence, they were not baptized in any other name. They were not baptized into Peter, Paul or the name of another. Nor were these baptized into titles -- such as father, son, or spirit. Rather, their salvation was secure in the precious Name of Jesus. As such, they passed from the old covenant of death and entered into the grace of God - into abundant new life. 

You too can come and be baptized in the name of Jesus, as those who gladly received His Word did not the day of Pentecost.

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

Then Peter said unto them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."  (Acts 2:36-47)

He will wash away your sins. He will make you anew. He will sanctify you in His precious blood. His Word. Thy Word is truth. (John 17:17)

Thus, call on His name this day - the name of JESUS so that you also can become a recipient of God's grace and receive the gift of His holy Spirit. The Comforter who will lead us into all truth. Peace to all who are in Jesus. Stand in the offering plate.