Dead to Sin

            Avery

           “Baptism does not save you, this is not holy water, this is the Pacific Ocean, and it’s salty, and it’s cold!” my pastor Brian Howard tells the chuckling crowd of 330 people, 54 of whom were moments away from making a public proclamation of faith known as… “Baptism is a symbol of something that has already happened in your life.” 

            Primarily because I couldn’t stop staring at the roaring ocean waves aggressively lapping the sand a few feet in front of me, I don’t remember Brian’s exact words after this. 

            After talking about baptism with my friends at summer camp nearly every day, I came to the conclusion that it was the most significant next step for me in my journey with Jesus. On the day back from Murrieta Hot Springs, I texted my cabin leader and small group about the decision and made it definite. 

Coming back from camp, my spirits were outstandingly high and I felt constantly empowered by Christ and my church. I received support and hugs and texts from friends and family about my upcoming baptism, fueling my excitement even further. 

However, when Tuesday at 7:45 p.m. finally arrived, something inside of me felt discouraged, unsure, and utterly terrified of the water. 

A jumble of thoughts swirled in my head, making myself question whether or not I was actually ready and if baptism meant I could no longer be justified to sin or make mistakes; externally, I smiled and joked about the temperature of the water with my friends to get my mind off these worries. 

To make matters worse, out of 54 people, I was lined up 5^thfrom last, which gave me plenty of time to watch everyone else and anticipate and anticipate and anticipate.

48 people later (we were divided in rows of 3, each row with 2 leaders/pastors to baptize us, to speed up the process), I was only moments away from something people consider as meaningful as graduation. In the mere three or four seconds I had as the 49^thperson sprang up from the water, I ignored the people around me and splashed myself with the water, rubbing it all over my arms and stomach to avoid the initial shock. 

As I waded through the water, Devon and Brian welcomed me with magnificent smiles and clutched my shoulders; I hugged Devon (my former small group leader) as Brian (my high school pastor) — I was quite lucky that I got these two people in my row – confirmed my sentiments about Christ and what I was doing. 

“You are DEAD TO SIN–”

I was pulled into the water for mere a second, but I vividly recall the cacophony of the beach halting, only to be replaced by the serene silence of swirling waves. 

In the water, I was alone and peaceful in God’s creation; ultimately, the hundreds of parents and teenagers and s’mores and volleyball courts and trendy beach towels did not matter one single bit, just as it would be in eternity. My fear dissipated and I was content, blissful, overflowing with joy.

For someone who is not a Christian, this notion may seem absurd and completely foolish, but this is exactly the realization I came to while being baptized, and it is how I plan to build the foundation of the rest of my life. 

“ALIVE IN CHRIST!”