| All aspects of
life have dividing lines, meaning those lines which when are
crossed indicate something significant has changed. God has
dividing lines as well. One dividing line is sin. Sin is what
separates us from God (Isa 59:1,2). At some point in our life
we sin with the knowledge that we are sinning against God (the
age of accountability), and we are separated from God. Fortunately,
we can be reconciled, or brought back into a relationship with
God, by obeying the gospel and having our sins forgiven by the
blood of Christ. One element that God has used numerous times
throughout history as a dividing line is water. In studying
the topic, we see people in a lost or dangerous situation where
God then used water as the line that separates them from death
or danger and salvation. Let's consider some of the times God
used, and uses, water as a dividing line. 1. Noah's flood was a dividing line. In the time of Noah, the world had become thoroughly evil. The Bible says, "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5). Noah had found grace in the eyes of God (Gen. 6:8), and God decided to save Noah and his family from the sin of the world. Noah obeyed God and built an ark to save himself and his family (Heb. 11:7). God sent the flood upon the world to destroy the unrighteous and sinful ways of man. It was ultimately the waters of the flood that were the dividing line that saved Noah and his family (1 Pet. 3:20). Noah would have eventually become evil as well if it were not for the dividing line of the flood. 2. The Red Sea was a dividing line for the children of Israel. God was delivering the children of Israel out of Egyptian slavery and bondage. They came to the Red Sea, which was parted through the power of God. Before the Red Sea, the Israelites were in danger of death from the Egyptian army, but after they crossed through the parted waters they were called "saved" by God. The Bible says, "So the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians" (Ex. 14:30). 3. The Jordan River was a dividing line for Naaman. Naaman was a mighty man of the Syrian army who had leprosy. Naaman came to the prophet Elisha to be healed. Elisha told Naaman to dip seven times in the Jordan River. Naaman expected some great miracle from Elisha and questioned his servant regarding his instructions to cleanse in the Jordan River. Naaman eventually obeyed and dipped in the Jordan seven times where his leprosy was healed. Naaman had to believe and trust in the words of Elisha. The water of the Jordan River was the dividing line. He obeyed, and he was healed (2 Kings 5:1-19). 4. The water of the pool of Siloam was the dividing line for the blind man. Jesus contacted a blind man in Jerusalem. Jesus made clay and put it on the man's eyes and told him to wash in the pool of Siloam. The man did as commanded. The blind man said, "So I went and washed, and I received sight" (John 9:11). He would not have received his sight if he were not willing to cross the dividing line. He obeyed and received his sight. 5. Baptism is the dividing line for everyone who wants salvation today. To obey the gospel we must hear God's word, believe, repent of our sins, and confess Jesus as the Lord and Savior. But, there is one final step we must take to become saved, and it involves being immersed in water for the forgiveness of sins. God has made the act of baptism in water the final step between being lost in sin and salvation. Jesus said, "unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5), and "He who believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16). Of course, we know the power to save is not in the water itself. God uses water as the element or dividing line in each instance, but it's always his mighty power that saves. -Ed |