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Can You Count to 7?
What’s the definition of seven? Is it the same as six? Is six enough or too little? Is it important to know the definition of seven if God asks you do so something seven times?
What if you confessed to God, “I know the power is from you, and not in my obedience, therefore I will only do what you commanded six times to prove my faith in you.” There’s much to like in that prayer, isn’t there! But shouldn’t our confirmation of faith in God be not just a confession of it, but also an obedience to it?
In 2 Kings 5, Naaman is told to dip (that means immerse) seven times in the Jordan. After coming up the sixth time, he wasn’t clean. It’s not because there was something magical in the water, but it wasn’t magical until the 7th time. It’s because God declared he would cleanse Naaaman when he dipped himself 7 times. For Naaman, knowing the definition of 7 is important.
Now apply that to baptism. The word itself means immersion. If you didn’t know that, now you do. So when we obey the command to be baptized, we are obeying a command to be immersed. Is sprinkling a little water, or pouring a little water, onto a person enough water? No. Just as Naaman didn’t have enough water immersions after 6, we don’t have enough water to be immersed if a little water is being sprinkled or poured on us. Remember, the power is in God, not the water; just like with Naaman. And if God said “7” and if God said “immerse”, like Naaman, obey God who has the power!
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