The greatest truths and the most important events are not only studied and taught, they are also celebrated in poetry and music. Baptism is one of the most meaningful symbols in the world and a person’s baptism is among the most important events in their life. So, it seems appropriate for there to be songs about baptism.
I’ve been teaching a mini-series on baptism and providentially came across what may be the most popular song on the topic: Carrie Underwood’s “There must be Something in the Water.” When I listened carefully to the song and looked at the lyrics, I was glad to see that she seems to get baptism right. I’m going to share some things I think she gets right about baptism, but first, even though I’m sure most people reading this have already heard her song, you might want to listen to it again and watch this “lyrics video” which helps the lyrics to really stand out:
One Disclaimer
Carrie is using poetic language and so I don’t think that she thinks there was anything physically “in the water” or anything special about the physical water she and others are baptized in. This seems so obvious to me that I feel almost embarrassed to write it, but some people tend to take non-literal language literally. What do I think she means by “there must be something in the water”? What I think she means is that something really wonderful happened when she heard the good news about Jesus, believed it, and was baptized. She’s expressing this poetically, which is what you are supposed to do in songs. Her language may be little less precise than when I explain baptism in my sermons, but my sermons aren’t as likely to stick in the minds of millions of peoples as her song is, partly because poetry and music are meant to be mind-sticky. So, I’m thankful for her song.
Carrie Correctly Captures the Pattern of Faith Followed by Baptism
In her song, Carrie first hears the good news and comes to faith. Then she is baptized. Hearing, then believing, then being baptized is exactly the biblical pattern. The song also portrays the baptism as coming very soon after the faith (no explicit timing is mentioned in the song, but it feels like the two – believing and being baptized – are close together). That’s also biblical! I discussed this pattern as seen in the baptism stories of Acts in both a blog post and a sermon:
Blog post: Is Immediate, Spontaneous Baptism Biblical?
Sermon:
Carrie Correctly Connects Being Washed in the Water and Washed in the Blood
Carries sings, “Got washed in the water, washed in the blood.” She is exactly correct to see baptism in water as pointing to being washed in the blood of the Lamb. Washing in the blood of the lamb is itself an image from John’s Revelation (Revelation 7:14) that refers to being forgiven and cleansed of sins through faith in Jesus who died for us. Ananias said to Paul, “And now, why are you delaying? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16 CSB17).
I also love the way that she mixes the song “Amazing Grace” into the background of her own song, reminding us that we were all lost, wretched sinners in need of amazing grace, and that baptism is a picture of that grace being applied to us when we believe in Jesus and His death for us and His resurrection.
Carrie Correctly Celebrates Change and New Strength after Belief and Baptism
Carrie sings, “And now I’m changed, And now I’m stronger.” Amen! That should be the experience of every person who hears the gospel, believes it, and is baptized. One of the things that water baptism is a picture of is being baptized in (or with) the Holy Spirit by Jesus. When a person believes in Jesus, in addition to being cleansed of their sins, some other really wonderful things happen. One of those things is that the very Holy Spirit of God is sent by Jesus into our lives. The Holy Spirit then gives us power to live for Jesus and to serve Jesus. Speaking of this mighty Holy Spirit baptism, Jesus said:
CSB17 Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
This is the same Holy Spirit, the same power, that energized Jesus in His earthly life and ministry:
CSB17 Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were under the tyranny of the devil, because God was with him.
This power gives us hope in a dark world:
CSB17 Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
It’s the Holy Spirit power that strengthens our inner being to enable us to keep holding on and not give in and not give up and keep following Jesus even when it gets really hard:
CSB17 Ephesians 3:16 I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit,
Sometimes, like Timothy, we need to be reminded of this Holy Spirit power that we first received when we believed and were baptized:
CSB17 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.
And so, I thank God for Carrie’s song, which is another way of reminding us that we have been changed and made stronger as a result of faith in Christ. Yes, there must be something in the water.
Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others . . .
Image credits:
Colorful fish drawing
Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay
Blue and yellow fish drawing:
Image by samyoung pyun from Pixabay
Yellow, black, white fish drawing:
Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay
Sign of the fish style multi-colored fish:
Image by Paolo Chieselli from Pixabay
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