Worship is an approach to and entrance into heaven and God’s special, gracious presence. Just as God regulates entrance into heaven, He also regulates worship. We saw this last month in our discussion of the Lord’s supper.

An important aspect of the Lord’s supper is its corporate nature. We celebrate—together—our participation in the body of Christ. “Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ” (1 Cor. 10:16)? As members of the body of Christ, we are vitally connected to our head, Jesus. Since He is in heaven, we are vitally connected to heaven.

Baptism has similar import. “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13). There is a corporate significance to baptism. We are part of a body, the body of Christ. As part of the body, Christ nourishes us.

Baptism also signifies “the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). Baptism with water marks us as people born again and washed by the Holy Spirit. This washing, however, is not complete in this life. Sin and its effects are finally removed at the resurrection, when Christ comes a second time in glory. For this reason, baptism is not fulfilled until we reach final glorification.

At the same time, baptism calls us to fulfill its meaning—purification from sin. “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself just as He is pure” (1 John 3:2–3).

Baptism therefore points us to our goal of final rest. It points us to heaven. Not only so, since we are vitally united to Christ in one body, Christ Himself gives us strength and nourishment to pursue the holiness of heaven.

All of this pertains to corporate worship. We not only administer the sacrament of baptism in the corporate setting; we also enjoy our corporate union with Christ in this setting. We come together for nourishment and growth in grace as we assemble for worship. We draw near to God and enter His special and gracious presence. And God fulfills His covenant promise. “For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people’” (2 Cor. 6:16, see Lev. 26:12).

As we sing praises to God, pray, read Scripture, and hear the exposition of God’s Word, Christ is at work in our midst. He died and rose again for this purpose. “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless” (Eph. 5:25–27).

Christ is preparing you and me, His body, to be His bride. Christ is working out the implications of our baptism into His body and making us His spotless bride. Yes, Christ is busy fulfilling the meaning of baptism into the body as we, the body, busy ourselves in worshiping Him.