Baptism is a re-enactment, a symbol, a sign, and a seal. In baptism, we die in the waters of God's judgment, just like the wicked of Noah's day, or like Egypt in Moses' day. In baptism, we identify with Christ going into the heart of the earth. But just like Christ, our going down isn't the path of defeat, but of victory. Christ announces victory at the very bottom of His descent and then makes that victory visible to all when He comes back up, first to earth, and then to heaven. Because He has done that for us, our baptism demonstrates our connection to Him as the old man goes down, and the new man is born through this very same water.