Scripture:
This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you also - not the removal of dirt from the body, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, it saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 3:21
This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you also - not the removal of dirt from the body, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, it saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 3:21
Thoughts for the Day:
Many individuals can remember as a child wanting Jesus in their lives. Teachers do a good job explaining a loving, accepting Jesus who died for their sins. A person is then baptized to share with their family and friends the decision they have made in their lives. Tell me about your experience with Jesus? Do you remember when you accepted Jesus into your life? Were you baptized? Then what happened?
Many individuals can remember as a child wanting Jesus in their lives. Teachers do a good job explaining a loving, accepting Jesus who died for their sins. A person is then baptized to share with their family and friends the decision they have made in their lives. Tell me about your experience with Jesus? Do you remember when you accepted Jesus into your life? Were you baptized? Then what happened?
Baptism is symbolic...
1) of what Christ did for you on the Cross. Because of our sin nature, we sin, and we are not able to justify ourself. You may be self-made, have climbed the ladder of worldly success, but you are not able to save your own souls. You may not announce it to the world but within time you will come to that knowledge. Jesus gave his life to pay the price for our sins. He died, was buried, and was resurrected. He was victorious over the grave. We cannot do anything for ourselves but that we accept the gift of eternal life we can have through Jesus Christ. Baptism is symbolic of Jesus death, burial, and resurrection.
2) of what Christ has done within you. At baptism we die to ourself; we are buried, our sins and all; and arise to a new life in Christ. This means that we no longer live for ourselves, or by the world's standard, but we focus on Jesus Christ and seek to be obedient to God's calling in our life.
Baptism does not save a person. A person accepts Jesus way of salvation and this decision is followed by baptism to show what has already happened in the person's life.
Application:
- What did your baptism mean to you?
- Did it represent a changed life?
- If Christ has not made a difference in your life, accept Him and be baptized.
Prayer: Dear father, thank your loving act in giving of you son Jesus, that through his death, burial, and resurrection, we can have life. Help me to not take this act lightly. Help me to die to myself and be obedient to your calling on my life, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Thanks Patsy, my testimony of baptism was one of growing up Methodist where sprinkling happened and being "saved" wasn't an emphasis. I verbally spoke the sinner's prayer in High School through FCA. As an adult I became a Baptist where I said I would be baptized because I was saved but did not believe I would be saved because I was baptized. I chose to be baptized and did have an interesting change happen. Prior to my baptism I seemed to always continue to say the sinner's pray to myself at the end of each service thinking maybe it didn't "take" for me. After baptism I noticed I no longer prayed for my salvation any more but prayed others in attendance would accept the call...so something changed in me where the act of baptism changed my heart and my head to have risen with Christ and now turned to others instead of self...thanks for your ministry!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tom for sharing your experience. I accepted Jesus as my Savior as a child and was baptized. In 2007 I was baptized to acknowledge to my community that I had made a decision to make Jesus Lord of my life. I make mistakes everyday but my greatest desire is to glorify my God in all that I say and do.
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