Believe and be baptized

 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Mark 1:9-11, KJV

Do you remember the excitement the day that you made your decision to receive Christ and being baptized  I remember when it was for me at the young age of 8 when I was able to grasp and believe in God intellectually and be baptized, but even with that I must admit that even with my confession of belief it was some time and years before I learned  to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Until I encountered Christ in a more personal relationship in my latter teens, I had only loved the Lord with my mind in my youth, but my heart was far from Him and led to a number of mistakes in my youth. However, once I took personal responsibility for my sins, repented and trusted Jesus, He forgave and purposed me. 

You know Jesus was baptized, not because He was in need of a public display that His sins had been washed away (He was sinless). Jesus humbled Himself to be baptized as an example to all who wished to follow Him to do the same in repentance and faith. Even John, who was the baptizer during this sacred moment, first resisted his role and insisted on Jesus baptizing Him. Jesus’ baptism was not only a lesson in obedience, but also a commission from His heavenly Father that He was well pleased with His beloved Son whom He empowered with the Holy Spirit’s favor.

“When you came to Christ, he set you free from your evil desires, not by a bodily operation of circumcision but by a spiritual operation, the baptism of your souls. For in baptism you see how your old, evil nature died with him and was buried with him; and then you came up out of death with him into a new life because you trusted the Word of the mighty God who raised Christ from the dead. You were dead in sins, and your sinful desires were not yet cut away. Then he gave you a share in the very life of Christ, for he forgave all your sins” (Colossians 2:11-13, TLB).

Have you experienced believer’s baptism? Maybe you were dedicated to the Lord as a child, but now as a teenager, young adult or adult have you personally placed your 100% trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior? And, has the sequence of your baptism followed your faith? If not, now is the time to drive a stake of faith in the ground, be born again from above and celebrate your formal conversion with the public declaration of baptism. Going public with your faith solidifies your private commitment with inherent accountability from your faith community and empowers you with your heavenly Father’s favor. You are His beloved child in whom He is well pleased.

Here is a prayer of faith you can pray, and/or help another express their heartfelt trust in Jesus:

Loving Lord Jesus Christ, I place my total trust in you as my Savior who forgives me fully and forever and who loves me with unfailing love. I turn from my sin of pride, fear and unbelief and turn toward you in humility, love and faith. I receive you into my life: the son who died for me, the Spirit who gives me life and the Father who loves me. Give me courage to love and obey you all my life—especially in the first step of public baptism. I thank you and praise you—in your name, I pray, amen. Let someone you love and respect know of your fresh encounter with God.

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” (Ephesians 3:16-18).