Grow in God's Love Each Morning!

Word Of God:

“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”- James 1:21

Daily Devotion:

One Baptism

"He who believes and is baptised shall be saved" (Mk 16:16a)

Water Baptism is not an invention of a man or a Church. God the Father instituted it (Jn 1:33). God the Son commanded it (Mt 28:19). The apostles inspired by God the Holy Spirit instructed the believers to be baptised (Acts 2:38). The early Church consistently practised it (Acts 2:41; 8:12; 9:18; 10:47). The only person who never needed to be baptised was Jesus. Even John tried to prevent Him. But Jesus said that it was to "fulfil all righteousness" (Mt 3:15).

No spiritual experience is a substitute for water baptism. Cornelius the military official had his prayers answered and alms approved before God. He was even baptised with the Spirit and spoke in tongues. But Apostle Peter "commanded" that he must be baptised in water (Acts 10:1,2,45,46,48).

Water Baptism is an outward expression of an inward experience. It is a testimony of our identification with the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 6:3-6). In baptism we symbolically say, "I die to sin and am buried with Christ (as I submerge under water), and I am raised with Christ to live for God anew (as I come out of water)." Baptism should not be thought of as a ritual (1 Pet 3:21). In Baptism we make a pledge with the Triune God, saying, "From here and now I belong to You!" The Gospel message is portrayed in the ordinance of Baptism. It marks a new beginning. Ananias told Paul, "Get up and be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on the Name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16).

One should be baptised immediately after receiving Christ as his personal Saviour. The three thousand Jews who received Christ on the Day of Pentecost were baptised the same day (Acts 2:41). The Philippian jailor was baptised the same night when he believed on Christ (Acts 16:33). Do not postpone baptism which is a "counsel" of God (Lk 7:30). Delayed obedience amounts to disobedience.

No baptism, whatever be the mode, before personal conversion to Christ is valid. Where is burial before death? After a nominal Christian or a non-Christian repents to the "One Father" and believes on the "One Lord," he must obey in the "One Baptism" as a testimony to his "One Faith" (Eph 4:5).

O what do we see? "It's only water" say we?
It would bring ruin; deny the Lord's Word, should we?
It's only they who see with both eyes clearly,
Who hold water and Spirit baptisms equally!


Prayer:

The Joy of His Resurrection

O God, who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; who lives and reigns now and for ever. Amen.