Be Baptized!

Why do Christians get baptized? Jesus, our resurrected Lord, commanded us to get baptized in Matthew 28:19: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit". In the first Christian sermon, Acts 2:14-41, Peter obeyed Christ's command when he proclaimed: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit"(v.38). Luke's narration presents the evidence of Peter's obedient call: "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day"(v. 41). The Christian Church from its beginning at Pentecost (Acts 2) has obediently baptized those who believe on Jesus Christ. Why do we need an outward sign of our inward grace? Dr. Staples comments: "The gospel is not a system of timeless ideas but is rooted in the soil of a particular history where the Word was made flesh. Therefore our appropriation of the gospel is not an abstract, inward, invisible acceptance, but is ever expressed in a given, historical, visible outward sign so that the Word may become flesh in our own experience. That sign is baptism" (Outward Sign And Inward Grace; 156). When we believe on Christ, we turn to God and in obedience we get baptized. The Bible reveals that God in His Wisdom and Timing gives all of us His Holy Spirit in our hearts. In Acts we see that some get the Holy Spirit before baptism, some get the Holy Spirit during Baptism and still others get the Holy Spirit after baptism. God knows what He's doing! Let's follow Jesus and get baptized.

Pastor Eric