January 3, 2010

Matthew 3:16 (GW)
16 After Jesus was baptized, he immediately came up from the
water. Suddenly, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit
of God coming down as a dove to him.

As a new believer in Jesus Christ, I was not aware of baptism. However, my
wife Deb informed me that we needed to be baptized. When I asked my pastor
about it, he said that Baptism was simply an outward sign of an inward work.
True as this may be, when Jesus came up from his baptism, the Spirit of God
came down on him. It seemed to me that his baptism was an inward work of an
outward sign, so I studied baptism. I am listing just a view passages for you to
meditate on. There are many more.

Mark 16:16 (NIV) 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does
not believe will be condemned.

Acts 2:38 (NIV) 38 Peter replied, "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.

Romans 6:3-4 (NIV) 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Galatians 3:27 (NIV) 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Colossians 2:11-12 (NIV) 11 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

If you are a believer and have not been baptized, I strongly encourage you to do
so. If you would like to study the subject, please contact me.
Love, Pastor Don