NBSK5

Day 5

What’s next? You have received Jesus as your savior, so your sins are forgiven, and you are a child of God. The next step is to follow the example of Jesus and be water baptized.

Matthew 3:13 says that Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River (that’s walking over 40 miles!) to be baptized by John the Baptizer. Jews practiced baptism as a sign that they were repenting of their sin and turning to God, but Jesus had no sin, so He didn’t need to repent of any. Matthew 3:14 tells us that John told Jesus, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” John was Jesus’ cousin, so he knew who Jesus was. But Jesus said they needed to do it to “fulfill all righteousness.” By being baptized, Jesus was showing that He was dedicating Himself to following only the will of His Heavenly Father’s for His life.

As Christians, we follow the example of Jesus by being baptized. Through baptism we identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. We are showing that the old person has died and been buried and a new person has been raised to a new life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” This is why getting saved is called “being born again.” We are a new person in Christ; the old self with its sin and rebellion against God has died and been replaced with a newly born person with no history of sin at all.

To be water baptized at Buford Church of God, text baptizeme to (833) 207-0493. We will answer any questions you may have and schedule a time.

Prayer: Father God, thank You that You have given me new life and a new future. Continue to teach me Your ways as I get baptized to show the world that I have been born again through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen