Daily Devotions
October 6th, 2016 by Pastor SolleyJohn 3:22-23
22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
KJV
Is baptism important today? There are nearly 100 direct references to baptism in the New Testament, anything mentioned that many times must be important to God. But why? There are some who have taken baptism too far, some who take no notice of baptism at all. Both are wrong. Many are in the camp of baptismal regeneration claiming that the act of baptism is critical for salvation, claiming that act brings salvation to sinful man. That is of course wrong. Baptism is a work and works have never and will never save. (Titus 3:5
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;) Other place a high value on baptism, too high claiming that one is not a full Christian until they get baptized. That as well is not Biblical. (Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.) That man was certainly a full Christian that day and he never had the experience of baptism. Still other place an emphasis on who is baptized and where. I know of one who was refused to be accepted into a Baptist church because they were baptized in a Bible church. There were no Baptist churches in Jesus day, not in the days of the Apostles. But baptism must be important and is important. It is that first opportunity to obey God, a good opportunity to be a witness for Christ and God commands both of the Christian. In fo0llowing the Lord Jesus Christ in baptism we are not receiving Christ within but we are putting on Christ for the world to see and the world certainly needs to see Jesus in the Christian.