I grew up Catholic and was baptized as an infant. When I accepted Christ at 30, I wrestled with the idea of did I need to be baptized as an adult. One Sunday, as I was flipping through my Bible looking for scriptures like this one, I wasn’t paying attention to the sermon, until the pastor stopped.
He said, “Someone here needs to accept Christ. Everyone close your eyes. And if it’s you, raise your hand.” Wasn’t me. I had accepted Christ. Next he said, “Maybe, sometime needs to show that they have accepted Christ.” My hand went up.
God stopped the entire church to tell me that I needed to be baptized. He saw my turmoil over the tradition that I grew up in and where I was. God sometimes has to hit me over the head pretty hard to get my attention. But, He loves me enough to do it.
Baptism is an outward sign of an inward change. To repent is to turn and go another way. When we repent of following our own ways and follow Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit. Baptism shows the world that we have made that choice. Baptism doesn’t save us but we are called to put our identity in Christ through it.
Is God pursuing your heart today?
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