Don’t Forget Your Baptism
By David Faust
When I was 9 years old, at an evening service at our church on Good Friday, I walked forward during the invitation while the congregation sang,
Coming home, coming home,
Nevermore to roam;
Open now Thine arms of love,
Lord, I’m coming home.
The preacher, Paul Hakes, asked me to confess my faith by saying, “I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Soon I stood in the baptistery, shivering not because of the cold but because I was afraid of water. (For those of us who don’t know how to swim, immersion is an extra test of faith!)
I came up from the water coughing and sputtering while the congregation sang, “O happy day, that fixed my choice on Thee, my Savior and my God!”
I don’t know if anyone else besides the Lord remembers what happened that night, but for me it remains a precious memory.
Colossians 2:12 says we were buried with Christ in baptism and raised with him through faith. Baptism isn’t for infants. It’s for those who trust in Christ and repent of personal sin. We can’t remember what happened when we were babies. On the Day of Pentecost, Peter concluded his sermon by telling his listeners, “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” (Acts 2:38).
WHY SHOULD WE REMEMBER BEING BAPTIZED?
It helps us appreciate Jesus’ sacrifice. Like drowning swimmers who need a lifeguard, we can’t save ourselves. Christ did the saving work, pouring out his precious blood and bearing our sins on the cross (1 Peter 1:19; 2:24). Our memories of being baptized—and seeing new believers baptized today—should move us to thank God for his grace.
It reminds us of our commitment to Christ. In baptism we confirmed our decision to follow Jesus Christ and be his disciples. We united with him in his death, burial, and resurrection, accepting his free gift of eternal life and submitting to his authority as Lord (Matthew 28:18-19).
It assures us that we belong to Christ’s church. “For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13). There’s a humbling commonality about baptism. It puts us all on the same footing. Whether you’re the treasurer of Ethiopia (Acts 8:26-39) or a 9-year-old kid from an Ohio farm, you come up sopping wet and go on your way rejoicing as a member of the body of Christ.
It motivates us to holy living. Romans 6 compels us to ask, Why would we choose to sin against God after he has been so gracious to us? Our goal should be to honor God, not to live in rebellion and disobedience.
And besides all this, looking back at our baptism reinforces our hope for what is ahead. “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:5).
If you were baptized in the past, praise God for his saving grace and remember your baptism with joy and gratitude. If you haven’t been baptized, “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16).
Personal Challenge: What do you remember about your own baptism? In your small group, tell about your memories of when, where, and why you were baptized into Christ, and what baptism means to you today.
0 Comments