“Praise God for the privilege of being in Christ’s family and being called by his wonderful name!” (1 Peter 4:16)

Healthy families have family pride; members are not ashamed to be recognized as a part of the family. Sadly, there are many Christians who’ve never publicly identified themselves with God’s family by being baptized.

Baptism is not some ritual to forced on you as a child. You need to be consciously able to make the decision to follow Jesus Christ prior to Baptism. Just like accepting Jesus into your life it should not be delayed or postponed. It signifies your inclusion in God’s family. It publicly announces to the world, “I am not ashamed to be a part of God’s family.” Jesus commanded this beautiful act for all in his family.

For years I wondered why Jesus’ Great Commission gives the same prominence to baptism as it does to the great tasks of evangelism and edification. Why is baptism so important? Because it symbolizes one of the purposes of your life: incorporation into the fellowship of God’s eternal family.

Baptism declares your faith, shares Christ’s burial and Resurrection, symbolizes your death to your old life, and announces your new life in Christ. It is also a celebration of your inclusion in God’s family.

Your baptism is a physical picture of a spiritual truth. It represents what happened the moment God brought you into his family.

Baptism doesn’t make you a member of God’s family; only faith in Christ does that. Baptism shows you are part of God’s family. Like a wedding ring, it is a visible reminder of an inward commitment made in your heart. It is an act of initiation, not something you put off until you are spiritually mature. The only biblical condition is that you believe.

The Bible says, “Jesus and the people he makes holy all belong to the same family. That is why he isn’t ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters” (Hebrews 2:11).

Being included in God’s family is the highest honor, the greatest privilege you and I will ever receive. Nothing else comes close. Why not pause right now and thank God that he included you?

Let that amazing truth sink in! Because Jesus makes you holy, God is proud of you.. If you haven’t been baptized as an expression of your faith in Christ, do so immediately, as Jesus commanded.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we love and praise you for being who you are, (The One True God.) I thank you for loving me and for welcoming me into your family with open arms. I am proud to be called a child of God. Thank You for revealing to me the significance of dieing to ones self, leaving all of our old ways and being reborn a new creation with a clean slate and a fresh start.  I pray tonight that anyone that has not publically announced thier faith through baptism would do so as soon as possible. In your precious name Amen.

If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, Don’t wait! “In a flash of a second it could be too late!” Click Here to read Four Simple Steps to Jesus.

If you are in need of prayer for yourself or others, please Click Here

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org