Baptism

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are commanded to be baptized in water. It is an act of obedience that identifies us in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. The Great Commission is "to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I (Jesus) have commanded you." (Matt.28:19-20)

Peter made his appeal on the Day of Pentecost: "Repent and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins." (Acts 2:38) Water is symbolic of cleansing. Baptism means death to the old sinful way of living. It means that we identify with the new resurrection life of Jesus. It means identification with His church, the body of Christ. It means that the embrace of God empowers us to love and serve others. It means that a new covenant (agreement) with God has been established. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1)

Have you invited Jesus to be your Lord and Savior? Have you followed him in water baptism?

I Can Only Imagine "Heaven"

One of the current popular worship songs trys to describe heaven. The Bible does give us a vivid picture of the glories of the Kingdom of Heaven. A place of perfection (Rev.21:27), feastings (Rev.19:9), singing (Rev.5:13) and eternal love (1John 4:16-18). But be warned, everyone will not go to heaven. Jesus spoke twice as much about the reality of hell as he did about heaven. All those who continue to depend on their own "goodness" or prefer selfish pleasure will be excluded from the glory of God.

Only someone who is perfect will enter heaven. That is why Jesus died on a cross. He is God's perfection being substituted for our imperfections. By placing our confidence in his sacrifice for our sins and seeking his forgiveness will we enter the kingdom of heaven. What separates Christianity from all the other religions of the world is that heaven is a free gift of God's grace and mercy. We are incapable of doing enough good deeds to become perfect. Unfortuntely, the great songwriter John Lennon was wrong. There is a heaven and a hell. Some will experience God's mercy and many will experience his justice. Seek God's grace and mercy.