1193-Baptism into Christ#
1193-Baptism into Christ
(JP Text Group - Organized by Life Like an Eagle)
Romans 6:3-14
3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection. 6 Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him. 9 Knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
Let us pray first:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise You for Your grace. Today we gather here to worship You, believing that at this moment You are among us. Lord, You have established baptism for us in this world, allowing us to see that our body of sin has been put to death, and we are new creations. We share in the resurrection of Christ Jesus, and we believe that today we possess all authority in Jesus Christ. Lord, protect every brother and sister who seeks You today, guide us during this time, and through these words, let us know You more deeply. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen! Hallelujah!
Christianity has two sacraments, one is baptism, and the other is communion. Today, we will have a baptism ceremony. Both of these were established by Jesus Christ Himself and commanded by God, so throughout the ages, any church that believes in Jesus Christ has been observing them.
In Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
This is what Jesus Christ tells us; we need to be baptized in this world, to be incorporated into Jesus Christ. Since Jesus has commanded us, we must follow His teachings. Currently, there are two types of baptism in the world: one is immersion baptism, and the other is sprinkling baptism. Today, due to conditions, we will perform sprinkling baptism. If there is time and conditions permit in the future, we will take everyone to the seaside for immersion baptism. It's not that these two are different; it's just that in our feelings, there is a difference. Of course, in a spiritual sense, they are completely the same.
Where does sprinkling baptism come from? In the past, some people were so ill that they were close to death and could not get out of bed. They couldn't be lifted and put into the water, so sprinkling baptism came about. The pastor would sprinkle water on their heads as a form of baptism. Regardless of the form, the meaning it represents is the same.
What are the requirements for baptism? As long as you accept Jesus Christ, you can be baptized.
Regarding the introduction to baptism, many people may have various opinions. Today, I have a very simple way to tell brothers and sisters the important significance of baptism. When we truly repent and truly believe in Jesus Christ, we can be baptized.
Here, we emphasize that some churches have made special regulations, requiring believers to have been in faith for over a year and to undergo a series of strict training and examinations. If they do not qualify, they cannot be baptized. Brothers and sisters can discern and accept these things. I am not saying these things are wrong; their intention is good, but I only say that the Bible does not have these requirements.
In the Bible, there is a man named Philip who preached the gospel to an Ethiopian eunuch. The eunuch was in a chariot, and Philip was explaining the book of Isaiah to him. After he finished, the eunuch believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. When they came to a place with water, the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." So he commanded the chariot to stand still, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 8:35-39
Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" (And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.") So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and he went on his way rejoicing.
Baptism in Israel at that time represented confession of sin and acceptance of Jesus Christ.
John the Baptist's baptism was a baptism of repentance. What were they waiting for? They were waiting for the coming of Jesus Christ. At that time, everyone's sins had not been cleansed by Jesus, and their sins were still upon them, so they had to be baptized while waiting for God.
John the Baptist said, "Come, confess your sins, and then accept baptism."
Mark 1:4-5
John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
Jesus Christ had no sin; why did He need to be baptized? He took upon Himself all our sins, so Jesus said, "I do this to fulfill all righteousness."
Matthew 3:13-15
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him.
For a Christian, baptism is only needed once in a lifetime. So brothers and sisters, you must receive this correctly. Some may ask where you were baptized. If you say you were baptized in a certain church, they might say, "That doesn't count; you must be baptized in our church for it to count." If you hear such words, please do not believe them, because God does not care where you are baptized; He cares about whose name you are baptized in. No matter where it is, as long as you are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, it is valid, and one baptism in a lifetime is enough; there is no need for repeated baptisms.
So if someone says, "If you are not baptized in my church, you cannot be saved," if you hear such words, please leave that church; their teaching is already problematic. You are not belonging to a certain church or a certain pastor; you belong to Jesus Christ, so everyone must have a correct understanding of baptism.
So what does baptism symbolize? Why do we say one baptism in a lifetime is enough?
Some say that if you do not accept baptism, you cannot be saved, right? That is incorrect. Baptism does not save people. Accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior, believing that He shed His blood for your sins on the cross, sacrificed, and rose from the dead three days later, that is what justifies you. That is salvation. Amen!
So what does baptism represent? To use the easiest analogy, the greatest and most memorable thing in life is marriage. If two people have received a marriage certificate but have not yet held a wedding, they are still legally married. Today, when you accept Jesus Christ, it is equivalent to being recognized by God.
And today our baptism is like the wedding ceremony; you can have various forms of this ceremony, but they all testify to a beautiful marriage. Today, if someone only holds a wedding without a marriage certificate, no matter how perfect or luxurious the wedding is, it will never be recognized.
I use this analogy to help brothers and sisters understand that if you have not made Jesus your Savior, even if you are baptized, you are still not saved. Understand? Brothers and sisters, conversely, if someone has already accepted Jesus in their heart but has not had the chance to be baptized, they are still saved.
In the Bible, there was a thief beside Jesus. Did this thief get baptized? But he accepted Jesus Christ, and at that time, Jesus said, "Today you will be with Me in paradise," proving that he was saved. Amen!
Many people bring their children to the church for baptism on the eighth day after birth, but the child does not understand anything at this point, so the significance is minimal. When people came to John the Baptist for baptism, each one came to confess their sins and then be baptized in the water.
You must at least understand why you are accepting baptism. But if you do not understand and just follow others into baptism without faith in your heart, even if you are baptized, it will not be recognized by God. God does not look at the baptism; He looks at whether people believe in Him.
Of course, baptism is very important; we should not go to extremes or underestimate baptism. It can release faith, just like our communion can release faith. There is also the prayer of anointing with oil, which releases people's faith. Through baptism, you understand that Jesus Christ died and rose again with you. You are no longer living for yourself, but Christ lives in you.
When I was baptized, I witnessed a miracle. There was an elderly lady, nearly 80 years old, with many diseases. She was unsteady on her feet. The pastor said, "Maybe you shouldn't go down for immersion because the water is a bit cold. We can do sprinkling baptism for you here." But this elderly lady said, "No, I must go down. I respect this baptism very much, so I must go down." So two young men helped her, and when she came up out of the water, all her diseases were healed by God.
It was not that the water had any special function; it was that the elderly lady had great faith and insisted on going down. As a result, she was healed. It was because she first understood what baptism represented, and then through baptism, she released her faith. It was this faith that healed her, not the water. We must remember that today we are saved by faith, not by any ritual.
In Ephesians 2:8-9,
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Today, even those who are baptized have nothing to boast about. Why? Because people are not saved by baptism; they are saved by God's grace. It is by grace that it comes from our God's grace, and through faith, it is because you believe in God's grace that you are saved. Your salvation does not come from yourself, but it is the grace given by God. It is not because your works are good enough that you can receive God's grace, but because you believe in Him and are willing to accept Him, so you receive it. Thank the Lord! So we must understand that today, what qualifications do you need to be baptized? As long as you accept Jesus Christ, you can be baptized. It is not that you have to memorize the Bible or wait until you have believed for a year or meet certain conditions; these are all added by people. God's gifts and grace have no conditions; as long as you believe in Him and are willing to accept Him, God will give it to you.
We share the first point: Baptism is a testimony of being incorporated into Christ.
Remember, just as I mentioned earlier, obtaining a marriage certificate and holding a wedding is a form of testimony. Even if you do not have this wedding, you are still legally married, but holding a wedding is a testimony of the formation of your family.
Every brother and sister who accepts baptism is incorporated under the name of Christ. Being incorporated under the name of Christ has two layers of meaning. The first layer represents that we have died with Christ, just as we are told in verse 3,
Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried with Him through baptism into death.
What does this mean? The reason I support immersion baptism is because sprinkling baptism does not fully express this. When you are completely immersed in water, you are not breathing. In that moment of not breathing, you experience dying with Jesus Christ. When you come up out of the water, you are no longer the old you; you have become a new person. When we are baptized, we are a testimony. What do we testify?
We tell others, "I am a Christian." We tell others, "I have been incorporated under the name of Christ." This is a beautiful testimony to your friends. The world is unknowingly watching us. In other words, when you confess to everyone that you are a Christian, it means that from now on, every move you make is being observed by others. Although we have not given them this right, your friends are watching you. Because you say you are a Christian, when your behavior is not good, your friends will say, "Aren't you a Christian?" When one day you help someone and they thank you, you say, "No need to thank me; I am a Christian." Others will say, "Wow, you are a Christian!"
When you are incorporated into Christ, you also have a testimony before the world. Whether it is immersion baptism or sprinkling baptism, when the water is sprinkled on you, you must know that your "old self" has died, and now a new person is living.
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection. 6 Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
When you accept Jesus, at that moment, Jesus has already saved you from sin. Amen! You may not feel it, because this is a spiritual matter. It has nothing to do with feelings.
Did you feel anything when you stood there? Did you notice any significant difference before and after you accepted Him? Did you find a horn growing on your head or suddenly glowing all over? You find that after we prayed for you, you are still the same you, right? But when you are baptized, you will feel it because you can clearly feel the water coming down from your head; you can clearly feel something coming down. That is the tactile testimony of our body.
Verse 7 says, "For he who has died has been freed from sin."
When you accept the Lord, you should first think in your mind, "I have been freed from sin." It is not by your effort to free yourself from sin; it is that Jesus has already saved you. You are now in Christ, living with Christ.
Verse 8: "Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him."
Jesus Christ has died for you and rose from the dead three days later. When you are in the water, your brief moment of not breathing signifies that God sees you as dead. When you come up out of the water, God sees you as a resurrected person. After Jesus Christ rose from the dead, He cannot die again. He has overcome death, so after Jesus Christ rose from the dead, His body changed; He became a glorious body. From that moment on, death could no longer hold Him. Amen! The same is true for you; you must know that after you are baptized and incorporated into Jesus Christ, sin can no longer be your master. You have been resurrected with Jesus Christ. You must see this spiritual matter with your eyes.
Some may say, "No, teacher, but I am gradually moving towards death. I see more wrinkles on my face and more gray hair than before. Am I not gradually moving towards death?" You are correct, but what I am talking about is the life in the spirit. There is another life, which is your body. Although this body is gradually moving towards death, God will resurrect it after it dies.
We call it resurrection because you must first die before you can live again, right? If you have not died, how can it be called resurrection? So this body is gradually moving towards death; this is a good thing because once it dies, you will no longer have to die completely. What is there to fear? The Bible calls Christians not dead but asleep, because after sleeping, one day, when God's trumpet sounds, all souls will rise, and our bodies will be changed to be like the body of Jesus Christ. At that time, death will be completely gone. Amen!
So we must know that when we are baptized into Jesus Christ, we are like this. When you come up from the water, after you are baptized, we must believe that we have already received the new life of Christ. A baptized Christian symbolizes that we have already received the new life of the resurrected Christ. In our daily lives, first, you see yourself as alive, not through the old self, but through the new life. You must see yourself as a resurrected life. In other words, the authority of Christ, the glory of Christ, and all the grace of Christ are upon you. This body may die, but it will be resurrected; it is just a matter of time because you have already died with Christ, been buried with Him, and risen with Him. We have a brand new life living on this earth.
The second point: Baptism is a testimony of our joining the church and being united with it.
When you are baptized, you must join a church. Why? Because what is the church? The church is not a building; the church is a group of people redeemed by Jesus Christ, called the church. In the Bible, Jesus said, "Where two or three are gathered in My name, I am there in the midst of them." His meaning is that where two or three people gather in the name of Jesus Christ, that place is called the church. Because you are here, this place is called the church.
When we are baptized, we are incorporated into the church. Today, those of you who are baptized are blessed because you are incorporated into the big family of Christ. You are incorporated into the church, and from now on, you are a part of the church. When you encounter problems, you should seek help from your fellow members. From now on, we are mutually supportive because we are part of the same church. Amen!
Some may say, "What if I was baptized in another church?" That's fine, but today we are talking about if you are here, I will be responsible for you, and our brothers and sisters will be responsible for you. Amen! If you say, "I don't belong to this church; I belong to the church next door," that's fine too. If you have problems, seek help from those members. It is not that we must separate this; I am just telling brothers and sisters today that the church on earth is established by God. Today, when you are incorporated into this group, the shepherd of this group will be responsible for you, and the members of this group will be responsible for you. Of course, if you belong to that fellowship, it is the same. Otherwise, there would not be divisions like the Corinthian church, the Ephesian church, and the Philippian church. The reason for the church is to refer to this fellowship. When a member of this fellowship has a problem, this fellowship must help them.
If someone says, "I just like to jump around to different churches," that’s fine! No problem; we cannot say you are not saved. It’s just that when you really have a problem one day, you won’t know who to turn to. You have no belonging, and no one is willing to be responsible for you. Because a group of sheep needs a shepherd!
Our great Shepherd is Jesus Christ, but Jesus Christ has established churches in various places. Amen! So today, when you are baptized into our church, we will be responsible for you. When you have problems in the future, feel free to come to our church; we will pray for you and help you together. Amen! Everyone is the same. So today, baptized brothers and sisters, welcome to join our church!
1 Corinthians 12:13 mentions, For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
This tells me that regardless of whether you are Chinese or foreign, from any ethnicity or place, as long as we accept baptism and are incorporated into the name of Christ, we are all members of Christ's body. Then you can live a fellowship life in a fixed church.
I encountered a particularly funny situation once when I called a sister. She said, "Hey, I have already been baptized! Don’t you know that baptism is graduation? What else is there to do after graduation?" In fact, when you accept the baptism of Jesus Christ, your new life has just begun. Previously, you relied on yourself; now you must rely on Jesus Christ. When you had problems before, you might have relied on worldly people. Now, when you have a problem, you come to church people because they will tell you how Christ would handle it. Thank the Lord!
Now you can make a decision and say, "I have been baptized, so I am willing to follow the Lord Jesus Christ for life." Because I have been baptized by one Spirit into one body, I am united with Christ and have become one with this church. Amen!
Before you believed in Jesus, you were under the hand of the devil, but when you accepted Jesus and were baptized, you can declare before the devil: "Devil, I have been incorporated into the name of Christ; I have nothing to do with you!" Every time the devil attacks you, you must tell him, "I have been baptized; I am united with Christ." This is my testimony of baptism. Before the devil, do not fall for his tricks. At all times, resist him with Jesus Christ, and he will flee from you.
Also, there are angels. All angels are ministering spirits. Hebrews 1:14 mentions, "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?" You must know that behind you, there are angels serving you. When you accept the Lord Jesus and are baptized, you should believe in your heart that you are no longer yourself in this world; wherever you go, there are angels protecting you. You cannot see them, but you must believe this.
Also, in front of everyone, as I mentioned earlier, before your friends and family, you should boldly say, "I am a Christian." Now, many people do not get baptized because they think that after baptism, they must admit they are Christians. What if my behavior is not good, and others point fingers at me? It’s better not to be baptized; then others won’t know I am a Christian. But do you know? When you bravely declare in front of everyone that you are a Christian, God will give you the strength to change. It is not you who will change your behavior by your own effort; it is when you declare every day that you are a Christian that God will change you. God will give you strength to bear good fruit from your bad behavior. As long as you believe you are already a Christian, you can boldly admit it in front of everyone, and your life will be changed by Christ. This is definitely a good thing.
When you testify before everyone, you say, "I am willing to follow Jesus. I am willing to walk in His footsteps, incorporated under His name. I am gathering in a certain church." At this moment, when you say it, God has already given you faith. Brothers and sisters, because when you say it, you give yourself a positioning in your heart: "I will be observed by others in my future behavior. I want to be a Christian who honors God and benefits others, loving others as myself." You must first have this thought, and then God will give you strength. If you say, "Oh, forget it; I am afraid to admit I am a Christian," if you have such fear, God cannot help you. You must first bravely admit your faith in front of everyone.
We will share the third point: Baptism is our testimony of our faith.
Many brothers and sisters are unwilling to publicly declare their identity; they only come to gatherings but do not want to accept baptism. This baptism is aimed at all brothers and sisters and is also your declaration to the world: "I am already a Christian; I have chosen the path of eternal life." In fact, through such a declaration, you can overcome many bad habits in your life.
For example, if you used to like playing mahjong, one day you go to your three friends and say, "I believe in Jesus." What do you think your three friends will say? "Really? Then why are you still coming here?" Is that a good thing for you? Although they do not believe, they know that if you believe in Jesus, you should not play mahjong. Why are you still coming? They see you as a false believer. Although they are judging you under the law, they give you a correct reminder: "Aren't you a Christian?" Many times, we cannot change our bad habit of cursing. Suddenly one day, someone says, "Aren't you a believer? Why are you still cursing?" You say, "Yes, I forgot I am a Christian." In fact, this is a correct reminder from others to you.
What is the work of the Holy Spirit? The Bible tells us in the Gospel of John that when the Holy Spirit comes, He will convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because Jesus Christ's righteousness is upon us; of judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. In other words, the devil has already been judged today, and the Holy Spirit is to remind you correctly that you are a Christian, that you have been incorporated into the name of Christ. Today, the righteousness of Jesus Christ is upon you; you are a person who has chosen the path of eternal life. In other words, the Holy Spirit is always reminding you that you have a correct identity, that you have a great Heavenly Father, and you should live a holy life.
In the past, perhaps we were wanderers, beggars, with nothing. But God has incorporated you into His name, so you should no longer live like a beggar. When you go back and start eating on the ground again, the Holy Spirit does not slap you and say, "I see you were born to be a beggar! You have clearly become a prince; why are you still living like a beggar?" The Holy Spirit will not rebuke you like that. He will say, "Have you forgotten? You have been incorporated into the name of Christ; you are already a prince! So you should stand up and return to the table to enjoy the abundant feast with your Father!"
Thank the Lord, brothers and sisters, do you know? The Holy Spirit is always reminding you that you have a righteous identity in Christ. He will tell you that you do not have to live like this. For example, if you used to steal things, the Holy Spirit tells you that you do not need to steal anymore because if you have needs, our God will provide for you. If you are in lack, God will bless the work of your hands. Why do such things? So after correctly recognizing your identity, you will disdain these things. Amen! Bad habits will be corrected.
So, brothers and sisters, this kind of faith perfectly compensates for our weaknesses before the Lord. Sometimes we are timid, but when you are baptized, God will let you see that you are a person in Christ. Your old self has died, and you are now living as a new person. So you are walking the path of the cross, the path of glory, manifesting the glory of Christ. Wherever you go, remember that you carry the glory of Christ. I am no longer like Jacob, who keeps grabbing; I am now a giver because my Heavenly Father is abundant, so I am willing to give. Because you believe correctly, this is a testimony of your faith when you are baptized.
So we testify to everyone, to the church, and to all brothers and sisters. We have all made a decision to pray and are willing to follow the Lord for a lifetime. This is a reminder for a Christian through today's baptism that you are in Christ. Thank the Lord! Do not overly emphasize the significance of baptism, but do not underestimate its significance either, because it always allows you to see the great power of Christ.
When we are weak, we think, "I am already a baptized Christian; I have been incorporated into the name of Christ." Admitting you are a Christian before others, even in your weakest moments, God can still remind you that you are His child, and He will help you. Thank and praise the Lord!
On a positive note, we must know that today we are baptized into Christ, allowing Jesus to be our King. You are incorporated into Christ, acknowledging Jesus as your King, and then you must obey the Holy Spirit. You say, "In the past, I lived by relying on myself, but after being incorporated into Christ, I now live by relying on the Holy Spirit."
So someone may ask, "What does it mean to live by the Holy Spirit?" After you are baptized, every day you are willing to pray to God, and there will always be a voice in your heart giving you correct guidance. Many among us are experiencing the leading of the Holy Spirit, so I hope that those who have not experienced it will encounter it. You must first believe that the Holy Spirit will guide you, and then in your life, you will encounter such things.
You are vessels of righteousness. You know that today, your whole being, your body, is filled with the Holy Spirit. You are a righteous person, so when you go out, you say, "I want to live out this identity of a prince. I want to live out this identity of a princess. I want to live out this identity of a righteous person." So you are just living out the style you should have because you remember that you have already been baptized, and we live under grace.
Verse 14: "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."
What does this mean? How can Christians overcome sin today? It is actually to let you realize that you are not under law but under grace. It is to let you understand that everything in your life is not something you can overcome by your own effort; it is through Jesus Christ that you can overcome.
You tell yourself, "In the past, I relied on my own efforts to struggle, but now I completely look to Jesus Christ." You will find that when you rely on yourself, you are very tired, with many worries and many things you cannot solve. When you rely on Jesus Christ, you will find that everything becomes very simple. The way to overcome sin is not by your effort to restrain yourself; it is not by your effort to rely on yourself to overcome sin. You will find that you still cannot overcome. What do you rely on? You rely on realizing that you are no longer under law. What is the role of the law? The law is to make people aware of sin.
But the grace of Jesus Christ is to shift your focus, letting you know today that you have been baptized into the name of Christ. Your focus is not on how bad you are; it is on how good Jesus is!
Brothers and sisters, do you know? So as a Christian, for those who have been baptized into this church, we have only one purpose, one goal: every time you come here, what I want to do is to adjust your focus, everyone's focus, to Jesus. You do not look at how bad you are; you only look at how good Jesus is. When you look at Jesus this way, you will find, "Wow, I have overcome," because you are not under law; you are under grace.
What is grace? It is what you do not deserve, what you should not have, but God gives it to you freely today. You do not earn the identity of a righteous person or a holy person by your own effort; God delights in you. You rely on Jesus Christ, so in your life, you ask yourself a question: "I have been baptized into the name of Christ. Jesus is willing to help me."
Romans 8:31 says, What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Today, you can declare, "I have been baptized, incorporated into the name of Christ, so I know He is helping me. What is the devil? What is the slander of man? Because Christ has called me righteous, He is willing to give me His grace freely because I have been incorporated into His name.
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
After you are baptized into Jesus, you need to continue attending gatherings because there is another command: "Teach them to observe all things that I have commanded you." So every time you come to a gathering, I will correctly teach you the words of Jesus Christ. When you live according to Christ's words, you will experience God with you and experience His great power. Thank and praise the Lord! May you have beautiful testimonies in your life, and please share them with us brothers and sisters. Thank the Lord, and glory be to our God!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we are especially moved to praise Your grace. Today we know that when we are baptized into Your name, this is our testimony, our testimony before everyone, before the devil, and before the angels. I also tell myself that I belong to Christ. I am in Christ; I am righteous, and this identity can never change. From today, I am willing to join God's church, become a part of the church, love and help each other with the members, and jointly testify to the goodness of Christ. Let us know Jesus Christ more deeply in our fellowship life and build the body together. Thank and praise the Lord! In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!