.We are saved to serve Christ (Cont)
Attractive, gracious, and upright behaviour on the part of Christians could show these rumours to be false and could even win some of the unsaved critics to the Lord’s side. Don’t write off people because they misunderstand Christianity; instead, show them Christ by your life. The day may come when those who criticise you will praise God with you.
Poverty is an evil that should be dealt with by the Church. But even if we eradicated all poverty and hunger, people would still need conversion. We must be balanced about this matter, of course, because hungry people need a meal before they are presented with the gospel. Let us not forget, however, that we are commanded to go into the world to preach the gospel. That command will never be annulled.
The Significance Of Water Baptism
“And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptised, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord,” (Acts 22:16).
“be baptised.” Water baptism accompanied the proclamation of the gospel from the beginning of the church’s mission (2:38, 41).
It was a rite of Christian initiation used in the NT to indicate that a person was committing himself or herself fully to Jesus Christ. By going into the baptismal water in the name of the trinity (Mat 28:19) or of Christ (19;5), believers visibly demonstrated their faith before the Christian community.
• Water baptism “into Christ” (Gal 3:27) or “in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:38; cf. Mat 28:19) signifies that one now is the property of Christ and has a share in His life, His Spirit and His inheritance with God (Rom 8:14-17; Gal 3:26-4:7).
• Water baptism is a response to what Christ has done for the believer. To be valid, it must be preceded by repentance (2:38) and personal faith in Christ (Col 2:12).
• Water baptism, when undertaken with a sincere heart of faith and commitment to Jesus as Lord and Saviour, is a means of receiving grace from Christ (cf. 1 Pet 3:21).
• Water baptism is an outward sign and testimony of our receiving Christ as Lord and Saviour and of the washing away of our sins (cf. 2:38; Tit 3:5; 1 Pet 3:21).
• Water baptism portrays the union of the believer with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection (Rom 6:1-11; Col 2:11-12). This signifies an end (i.e., “death”) to a life of sin (Rom 6:3-4, 7, 10, 12; Col 3:3-14) and the beginning of a new life in Christ (Rom 6:4-5,11; Col 2:12-13). Therefore, water baptism involves a commitment to a lifelong practice of turning one’s back on the world and all that is evil (Rom 6:6, 11-13) and living a new life in the Spirit that reflects God’s standards of righteousness (Col 2:1-17).
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