Daily Devotional
Do You Have to Get Baptized?
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew 28:19
January 9, 2022
Ponder This
Jesus commanded that we be baptized. Jesus began His public ministry with baptism. Jesus concluded His public ministry commanding baptism. (See Matthew 28:19.) Once a person is a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, that person is to be baptized by immersion, saying, “I belong to Jesus Christ. I’m not ashamed of Jesus Christ.”
You know why I wear a wedding ring? That ring shows that I belong to my wife. I’m a one-woman man. I belong to that girl, and I love her, and I’m not ashamed of her. When I go out of town, I don’t take the ring off. I belong to one lady.
In a similar way, baptism means you belong to Jesus Christ. You’re not ashamed of Jesus Christ. You want everybody to know. You are publicly buried in the likeness of His death and raised in the likeness of His resurrection.
- If you are a follower of Jesus, have you been baptized?
- If not, how is God calling you to respond today?
Practice This
Take time today to reflect on your baptism (or to respond to God if you have not yet been baptized). Consider how your baptism provides a picture of your death and resurrection in Jesus.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
