Christ Leads The Way

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” – Ephesians 1:3

Hey all! I appreciate you all reading!

We’ve talked about how God speaks to us today through His Son – through the apostles, through the Bible, and through the New Testament. We must respect what God says and doesn’t say about everything – including worship and how to become a Christian.

Recall Acts 2:38. Peter said to the Jews present in Jerusalem on Pentecost, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” We can find a simple equation here: repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, or repentance + baptism = remission of sins. Similar is true of Mark 16:16: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” Belief + Baptism = Saved. Jesus didn’t say here that he who believes will be saved. Mere belief does not equate or make one saved.

Repentance + Baptism = Remission of Sins

Belief + Baptism = Saved

The Bible is clear that those who are without Christ have no hope and are without God in the world (Eph. 2:12). Being “in Christ” is very important then. Those who are “in Christ” are new creatures (2 Cor. 5:17). All spiritual blessings are “in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). Forgiveness of sins is “in Christ” (Col. 1:13-14). Salvation is “in Christ” (2 Tim. 2:10). And eternal life is “in Christ” (1 John 5:11).

“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” – Rom. 6:3

All the good things for this life and the one to come are found in Christ Jesus. Those without Christ – or outside of Him – do not have them.

Galatians 3:27 tells us the way to get into Christ: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” The way that we get “in Christ” is through baptism. Since all spiritual blessings are in Christ, if we are outside of Christ – without Him – we won’t have those spiritual blessings.

God is speaking to us about how to be with God and with hope in this world. The only way to do this is in Christ. Do you want hope?

God is speaking. Will you listen?

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Adapted from God Speaks Today lessons by Jerry A. Jenkins