1.) I was listening to a sermon recently, and a pastor said, "Baptism isn't in water or anything you do, but rather a metaphorical immersion in Jesus that happens to you passively. It's not something that you do, or that is done to you." That's a pretty common thing to hear, and it's no surprise that Satan would want us to not actively baptize people, because look at what Jesus Himself said:
—“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:19-20) This was the "Great Commission." Notice that it was something that disciples of Christ were told to do to others.
—"He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned." (Mark 16:16) Notice that Jesus said, "believes and is baptized shall be saved," not, "believes and is saved shall be baptized."
It is very freeing to be able to submit to Jesus and what He said, and I can understand the eunuch's attitude upon first learning of Christ, after which he said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?" (Acts 8:36)
2.) Francis Chan said that the Bible talks about baptism being associated with the forgiveness of sins and the receipt of the gift of the Holy Spirit. But, he said, often he finds people asking, "Well what if they die first? What if...?" Mr. Chan responded with, "Look you guys, I don't understand all the questions! These people were eager! Why aren't we? Shouldn't we examine ourselves?"
My sister Tassie Smith said, "Anytime we start to have to explain away some Bible passage rather than obey it, we should ask ourselves what went wrong!" When I don't agree with some part of the Bible, I assume that I'm wrong, because I trust the eternal One much more than I trust the 27 year-old. God is so correct when He says, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts." (Is 55:8)
Freebie: This applies to the tough times in our lives, too. Ever wondered, "Why me, Lord?" I am comforted because I know that He is planning the future. "We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) God promises to cause good—not necessarily good feelings. If one day of pain could help just one soul make it to heaven, isn't it worth it? Momentary light affliction is just that. Let's have good attitudes!
3.) Ever wondered about your heart? God says that it's a terribly deceitful thing, yet He also promised that, for Christians, He'd throw in some Help. In Ezekiel 36, He prophesied that He'd cleanse your sins (v25) and also, "give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances." (26;27)
That's AWESOME! Acts 2 says that baptism removes your sins and gives you the Holy Spirit, which is exactly what Ezekiel 36 and 37 promised! Romans 8 further says, "However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness." (9-10)
Isn't it great that "all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God?" (14) Isn't it great that "the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God?" (26;27)
If you haven't been baptized for the remission of your sins and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2), then make like the Ethiopian eunuch and say, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” (Acts 8)
4.) Ever had anyone ask you about your Christianity by asking for your testimony? What does that mean? I think there's something more important than words.It's easy to be a "good Christian" when life's easy. Eat three raw eggs. Now drink a cup of canola oil. The trials we go through in life can really be like having to swallow eggs and oil: horrible. Yet while those things are nasty individually, if you start putting them together, you begin to make a cake. The mature product is delicious.
When trials come your way and you're sucking down eggs, remember that "we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:3-5)
It's how you react when life kicks you when you're down that ends up building proven character. The only testimony that really matters is your character, and getting that character isn't easy. A person with proven character also has hope, no matter how bleak it is, poured out by the Spirit.