God Saves Me!

 

I am so glad my children and grandchildren were all baptized.

From today’s Meditation devotion:

“Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you--not the removal of dirt from the body but the guarantee of a good conscience before God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He went to heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.” (1 Peter 3:21-22EHV)

How powerful is Baptism? "[God] saved us through the washing of rebirth and the renewal by the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5). Holy Baptism connects us to Christ's death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4). You died with him, but you didn't stay dead. You rose with Christ, empowered to live as an obedient child of the King.

You may not remember the event, but you likely received a certificate to commemorate it. Witnesses can testify that you were baptized. Peter declares that you have more than a certificate. You have a guarantee--a legal claim to a good conscience before God. Your baptism was witnessed by God and recorded in his book of life, where binding language states that you now own a conscience that will not condemn you for a single sin before God.

When that voice inside dredges up your devilish deeds, open the floodgates of Baptism and powerwash all the filth away. When your conscience is ablaze with the memories of a misspent life, unreel the fire hose of your baptism and put the wet stuff on the red stuff. When Satan hurls rocks wrapped in reminders of your transgressions, aim the water cannon of your baptism between his eyes. When our Redeemer marched through hell's penitentiary on Easter morning, it was too late for a good conscience to help those prisoners. But the good conscience he won for you will keep you safely out of the grasp of the infernal prison warden.

Baptized into Christ's resurrection, you have already risen from the dead! Your death-defeater friend, R. L. (Resurrection and Life), knocks at your door daily to say, "Let's go! I have some dead people I want you to meet, and we're going to offer them CPR (Christ's Powerful Resuscitation)."

Do you still get discouraged and downhearted? Look up! That's where Christ reigns "at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him." Tell your killjoy conscience to look up too. Jesus is smiling at you--his baptized, beloved, bound-for-glory, certified-holy child.

Baptism is the most powerful thing that ever happened to you. It's when you were christened and given a clean conscience--guaranteed!

Lord Jesus, your saving power claimed me in Baptism. Through your resurrection, help me live a new and holy life, one day at a time.