Anchored: Your New Identity

Baptism Devotional 2017 Day 3:
What are you Anchored in?

Your decision for Christ may have been a private act where you raised your hand, with all eyes closed, and said a prayer accepting him but baptism is a public affair. It is an announcement of your new life and identity in Christ. You are immersed in water to confirm that your past and the old you is buried, your sins are forgotten. You emerge out of the water brand new.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Baptism confirms your new identity.

“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27).

You can live life to the fullest knowing that Jesus paid the price once and for all for your sins. Being anchored in this truth helps you to fight off any doubt about who you are in Jesus. You are now a child of God, a child of the King, and right-standing before God.

Baptism represents grace freely given.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Baptism is a symbolic reenactment of Christ’s grace to us through his death on the cross. We deserved death but he took our place. When we are baptized, we are saying that we recognize and believe what he did, and we accept the grace that he has freely given.

Baptism anchors you in God’s unfailing love.

“And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love” (Romans 5:5).

Throughout our lives, many storms will come. Even when things happen that don’t measure up to our hopes and expectations, we can stand in faith remembering what Christ did for us. We know that he answers when pray, that His love never fails. It is God’s love that empowers us to live the new life, to follow Him, and take his love and color the earth with it.

You can step out of water, cleansed and ready to do great things for the Kingdom. You have access and you have authority. This is your new identity! Welcome to the new you.

We will be celebrating together as many will make the significant decision to follow Jesus into the waters of baptism on November 19th at all services.