Learning
to Understand God
E-mail:
devotionals@anewmeinchrist.com
Understanding
God Through
Repentance, Confession and Baptism
What Is The Meaning Of Repentance?
To have sorrow and regret about living our life outside of a relationship with
God and as a result, coming into a right relationship with Him through His Son
Jesus Christ.
What Effect Does Repentance have on Us?
Repentance causes us to change from doing things our way to doing things God’s
way, as He explains to us in His written word - the Bible.
What Is Involved In Repentance?
Repentance involves a change of mind, heart and will.
A Change Of Mind
A change of mind can only take place when we realize that we are not in a right
relationship with God.
A Change of Heart
A change of heart takes place when we accept the fact that we are not in a right
relationship with God.
A Change of Will
A change of will takes place when we make the decision to accept Jesus Christ as
our personal Saviour and live our life in accordance to His will.
Acts
17: 30-31
God commandeth all men everywhere to repent: because He hath appointed a day, in
the which He will judge the world in righteousness by
that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in
that He hath raised Him from the dead.
Matt. 9: 13
Jesus came to earth to call the sinners to repentance
Who are the sinners?
Anyone who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour is a sinner.
Romans 3: 23
For all have sinned and come short of the glory of
God.
THE STEPS TO SALVATION
REPENTANCE, CONFESSION AND BAPTISM GO HAND IN HAND
Acts 2: 38
Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name
of Jesus Christ for, the remission of sins...
Mark 16: 15- 16 (Jesus
is speaking to His Disciples)
15) ...Go
ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature
16) He that BELIEVETH AND IS
BAPTIZED shall be saved....
THE ETHIOPAIN EUNUCH
Acts 8: 35-38
a) HE HEARD THE WORD OF GOD
ABOUT JESUS
verse 35) Then Philip....
preached unto him Jesus
b) REPENTANCE OF THE
ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH
- he believed the Word of God about Jesus and desired salvation through baptism
36)
And as they went on their way,
they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, see, here is water, what
doth hinder me to be baptized?
37a)
And Philip said, If thou
believeth with all thine heart, thou mayest.
c) CONFESSION
OF THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH
- he openly confessed his belief in Jesus Christ to Philip.
37b) And
he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
d) BAPTISM OF THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH
38)
And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and
they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized
him.
THE IMPORTANCE OF OPENLY
CONFESSING JESUS
Matthew 10: 32-33 (Jesus
is speaking)
32) Whosoever
shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father which is in
heaven
33) But whosoever shall deny
me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. (See
also Luke 12: 8-9)
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BAPTISM
Romans 6: 3-4
3) Know ye not, that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were
baptized into His death?
4)
Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ
was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should
walk in newness of life.
(Please visit your local church for assistance with receiving the gift of
salvation).
(All scripture quotations are taken from the King
James Version of the Bible unless otherwise indicated)
Writer: Velyn Cooper