Friday, January 27, 2023 Some material taken from United By Our Beliefs Part 3
You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. II Peter 3:17-18
Why Baptism and The Lord’s Supper
Believer's Baptism by Immersion is the symbol and a testimony to our faith and decision to become a believer. It connects us with Christ and the church. The act of baptism itself is not where salvation lies. It is an extension of our public profession of faith in Jesus Christ. We are declaring to the world that we are now His. It is done “in obedience to the command of Jesus Christ.” (Matthew 18:19-20)
Only those individuals who have repented placed their personal faith in Jesus Christ and experienced the new birth, are eligible to be baptized (John 3:3).
The Lord's Supper a Symbol and Testimony
The Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ as a memorial to His atoning sacrifice.
When we observe the Lord’s Supper, we remember Him and what He did for us on Calvary. It is an opportunity for us to confess any sin and focus on our own personal relationship with Christ. Just as baptism does not bring salvation, the Lord’s supper does not save us. It is a sacrament to remember the saving grace of God through His shed blood and broken body. The juice symbolizes His blood that was shed, and the cracker or bread symbolizes his broken body.
It is not a sacrament in the sense of conveying saving grace through the elements of bread and wine (or juice). The elements are to remind believers of the broken body and spilled blood of Christ in giving his life for others.
Our Testimony
When we become Christians, we have a testimony. A testimony is the story of our lives from the time we were born until the time we accept the gift of salvation. Some people have a more dramatic testimony than others, but that’s okay! It’s great if God brought you out of the depths of drug abuse or alcohol addiction, and your life was radically changed. But it is also great if you have been in church your whole life but realized you are missing something very important – a relationship with God.
As Christians we know that Jesus is coming again. Every day we have to persevere, push forward, and encourage each other to remain steadfast. How can we persevere? We persevere and remain steadfast by studying His words and growing in His grace and knowledge.
Testimonies are not for keeping to ourselves. They are for sharing. We need to share our testimony with others so that they too will know that they can have what we have – a transforming relationship with Jesus Christ.
