I Accepted Christ: Now What?Sample

Steps of Obedience

I proposed to my wife at her high school prom. Afterward, we went to a nearby beach where I made vows to her before God and the night sky. We prayed. We cried. It was a moment we’ll never forget.

From then on, I started to think of her as my wife. But as beautiful as the evening was, she wasn’t my wife. I was missing one critical element—witnesses. We were the only ones who knew what had happened. After I brought her back home that night, life continued like normal.

Our wedding was different. We invited everyone we knew to witness the moment. There was a carriage, white horses, and trumpeters. This time, our commitment was as public as it could be. There was no going back.

When Jesus was baptized, it was a spectacle to behold. The heavens opened, the Holy Spirit visibly descended upon Him, and God bellowed from heaven, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” If there was anyone around who didn’t know who Jesus was before, they certainly knew who He was after that.

When I was baptized, the heavens didn’t open, and there were no voices from above. But something important took place—I made a public declaration. Before then, I could have continued to live any way I wanted, and no one would have noticed. My baptism declared to the world that I was a child of God. I couldn’t continue to live like normal.

Jesus’ baptism showed everyone who He was. He lived a perfect, sinless life but chose to submit to baptism out of obedience. As His followers, we need to follow His example and do the same so the world can know who we are and who we belong to.

Who else knows about your decision to follow Christ? Try and find someone new to tell this week.

Have you made a public declaration of your faith through baptism? If not, what is holding you back?