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Yes! There Is Good News!

Bill Rollins has been publishing each week a column in the local Elk Horn, Iowa paper for the past several years.
Note the original publication date on each blog post

Yes! There is Good News!                               9.9.17

12/22/2020

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Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” In the last article I mentioned that with this short statement, Peter tells us several things. We talked about the first step for those who have been “cut to the heart” concerning their involvement with Christ’s death: they must repent. The second item is baptism.

I have heard some people say that we do not necessarily need to be baptized for salvation because that would be a type of “work” and we are not saved by works. I must ask the question, why was Peter so emphatic? This statement is imperative and that which is imperative is, by definition, a command!

We may also turn to the words of Jesus in His directive to the disciples after His resurrection, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them … and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

So, what is so important about putting someone under the waters of baptism?
Paul said it this way, “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” (Romans 6:3)

If we would want to be identified with our Savior, we must be identified with Him in His death. This identification with Him is quite important for even He, who was without sin, underwent the waters of baptism to set for us an example. Two weeks ago I mentioned another scripture in the book of Romans, “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” In the scheme of all things Godly we must recognize that our commitment to God, and the covenant He made with us, through the blood of the sacrifice of His Son, takes place in and through the death of our “old man.” Our sins are washed away in that watery grave of baptism. How else would we expect to live a new life?

The next thing Peter says in Acts 2:38 is “every one of you.” This is a simple statement but has great significance. Salvation is not a group thing! We are not saved because we belong to the “right” group or go to the “right” church building. This commitment we make to God is a personal vow or promise. We stand alone before God repenting for our own sins and accepting Jesus as our own personal Savior. Each one of us must act upon Peter’s statement by ourselves - alone.

Peter then tells us that we must be baptized “in the name of Jesus Christ.” Is this important? We’ll talk more on this, God willing, in the next article.
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    Bill Rollins resides in Elk Horn, IA, with his wife, Sally, and has pastored the Church of God of Omaha, NE for more than 35 years.

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  • Home
    • FOT 2018 >
      • Accommodations
      • Location and Directions
      • Feast Activities
      • Feast Schedule
      • Feast messages
  • Essays
    • Psalms of Ascent
    • Yes, There Is Good News!
    • Timely Comments - Blog
    • Christian Walk
    • Holy Days >
      • Passover >
        • children's lessons
      • Days of Unleavened Bread >
        • children's lessons
      • Pentecost >
        • children's lessons
      • Trumpets >
        • children's lessons
      • Atonement >
        • children's lessons
      • Feast of Tabernacles >
        • children's lessons
      • Eighth Day >
        • children's lessons
    • Holidays
  • Current Sabbath School
    • Sabbath School 2021
    • Sabbath school 2020
    • Sabbath School 2019
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  • Hebron
    • Hebron - 2014 >
      • April 2014 - Michael Deering's visit >
        • Photos from Michael
      • May 2014 - Tom Benzen's visit >
        • Gardening photos
      • July 2014 - Apples >
        • More Apple Photos
      • August 2014 - New orphans
      • September 2014 - Education >
        • September photos
      • October 2014 - Cyclone
      • December 2014
    • Hebron - 2015 >
      • January 2015
      • March 2015
      • April 2015 - Passover
      • October 2015 >
        • Ice Cream photos
    • Hebron - 2016 >
      • January 2016 photos
      • Passover 2016 >
        • Passover photos
      • Pentecost photos 2016
      • July 2016 - Evening Prayers
      • Apples - July 2016
      • Aug 2016
    • Hebron Building Project >
      • photos of building project
    • Hebron 2017 >
      • Pentecost 2017 photos
      • July 2017 lunch photos
      • Nursing/regular students
      • Lunchtime - Oct 2017
      • Feast of Tabernacles photos
      • October Thank You
      • Nursing Students
      • December photos
    • Hebron 2018 >
      • Passover 2018
      • Baby boy!!
      • Feast of Tabernacles 2018 >
        • Feast photos
    • Hebron 2021 >
      • Photos January 2021
      • February photos