In a conversation with 12...
Illustration
In a conversation with 12-year-old Tommy, his grandmother mentioned that their minister baptized him when he was two weeks old. This interested Tommy so he asked his grandmother what baptism really meant. He had witnessed the baptism of babies in his church, so he was familiar with the ritual. However, now he wanted to know what it meant for him.
Grandmother told him that his baptism was an assurance by God that his sins were forgiven. Jesus, by way of the Holy Spirit, would lead and guide him, inspiring him to be a faithful follower of Christ the rest of his life.
"So," he said, "being baptized isn't the end of it. I am to be a faith person all my life."
"That's right! It isn't easy to be a Christian. There will be hard times, which will test your faith. God always wants to know if you are serious about your discipleship. You need always to be aware that you must press on regardless of circumstances that may be discouraging. You may be interested in knowing that Martin Luther, when he faced difficult times, repeated, 'I am baptized! I am baptized!' That knowledge was an incentive for him to keep his faith."
Grandmother told him that his baptism was an assurance by God that his sins were forgiven. Jesus, by way of the Holy Spirit, would lead and guide him, inspiring him to be a faithful follower of Christ the rest of his life.
"So," he said, "being baptized isn't the end of it. I am to be a faith person all my life."
"That's right! It isn't easy to be a Christian. There will be hard times, which will test your faith. God always wants to know if you are serious about your discipleship. You need always to be aware that you must press on regardless of circumstances that may be discouraging. You may be interested in knowing that Martin Luther, when he faced difficult times, repeated, 'I am baptized! I am baptized!' That knowledge was an incentive for him to keep his faith."
