Mark Vestal Proud of nothing of myself. Freed by Christ who did it all!

I have some good news for you! The moment you believed the gospel, you were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise until the day of redemption! Your earthly 'water baptism' had nothing to do with this promise. Water baptism is your outward statement to man while living on earth that you are now a believer, but you were placed into the body of Christ and eternally secured by the holy Spirit upon your belief:

Eph 1:12-13
"That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,"

There is nothing that we can do in the flesh (such as a water baptism) that will add to what Jesus Christ completed for us on the cross. It is our faith in Him, His shed blood, and His completed work for us that saves us:

1 Cor 15:1-4
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"

Do you believe that God forgave you of all your sins through the shed blood of Jesus Christ? Do you believe that He truly died and was buried, but rose from the grave on the third day to defeat both sin and death for all? If you truly have believed this then you can know without a shadow of a doubt that you are saved. You are placing your faith in what He has done for you. You then understand that it is not about what WE do for our salvation. It is about what HE did and COMPLETED for us on the cross. God was in Christ reconciling Himself unto the world. We reconcile ourselves to God through faith alone:

Rom 4:4-5
"Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."

2 Cor 5:19
"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation."

Col 2:10
"And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:"

August 24 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report