#306 Cleansing

Back in September I had the privilege of baptizing my son, Jeremiah Brian. I really wasn't blogging then, so I'm getting around to writing this now, just a little while after his birthday. I've mentioned before (while blogging about my daughters' baptisms) how much I love baptism. There's something about this visible sign and seal of God's grace that really drives the meaning of God's work home. Administering baptism—particularly for my own children—is one of my great joys as a minister.

Every human being is a sinner. We have done wrong and disobeyed God. Our very nature is sinful. Worse, we cannot make up for our sins. The only way for us to be right with God again is for us to be cleansed—forgiven and made new. The clear water of baptism makes visible to us God's promise to wash away all of our sins as well as our sinfulness through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit applies the benefits of Christ's work directly to each Christian. Baptism can be done in a few different ways, but Tess and I chose to have Jeremiah immersed, plunged in the water from head to toe. For us, this was a beautiful picture of how God cleanses us entirely. Just as water washes dirt away, so, through Jesus, Christians' sins are gone forever. What a blessing to be cleansed!

Grace and peace,

BMH