All In: Pre Baptism ResourceSample

Day 5: What does baptism mean for my life?

So what does this step of baptism mean for your life? We know that by studying Scripture it begins a process of internal and external change called “transformation.” When we go all in, God not only becomes our Savior but He becomes the Lord over our lives. The Bible refers to God as the Creator, the Sustainer and the One who rules over all (Colossians 1:16, John 1:3, 1 Corinthians 8:6). Allowing God to rule over every part of our lives will directly impact the way we live. We go from living by the world’s standards to being guided by God’s Truth.

So how do we give God Lordship over our lives? The first way we do that is through surrender.

Jesus said in Luke 9:23-24,

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.”

Surrender doesn’t come naturally but must become a daily rhythm in the life of a believer. It means coming to God open-handedly each day asking Him to lead you by His Truth. It’s giving Him your highs and your lows, your worries and your plans and trusting Him to do more than you could ever imagine.

The second way we can practice making God the Lord of our life is by leaning into grace. Grace is simply getting something we don’t deserve. It’s allowing God’s love and forgiveness to trump our sin and our struggles. It’s a gift-- one we don’t deserve but God freely wants to give. Paul talks of this gift in Ephesians 2:8-9...

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”

There is no end to grace. It’s not something that ever runs out in the life of a believer. When you accept Jesus as Lord over your life and go ALL IN through baptism, you accept His free gift of grace so that your sin no longer separates you from Him. Grace is the bridge between our sin and our Savior. As we continually accept that gift from God, we can live in true freedom as we follow Him.

Reflection:

• Why can surrender be a hard thing to practice?
• Why is grace a crucial part of our salvation?
• What has kept you from accepting God’s grace?