Repent I say again Repent...

Scripture 

Acts 2:38-39

Philippians 1:1-11

John the Baptist preached repentance.  He foretold of the coming of Christ.  In Acts we are told to repent and be baptized.  Jesus himself as an example was baptized.  In our great commission Jesus tells us to baptize others.  Matthew 28:18-20 

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Prior to Jesus people were baptized after repenting from their sins.  Jesus came and was baptized. Matthew 3:13-15:

 ¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. ¹⁴ But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

 ¹⁵ Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

For several years I struggled with being baptized.  I was baptized as an infant and felt it was enough.  Baptism is not in any part a part of salvation.  If baptism was necessary to be saved then we would have works that saves us.  Then it is no longer necessary for the death and resurrection of Christ to save us.  Baptism has no part of salvation in us.  It is however the symbol of our new life in Christ.  

Jesus was himself baptized.  Jesus tells us to baptize others.  He is not only the ultimate example but given us direction.  As Christians we must repent of our sins.  We must seek a new life in Christ dying to our old ways of life.  Our baptism is our symbol of our new life in Christ.  Let us remember that we are new creations in life when we accept Christ as our Saviour.  Repentance is not just a one time deal.  Even in our new lives we will still make mistakes.  We wills till continue to sin.  Our lives will not be made perfect until we are received into heaven.  Until then we need to continually repent.  Let our baptisms remind us that we need to repent that we are made new in Christ...