We all start our Christian journey as sinners. Everyone has sinned.."For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23).

And you know what? With God, there is no such thing as a small sin or a big sin; sin is sin. And God dislikes all sins. He says the punishment for sin is death...."For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23).

Therefore, we all needed someone to save us from sin and death. So, while we were still sinning, Jesus Christ came down to the world to die that we might be saved...."But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8).

God, the father of Jesus Christ loves us. That is why He asked His son to come down and save us. And Jesus did because He chose to be obedient to His father. He died and God raised Him from the dead the third day, making it possible for anyone to be saved!

Once you hear this story of Jesus Christ and you believe and accept Him as your Lord and Savior, you are saved! That's all you need for salvation.

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Romans 10:9).

You are a believer! You have become a Christian!! You are saved by the grace of Jesus Christ!!!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16).

Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water. Baptism does not give you salvation. You already have salvation since you became a Christian. You get baptized because you want to obey Jesus Christ who said we should be baptized

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" (Matthew 28:19).

You also do it to show that you believe that Jesus Christ was crucified, buried and raised from the dead as your Lord and savior. So, when the pastor lowers you into the water, you are showing how your sinful life is dead and buried with Christ's death. When the pastor raises you up from the water, you are showing how you are rising to a new life in Christ Jesus

"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4).

You are now a new person, a new creature since you are in Christ (Corinthians 5:17-21). You read your Bible and pray daily. You move away from sin. You always want to please God and be like Christ your Lord. You want to abide in Christ with good behavior at home, at school and even at play (John 15: 1-27). Not only God and Jesus are proud of you. Even daddy and mummy are proud of you. They see you and they say, "She is walking in Christ, and we are proud of her" (Colossians 2:6-13). This new life in Christ may not be easy every time because you are like a living sacrifice (Romans 12: 1-21). But, you will be able to do it because you read your Bible and pray every day. You love people as you love yourself and you always try to do what the Bible says. That is the journey of a Christian.

Dr. Sam Omotosho, 12/1/02
Temple Baptist Church