In Titus 3:3–7, Paul gives us a wonderful illustration of what happens to us in our baptism: “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray… But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water (washing) of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
In this passage, we learn that through baptism, we are washed and regenerated. I heard a preacher once who said that through baptism we are given a new DNA, that we are regenerated, at least in the spiritual sense. Although we are both saint and sinner, the power of the Holy Spirit living in us points our feet to the path of active hope. It is the Holy Spirit’s power that enables us to live into a life that is alive to God in Jesus Christ.
This message is an excerpt of an August 2018 Cafe article by Angela Khabeb, “Troubled Waters: Our baptismal identity.” Today we observe the Baptism of Our Lord / First Sunday after Epiphany.
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