The following is part of something I wrote to a friend and his wife when they were baptized. I hope someone else can be encouraged as well.

Being baptized means you have spiritually died, been buried and then raised into Jesus. You are a new person. (Rom 6:1-11) This means you are now a son and daughter of God the Father, co-heirs with Jesus of the Kingdom. We have the privilege of talking directly to God and also hearing directly from Him.

He expects us to mature into the image of Christ. (I Cor. 6:17-19)This means we strive for His character and nature. Not by our own power but our reliance upon Him. This is what He meant in Genesis when He said “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.”

The Bible is our plumb line. We judge all things against a proper understanding. Anything not understood, we can ask Him, and He will gladly show us. Don’t rely on man’s understanding, let Him be the teacher.

We have the privilege of serving the Creator of the Universe. (I Cor. 4:1) The one who loved us so much, that He sent His only Son to suffer and die in our place so that we can be reconciliated of our sins. That’s why folks become emotional when people are born anew.

Being born again is a spiritual re-birth that begins the process of renewing the mind. It’s a process that happens as fast or slow as you allow the Lord to work in your lives.

Any scripture that seems offensive to you. Pray and ask for understanding.

Guard your gift cautiously and jealously so that it may not be stolen away.