# 580 - Today's Du-votional comes from: Mr 10:15,16 "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." And He took them up in His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them.”
When Jesus uses the word “assuredly,” it packs an extra wallop. Now remember, the word “child” here includes infants, and then pause and consider what Jesus is really saying!
Observe an infant. What can they possibly do to receive the kingdom of God? Can they “make a decision for Christ?” Can they make an outward confession of their faith? Of course not! All they can do is receive.
But where does it (faith) come from? It comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. (Rom 10:17) But how can this possibly apply to an infant? Well, when we baptize an infant “in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,” we are merely following the instructions of the great commission given to us by Jesus.
It is the promise of this Word in connection with the water that makes baptism effective. The force of the Greek grammar connected with the great commission is that disciples are made by baptizing. This is the “means” that God uses to enroll us in His kingdom. And when Jesus says “no other means,” He means it!
Read the account of the Ethiopian eunuch again (Acts 8:27-39) The first thing the eunuch said after having the gospel explained to him, was, 'See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized?” Why the urgency?
Because we can only surmise that Phillip had included the necessity of baptism in his gospel presentation. The eunuch knew the truth of Mr 16:16, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved;.
Father, how humbling to know that we are enrolled as a disciple of Jesus in the same manner as an infant is enrolled. We have nothing to brag about. We can only be thankful as we receive the robe of Christ's righteousness.
No comments :
Post a Comment