Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

This is the most fundamental calling of all. God calls us to Himself, but we can’t approach Him in our natural, sinful state. We have to acknowledge our sins and repent, receiving forgiveness not on the basis of our own righteousness but on that of Jesus Christ. That’s what baptism is all about. Going through baptism without knowing you’re a sinner and repenting just gets you wet. Far too many people go through the motions, particularly in culturally Christian communities, without having a clear awareness of their own sin. If you don’t think you’ve sinned, how about pride? Thinking we can live sinless lives on our own is the height of hubris! However, the blood of Jesus is sufficient to blot out even that. I don’t think we can know the depth and breadth of all our sins this side of eternity, but I think that one of the differences between heaven and hell is that in heaven, all of that will be washed away, while in hell, there is intense, unending awareness of our sins. Divine forgiveness is both the most wonderful and the most miraculous thing in the universe. The requirement to receive it is repentance and faith, as Jesus proclaimed from the very start of His ministry. (Mark 1:15) This which could be said to be an extrapolation of the greatest commandment, to love God, (Matthew 22:36-38) and sharing the good news that forgiveness is possible is certainly an expression of the second commandment, to love our neighbor as ourselves. (Matthew 22:39) God’s commandments are fundamentally simple to express; they get difficult only because of how we resist obeying them.

I can never forget when God called me to account for the pride in my heart. I thought I was an exemplary Christian, and just for an instant, God showed me the true state of my heart. That almost destroyed me! I collapsed to the floor, crying, “My Lord and my God!” I really don’t remember how much awareness I had of personal sin when I was baptized at seven. It was a genuine decision and commitment, but I’m not sure on that point. That would seem to be an argument not to baptize children, but not really so. My mother shared with me her own clear awareness of sin, and what that sin was, when she was baptized at five! The man I baptized most recently, whose funeral we held on Saturday, wasn’t specific in confessing sin before he was baptized, but I think his repentance and commitment were real. I am never to gloss over the need for repentance, but neither am I to be personally condemnatory. I must not fall into “easy believism,” but neither am I to stand in the way of those who would follow Christ.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You’ve brought us through recently, as well as for all You’ve done in me in the process. Thank You that we will be setting up our gallery show today. I ask for wisdom and strength, both physical and emotional, so that everything may go smoothly. I pray that everyone we interact with throughout this coming week would see Christ in us and be drawn to Him, for their salvation and His glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!