October 31, 2019
For full passage click: Ephesians 1:11-14 … “In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit;” vs. 13
In the ritual of Holy Baptism, after the baptism and the tracing of the cross on the forehead, these words are often said, “Child of God, you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit and marked with the Cross of Christ forever.” They’re ancient words, ones used by the early Apostles to celebrate the connection of the individual believer to the salvation that already belonged to them by the grace of God. It’s an important connection! Without it we could wander unattached for a lifetime, knowing about Jesus, but not knowing him personally. With the connection that comes in baptism, we are reminded again and again that God knows our name and has destined us for greatness. It isn’t that the baptism has saved us–it’s simply a washing with water after all–but it points us in the direction of our salvation. Armed with the assurance of the water and the Word, and a promise sealed by the presence of God’s Holy Spirit, we are set free for a lifetime of loving and serving. As we daily walk with Jesus in the company of all the saints, we grow in faith and holiness and actually become the living presence of the Christ in our hurting world, and in us the glory of God is revealed to all we encounter.
Thought for the Day: How does it feel to have salvation?
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