Years ago, a man came to me and said that he wanted to be baptized.
He knew he was a sinner. He knew he needed God's grace, forgiveness and the Holy Spirit. But something was hindering him from going forward. He told me: "I want to be baptized, but how do I know that I will endure to the end? I don't know what the following years will bring in my life. How do I know that I will be as committed to Jesus Christ then as I am now?"
None of us knows all the details as to what the future will bring. But should we put off baptism indefinitely because we cannot predict what we will face in the future?
The answer deals with the matter of faith, the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). At baptism we are asked this question: "Have you repented of your sins and accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?" Then, the minister states in part: "As a result of your repentance…and your acceptance of Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, your Lord and Master, your High Priest and soon coming King, I now baptize you…"
To understand what our spiritual future holds for us is to understand Jesus' role as High Priest. As our High Priest, Jesus daily intervenes for us. He started the process of intervention at our calling, and He will continue this until the last day of our lives (Philippians 1:6).
Yes, we study repentance, obedience and counting the cost as we consider baptism. We strive to obey God's laws. But do we also realize how big a role faith in our High Priest must play? We are given this life-lasting promise: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:31).
Like Paul, we know that we are "carnal, sold under sin." We know that we are wretched and wonder who will save us from this body of death. And the answer: "I thank God—through Jesus Christ" (Romans 7:14, 24-25).
Our High Priest is both the author and the finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus is the great High Priest who will give us mercy, grace and help in our time of need, no matter what our spiritual plight is even after baptism (Hebrews 4:14-16).
Yes, Jesus Christ will stand by us to the very end.
