This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:22-23
I recently had the privilege of witnessing baptisms in the ocean for the first time in my life. The early morning of that day was stunningly beautiful. The sun was breaking through the clouds with the gentle roll of the ocean waves as the backdrop. As I stood on the shore and listened to the amazing testimonies of the folks about to enter the waters of baptism, I felt as though the ocean sensed something special was about to happen. I have thought about how to put the feeling into words for a while, but I know I can’t completely capture it. Coming forward to profess publicly faith in Jesus Christ and stepping into the waters of baptism is a day and a time of rejoicing and remembrance, and I have witnessed countless baptisms over the years. But there is undoubtedly something very different about walking into the waters only God commands underneath a sky that demonstrates His majestic artwork. The temperature and the depth of the water cannot be adjusted, and the attitude of the sky is unmanageable, unlike the thermostat of a sanctuary. Witnessing Saints walking into waters that God alone controls underneath a sky He commands, proclaiming His name, and professing faith in Him alone is indescribable. How fitting that Paul describes our salvation with the exact word, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Cor 9:15).
All of the testimonies I heard were deeply inspiring. Each person shared their unique journey and how they came to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Like snowflakes, our testimonies are all different and uniquely personal to us. I believe that is part of the Gift. As stated by Paul in Romans, there is only one way to salvation, and that is through faith in Jesus Christ. One of the testimonies vividly illustrated this truth. The couple had been active in a different church for years, serving in leadership, and the wife had been raised in the church. A family member, with bold but loving concern, asked them if they had ever given their lives to Christ, and he discipled them in the saving grace of the gospel. “I was a good person, but I did not know the gospel. I was headed down the wide gate to hell and not the narrow gate the way towards Jesus,” was part of her testimony. Sadly, statistics tell us that all churches have a percentage of individuals just like this couple. Jesus commands us to “go and make disciples” (Matt 28:20) as part of the Great Commission. There are no perimeters or conditions attached to this command. We are called to share within the walls of our homes, churches, and workplaces, and the list is endless. It is not a command to a foreign land, although God may send you there. It is a call to share wherever Jesus plants us. We are the feet of Jesus and our mouths are to proclaim His name to all He puts in our path. From this experience, I learned never to make assumptions; God can call us to witness the person in the pew right next to us. I pray I will always be open to His leading. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.
The picture of the couple referenced in the tidbit was taken at Wrightsville Beach, NC.