Next Steps

What does it mean to follow Jesus? In one word: SURRENDER. Following Jesus is when you stop (or surrender) doing life your way and start doing life God’s way. I know what you are thinking…This sounds like a bunch of rules that eventually steal all of the fun out of life. In John 10:10 Jesus states “a thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. MSG” Jesus wants us to have an amazing life. That doesn’t mean there won’t be bad moments or difficult times and it definitely doesn’t mean we won’t have moments when we desire to live however we want, doing “whatever feels good”, but God wants us to live according to His will revealed in His Word. Removing restraint from your life (living however you want) may seem like an exciting adventure, but it inevitably leads to tragedy. It’s a lot like removing the brakes from your car. That may be daring and filled with thrills for a while, but injury is certain. In the very beginning God created one male and one female, Adam and Eve, and designed them to live in a certain manner. The only thing they weren’t allowed to do was eat the fruit of a specific tree. With some coercion from a deceitful source, they decided to live without restraint and eat from that tree. They ended up losing the freedom they had grown to know and love. We often feel that living anyway we want gives us freedom when truly it may be thrilling for a season only to end in destruction. That’s why Proverbs 14:12 says “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” It may seem natural at times to do whatever we please, but that leads to death in this life and in the life to come. Living God’s way leads to a fulfilled life now, and eternal life later. God created each of us and designed us to live in the way described in His word. Following Jesus is all about surrendering our path to His as we come to the realization that God knows the best way for us to live. Through this surrender and realization comes a changed life. We begin living by God’s standards rather than our own.

Baptism

Much like a wedding ring is symbolic of marital commitment, water baptism is a symbolic act of your relationship with Jesus. Baptism doesn’t make you a member of God’s family. It shows others you are part of God’s family. We encourage you to get water baptized…It’s an important next step for you!

Here’s an overview of what you should know before getting water baptized.

1. The Standard of Water Baptism: The biblical pattern was to get saved and get water baptized right away or shortly afterwards.

2. The Source of Water Baptism: Water baptism finds its roots in the Old Testament. The Israelites left their bondage and slavery in Egypt (representative of our leaving the bondage and slavery of sin), passed through the Red Sea (symbolic of our being water baptized), then (for those who believed) they entered the Promised Land (a picture of us entering heaven).

3. The Symbolism of Water Baptism: Water Baptism is an outward act that symbolizes an inner work (salvation).

4. The Significance of Water Baptism: We are free from the power of sin. We now have the power to say “yes” to God and “no” to sin.

If you would like to be water baptized at The Journey Church, or would like to request more information, please feel free to email us at Connect@JourneyCares.org.