We Must Follow “Their” Lead (by Dennis R. Smith)

At the baptism of Jesus as well as at the Mount of Transfiguration,  God spoke out from heaven and declared “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17; 17:5).  If God could confess that Jesus (while here on earth) was his Son, surely we can see the need for us to also confess him.  We must follow “His” lead!

Jesus commanded us to confess him before men (Matt. 10:32) and he would confess us in heaven.  Equally so, Jesus commanded men to “repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17).  In Luke 13:3, 5 Jesus commanded all men to “repent or perish.”   Jesus also commands “he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16).  He submitted to baptism at the hand of John “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15). We must follow “His” lead.   

The Ethiopian nobleman asked “see, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized” (Acts 8:36).   To the evangelist, Philip, he said “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 8:37).  On that confession the man of God baptized the nobleman.  We must follow “Their” lead.

Back to the Mount of Transfiguration, God said about Jesus, “Hear ye him.”  Whether we are talking about becoming a Christian or living the Christian life we must always follow “Their” lead.  That’s the purpose of the Bible.