THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD - PART 235

Noah and his family were saved by water. At that time, there were eight persons in total. Before the flood, onlookers resisted God's warning. Instead, they mocked and scoffed, pushing sin right to the edge. Indeed, they were totally aware that Noah was preparing an ark. The ark had been 100 years of work in progress. The problem was that there was no water around to verify Noah's rationale for building an ark. This, in and of itself, led the onlookers to think that Noah was over the edge. Still, Noah continued preparing the Ark according to the plan that God had provided him.

Noah's experience sort of puts one in remembrance of the words spoken at the cross by those who mocked JESUS. They mocked Jesus too saying that He saved others but He cannot save Himself. "If you are the Son of God," they said, "come on down from that cross!" But as we know now, Jesus was the ark of safety being prepared for our salvation.

You see, all future events were determined of God (when He counselled with Himself). This includes a criteria for redemption if Adam’s sin-prone fallen race were ever to be redeemed from a lost eternity. So, as it was in Noah's day, God provided an Ark for those that believed. And at the appointed time God closed the door of the Ark. The rain came, and water which had originally been no place in sight, became the SAVING means for those eight individuals in the Ark.

On the downside, the rain water led to the destruction to others. The scriptures declare the afore-mentioned events as a figure of baptism. Water saved Noah and his family, who were now safe in the ark. We in the 21st century have an opportunity to enter into the ark of safety - being the Lord Jesus (death burial resurrection). We are safe because we did what the Word of God said we were to do.

That is, according to Acts chapter 2, to repent and be baptized into the Name of Lord JESUS. He being the New Testament door of entry into the ark. JESUS is the Door. In fact, Jesus is the only door to salvation. There is not two doors. There is only one name whereby any one can be saved. That name is the Name of JESUS.

In previous presentations, scriptural examples of water baptism by immersion were cited. For those of you who may not yet have had an opportunity to read them, we'll cover some of those references again.

Do you not know that as many of us as were baptised into JESUS the Christ were baptized into His death? For as many as have been baptized into JESUS the Christ, they have put on JESUS the Christ. This is where we are changed to be like Him. We are raised up to be like the second Adam.

Further, in the New Testament, we read that the apostles baptized believers the very same day. The apostles were the forerunners of this faith. The faith that is now been delivered to believers who of God are called to be saints. For example, Philip went to Samaria and delivered to them words whereby they could save themselves. As a consequence, these new believers obediently were baptized into the name of the LORD JESUS.

The Philipian jailer and his household were also baptized the same night as they believed. Paul was instructed to arise and to be baptized, thereby washing away his sins whilst he called upon the name of the Lord JESUS.

Cornelius as well was commanded along with his household to be baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Twelve of John the Baptist's converts were baptized into the name of the Lord JESUS.
The Ethiopian eunuch said, "Here is water. What hinders me from being baptized? For there is water here." So he, along with Philip went down into the water and Philip baptized him.

Today is the day of your salvation.