Charles Stanley Daily Devotional 16th August 2025 (In Touch) Saturday Message
TOPIC: Baptism: Identifying With Christ
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 3:13-17
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13 Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him.
14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”
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15 But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him.
16 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him,
17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
TODAY’S MESSAGE:
Christ began His public ministry with baptism. At the time, John the Baptist was calling people to confess sin and demonstrate repentance through immersion in the river. So why did Jesus, the sinless One, ask to be baptized?
At first, John actually refused, knowing that Jesus was the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). But Jesus told him to allow it; He was sacrificially identifying with us and demonstrating full obedience to God.
As Christians, we’re called to follow His example, becoming more like Him. That’s why baptism is so important in following Jesus. He was willing to identify Himself with us, and we likewise publicly align with Him when we are baptized. It is a symbolic way of declaring, “I have trusted Jesus as my Savior, and I believe that He died on the cross and rose again. I will show my love for Him by following His example for the rest of my days. I will walk in the Lord’s will and spend eternity with Him.”
Baptism demonstrates our connection not only with the Lord but also with our spiritual brothers and sisters—past, present, and future. Joining everyone who has walked before us in faith, we are saying that we’re members of one body, redeemed and given new life by the same Lord.
Bible in One Year: Jeremiah 25-27
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Baptism demonstrates our connection with the Lord and other believers.
Dr. Charles F. Stanley was the founder of In Touch Ministries and a New York Times best-selling author. Throughout his ministry, he demonstrated a keen awareness of people’s needs and provided Christ-centered biblically based principles for everyday life
