Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

By Judy Vidakovich, Course of Study student

Jesus' Baptism by John. Chapel of the Unnamed Faithful. Photo by Al Caldwell.

RENUNCIATION OF SIN AND PROFESSION OF FAITH

Do you believe in Jesus Christ?

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again to judge the living and the dead.

My baptism story is an odd one. Unlike my siblings, I was not baptized as an infant because our church was without a pastor at the time. When I was a toddler my father answered the call to pastoral ministry and was appointed as a student pastor. At some point my parents decided to wait and let me decide for myself when I wanted to be baptized.

When I was ten years old my father invited an evangelist to our church to preach a revival. This man had a hell fire and brimstone preaching style, and my dad later regretted having booked him. He preached that if you were not baptized you would go to hell. Furthermore, he told of the last revival he preached where an un-baptized man had a car crash on the way home from church and died.

When we got home that night I tearfully begged Dad to baptize me immediately. Dad explained that fear was not the reason to be baptized, and he said he did not agree with what the preacher said. Mom & Dad both comforted me, but I still insisted that Dad baptize me that next Sunday morning. As soon as my father took care of what I needed (baptism), I felt at peace.

Our heavenly father, through Jesus Christ, has taken care of what we all need, and we can each be at peace. God provided his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus was faithful unto death through his suffering, crucifixion and death. On the third day he was resurrected and is now seated with the Father who will always take care of our needs and provide us with grace and peace through Jesus Christ.

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