Jesus did not receive baptism as a confession of guilt on His own account. He identified Himself with sinners, taking the steps that we are to take, and doing the work that we must do. His life of suffering and patient endurance after His baptism was also an example to us.56The Desire of Ages, 111.

Christ as the head of humanity was to take the same steps that we are required to take. Although sinless, He was our example in fulfilling all the requirements for the redemption of the sinful race. He bore the sins of the whole world. His baptism was to embrace the whole sinful world who by repentance and faith would be pardoned. “After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.” Titus 3:4-8. Man was brought again into favor with God by the washing of regeneration. The washing was the burial with Christ in the water in the likeness of His death, representing that all who repent of the transgression of the law of God receive purification, cleansing, through the work of the Holy Spirit. Baptism represents true conversion by the renewing of the Holy Spirit.57Manuscript 57, 1900.

Those who have been buried with Christ in baptism, and been raised in the likeness of His resurrection, have pledged themselves to live in newness of life. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Colossians 3:1, 2.58Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 258.
The Faith I Live By p. 143
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-E needs God guidance in an important matter. R
—-Please pray for my son who recently had surgery to straighten out his leg. Jennifer
—-Please pray for Kenneth whose wife died yesterday. Adam
—-Please pray for my niece, she is losing her sight in one eye. ST
—-Please pray for a lady named Rhonda I met in a parking lot. She is homeless and her car was stolen. Her family is a mess and won’t help her. She is suicidal. Renae
—-Please pray for a lady that works at a nearby store. She sits in her walker and greets people. She has MS. I witnessed to her today. Please pray for her Salvation and that it won’t get any worse in fact that God would give her a miracle. Debra
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,

My grandparents lived in a neighborhood where most of the people were retired. Except for about two weeks in the summer when Mrs. Caswell’s grandchildren came to visit her, there were only one or two children to play with. Because of this, I spent most of my time playing alone. When I got really bored, my Grandmother allowed me to look at her oldest photo album. I would study each photo with care trying to imagine what the people were doing, what they were like.

One of the pictures that fascinated me, was a picture of Harold, my Grandfather’s
younger brother. He had only two pictures of him. One was taken when the two brothers were little boys. It was taken in 1890 when my grandfather was six and Harold, two. They looked so frightened sitting there on a large piece of material that had been arranged by someone with an artistic eye. It seemed unbelievable that my grandfather had ever been a tiny boy.

The other photograph of Harold was his wedding picture. He had grown to be a handsome young man and had married a beautiful girl. What a lovely couple! How happy they looked! Harold and Hattie should have had an “and they lived happily ever after” ending to their romance; but their life together was short. He had joined the merchant marines and had been sent to the South Pacific. There, he contracted a parasite which eventually ate through his intestines. They had not been married long before this parasite had multiplied enough to cause him trouble. Within a short time, he died a horrible and painful death.

We, too, are infected with a “parasite” that is eating away our life just as surely as that parasite caused Harold’s death. That “parasite” is sin. Year by year it is within us, eating out our very life, giving us pain, changing us, hardening us, causing us to lose the happy life we might have had. Strangely, we consider this “parasite” as a normal part of life. This “parasite” of sin even gives us momentary pleasure. How mixed up the evil one has made us!

Our Dear Saviour looks upon us with pity. We may hide the “parasite” of sin from others, but He sees our true condition. He knows that we are as Isaiah described— “the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.” Isa 1:5,6 With tears in His voice He says to us, “Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die…? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.” Eze 18:31,32

Our Great Redeemer has paid the price for our redemption. We can be free from the sins that are eating away at us. All we need to do is accept His great sacrifice for us. Only He can rid us of the parasite of sin. Only He can cleanse us deep within. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” 1 John 3:1-8; 1:9-2:6 With yearning desire our Loving Saviour pleads, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Isa 1:18; 55:1; Matt 11:28-30

May we come to Him now, just as we are, that we may receive cleansing from the “parasite” of sin, praying as did David, ” Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Ps 51:10

Rose

Source: https://rosesdevotional.org/our-lords-example-2.html