Today, those who were baptized can proudly say, "Now I belong to Jesus." Being in Christ means being a new creation, as stated in 2 Corinthians 5:17. Baptism represents a choice to identify with Christ, symbolizing His death and resurrection.
In Matthew 22:15-22, the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar. Jesus responded by saying, "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God." The coin, with Caesar's image, becomes a prophetic symbol of Christ as the "Son of God" and the "High Priest." However, today we often give to "Caesar" what should belong to God, such as our time, resources, and thoughts.
God created us in His image (Genesis 1:26), and our identity is defined by Him. We don’t need to search for who we are, but rather discover who we are in Christ. Our calling is to live according to God's plan, bearing fruit and multiplying, not being dominated by the world, but having dominion over our lives.
While the world tells us to seek pleasure and live for the moment, God invites us to live with eternal purpose, through the sacrifice of Jesus, who has given us hope for eternal life (1 Peter 1:3-4).
Baptism is an act of obedience, a public symbol of our identification with Christ. It is a declaration of faith: we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, renouncing sin, and affirming our belonging to Him.
