Transformed – teen devotion – January 12, 2025
One key truth: Your baptism is the explicit proof of your adoption into Godās family, and Godās pledge of undying devotion and fidelity to you.
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Titus 3:4-6
The Cure for an Identity Crisis
Have you seen the docuseries called, The Curious Case of Natalia Grace?
Natalia was born in Ukraine with a rare form of dwarfism, and subsequently surrendered by her mother for adoption. Eventually, a family from Indiana, the Barnetts, adopted Natalia. But the relationship she had with Kristine and Michael Barnettāher foster parentsāwas anything but ideal: their relationship was abusive, manipulative, and dangerous.
Why? Depends on whom you ask.
Kristine and Michael Barnett depicted Natalia as a sociopathic con-artist who tried to harm them; Natalia, on the other hand, would tell you the actual crimes committed were by Kristine and Michael Barnett; they, according to Natalia, neglected her, abused her, abandoned her, and disowned her.
So, whoās telling the truth?
Right when a particular side of the story sounds more plausible, the docuseries presents you with reason to discredit it. Itās as if the producers want you to be left constantly without any narrative clarityāstarving for closure that will ultimately never come. Youāre left feeling like Nataliaās belonging to a family that loves and cares for her is an ending to the story that is always out of reachāwhere adoption into that kind of family is too good to be true.
Our adoption can sound too good to be true, tooācanāt it? Thatās what your baptism is: Baptism wasāand isāa washing of rebirth and renewalāa washing of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Baptism is the explicit proof that God has adopted you into his family. In baptism, he has adopted you to be his.
As much as we get hung up on the āhowā of baptism, our real hangups are on the āwhy.ā āIf baptism is not merely a sign, but a seal of Godās grace, why would God both sign and seal himself over to me?ā
Weāre self-righteous and proud. Weāre selfish and unsympathetic. Weāre users and abusers. Weāre liars and cheaters. Weāre hateful and hurtful. Weāre not even worthy to stoop down and untie the straps Jesusā sandals. Why would God want to adopt us into his family?
It’s when you and I ask āWhy?ā of our adoptions that our God takes us to the waters of Christās baptism.
Think about it: why would Jesus need to be baptized? Why would the sinless Son of God need a washing of rebirth and renewal? Why would the blameless Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world need to be baptized for repentance and the forgiveness of sins? Heās not being baptized for his own sakeābut for yours. It was fitting for Jesus to be baptized as us for us to fulfill all righteousness.
That wordārighteousārefers to absolute, complete, total perfection and holiness. And if we had any hope of standing confidently before God, that righteousness is something we didnāt have and couldnāt giveābut we desperately needed it.
There at the Jordan River, we find the sinless Son of God emerging from the ranks of sinners to live and die for sinners like us. In Christ, all righteousness has been fulfilled.
Jesus actively kept his word to the letterāand not one stroke of the pen fell through his fingers. Jesus has passively suffered and diedāclothed with our rags of sin and regretāso that we would be clothed with the robes of his righteousness. Your baptism is assurance Christās wardrobe is yours. Your baptism is Godās promise to you that you, in Christ, are completely and totally forgivenāthat you have been washedāhead to toeāby the cleansing tide of his graceāthat you belong to him!
Some adoption stories of this world might resemble the story of Natalia Grace; but your adoption into Godās family is a completely different story. No cliffhangers. No lack of closure. Your baptism is Godās pledge of undying devotion and fidelity to you! In Christ, your adoption into Godās family is signed and sealed.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, at the waters of your baptism, you emerged from the ranks of sinners to live and die for sinners like us. But because of you, our primary identity is that we are baptized children of God. Whenever we doubt your love for us, bring us not only to the waters of your baptism, but the waters of our baptism, too. For there, weāve been clothed in your righteousness and adopted into your family. In your name we pray. Amen.