The Light of the World faith around the globe has been witnessing baptismal ceremonies where thousands of new believers have decided to take that first step to follow Christ: the baptism.
What is baptism? Baptism is a sacred act ordained by Jesus Christ and a teaching of his that is necessary for those who want to receive the benefits of salvation. Christ himself was baptized, leaving behind an example to follow (Matthew 3:16). The baptism of Jesus Christ was a unique event during his time on Earth and would impact the course of humanity forever.
To begin, it’s important to understand the importance of the baptism. The baptism is a requisite from the Lord for all those who desire to enter the kingdom of heaven. There was an occasion where a man named Nicodemus came to Jesus by night to testify that he and others had seen the signs which he was doing. In that conversation, Jesus tells Nicodemus, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).”
We can see throughout this conversation that Nicodemus was not understanding Jesus because his mind was thinking of material things. Nicodemus did not understand that Christ was speaking of the importance of baptism and the indispensable nature of it to enter into heaven.
Then Jesus affirms a second time to make his message very clear by saying, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5).” Jesus made sure that his commandment was clear so that there would be no confusion. Later, Christ commands the 11 apostles after his resurrection and says, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:16).”
Therefore, it’s evident that baptism is indispensable to enter the kingdom of God. For this reason, new believers of The Light of the World faith have taken that first step of obedience to follow the footsteps of Christ. Baptismal ceremonies have been recently celebrated across the United States in various cities including Bakersfield, Houston, Ontario, Oxnard, Seattle and many more. In the state of Alaska, the city of Anchorage was the host to a ceremony that was held on Sunday, July 23. All the baptismal ceremonies are in the weeks prior to the Holy Supper which will be held in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Aug. 14. The Holy Supper is the most important religious celebration of The Light of the World faith because it’s a sacred remembrance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.
To end, I would like to extend an invitation to visit a congregation of The Light of the World. There you will learn what God desires for your life and find the peace that you seek. More information can be found at the official website TLOTW.org or The Light of the World social media pages. If you live in Juneau, we invite you to join us at 5750 Glacier Highway, D1. We are open Monday-Saturday at 6:30 p.m., and Sunday at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. May the peace of God dwell in your hearts and God bless you all.
• Joab Cano is a missionary at The Light of the World Church.
