The Urgency of the Hour
By Michael Trapasso

Friend, seeing how that Jesus and his Apostles taught baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ, and how that the prophets confirmed it, and how that history corroborates it, may we urge you to be baptized into the Name of the one who died for you, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Although no one knows the very day that Jesus will return for his people, we should remember, however, that Jesus taught that definite signs would precede his immediate coming. Such signs as the restoration of Israel, famines and earthquakes across the land. Signs such as the plea of nations for peace, and wars and rumours of wars. Jesus taught that when the gospel was preached to every nation, he would then soon return. In the past centuries, this was not accomplished, but because of world-wide communication and speedy transportation of this day, this is no longer a hard task for the church. Approximately every 2,000 years in Biblical history, some great event has occurred. Almost 2,000 years ago, Jesus appeared on earth; and as he was completing his ministry, he said unless the time of his return be shortened, no flesh would be saved. Realizing the lateness of the hour, may we again urge you to be baptized into the Name of the one that gave his life for you if you have overlooked or been led astray from entering into that redemptive Name Jesus.

Surely Jesus Christ is soon to return for a people, but who is he returning for? In Acts 15:14, James plainly tells us, “…God at first did visit the GENTILES, TO TAKE OUT OF THEM A PEOPLE FOR HIS NAME.” The Apostle Paul further substantiates this in Romans 6:3, 5, 8; “Know ye not, that so many of us as were BAPTIZED into Jesus Christ were baptized into his DEATH? For `IF’ we be DEAD (baptized) with Christ, we believe that WE SHALL ALSO LIVE WITH HIM.”

May God abundantly bless you as you consider the essentiality of baptism into the ‘NAME’ of ‘JESUS CHRIST.’

This article The Urgency of the Hour by Michael Trapasso is excerpted from