1950 This Means Everlasting Life - A2Z.org

THE WAY TO HEAVENLY LIFE 117
not enough . They must dedicate or devote themselves
to following Jesus the rest of their days .
That meant copying him as their Leader . He, too,
was born under the Law and was a member of the
dedicated nation . Yet at thirty years of age he
personally dedicated himself to God to carry out
the realities which the Law covenant foreshadowed
. So he presented himself to obey God's will
now due to be revealed ; and he fulfilled the prophecy
: "Then I said, Look! I am come in the roll
of the book it is written about me to do your will,
O God .'" Hebrews 10 :7, NW; Psalm 40 :7,8 It
was like a burial of himself into God's will . To
symbolize his becoming dead to his own will,
Jesus insisted upon being submerged under the
waters of the Jordan river by God's prophet, John
the Baptist. As he was thus immersed, he was
praying, not confessing any sins, for he had none .
His baptism was not for the forgiveness of sins,
but was for symbolizing his dedication of himself
to do God's will . To the end of his earthly days his
prayer was : "Not as I will, but as you will."
-Matthew 26 :39, NW.
To prove faith in the word of truth, the hearer
must now become Christ's follower, copying him
by making an unconditional, irrevocable presentation
of himself to God to do the divine will . He
does this with full faith in God's Son as his ransom
and as his sole means of gaining righteousness
from God . Does he then get baptized in water
to symbolize this dedication of himself to
7. So, to prove faith in the word of truth, what does
one do?