Are You Connected to a Living Jesus?

Pursuit of the Picture Frame Instead of the Picture Is Dumb

8/13/2025

To someone this morning...

I generally tell people who are questioning “their baptism”: this has nothing to do with baptism, but has to do with your absolute, total death to self and the world. Heart, soul, mind, and strength for Jesus, nothing held back, no conditions, no timeline, no expectations. Baptism is a picture frame. Jesus is the picture. Perhaps a person never gave his life truly to the person of Jesus, in which case he was not baptized. But the pursuit of a picture frame is a really dumb idea.

Would it be more accurate then to question your Conversion?

Question motives.

• Because everyone else my age was doing it
• Because I wanted to please my parents
• Because I didn’t want to go to hell
• Because I wanted the benefits of friends, sports, hobbies and lifestyle
• Because I wanted to go to heaven
• Because I was tired of feeling guilty
• Because it was just “the right thing to do”...
• ad nauseam.

And then check if your motives, your emotions, your choices day-to-day are Connected to a living Jesus and dialogue with Him, connected to the vine, rather than religious expectations or no connection at all to the Risen, Living King of the galaxies. If not, maybe you were just being religious in the so-called covenant initially?

I had this picture come to mind when reading your text message regarding baptism, of our Pioneer of our Faith, Jesus. When He was “baptized” He was totally and completely sold out for His father and living out “let not my will but yours be done,” death to self. Then Jesus said to John, “We must fulfill all righteousness,” and when Jesus was baptized, the Spirit came and rested in Him, and He was Launched into an incredible, Supernatural Life of Power and Zoe life. The most striking thing is that Jesus’ obedience to the Father was so complete and abandoned that being baptized was never the goal. Like you said, it’s just a picture frame! :) Thanks! He is Amazing!

Another “test” regarding being “made New” is in fact, evidence of Something New, a contrast from being one way and now being Another. Not that it will always be super dramatic externally, but Inwardly at least. “I know God changed this in me!” “Let me tell you how Jesus healed my heart!” A Changed person will have a God Story to tell.

God Story

And when you’re converted, strengthen your brothers.

...and be a clear, Real guide to your children, because God’s change and presence in your life is marrow deep. Not theory.

•  What God Says About Water Baptism