The invitation this week tells of the spoils given to the Israelites after Canaan finally becomes theirs. The land is separated and the tribes to reside there are satisfied.

In Joshua 22, those who had to be persuaded to go to war were the last to return to their homes, but when they did, they built an altar, which becomes a point of contention that nearly leads to war.

While the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh built it for good, to show their solidarity with the other tribes, and to God, they did not make this known and it very nearly tore Israel apart.

The reputation we have as God’s people was built over decades, centuries, millennia, and the reputation is held together by those who are His today.

The reputation is just as important for us singularly, and it can easily be torn apart if we are not cautious in how we live our lives.

In worship, we often have visitors. How does our service look to them? Is it scriptural? How do we know? Can we prove it with scripture? All of us should be willing and capable.

One of which we see weekly is invitations such as these, and any invitation that doesn’t mention baptism is a failed one.  The passage regarding baptism I’d like us to consider this week is Romans 6: 1-7.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?  Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,  knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin

We who were baptised are to put off our old life of sin and to live a new life, one bearing our savior’s name. The blessings found here should not be kept to ourselves, but given to all who seek salvation.

Thank you for reading.