Being baptised alone is not enough. Crucial is a living faith that follows Christ and is evident in everyday life. The Chief Apostle recently revealed how this works.
“God wants to help you.” With this assurance, Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider began the divine service in Mombasa in Kenya on Sunday, 11 January 2026. He pointed out that those who wish to be saved must fulfil certain conditions. Jesus Christ Himself mentions these in Mark 16: 16: “He who believes and is baptised will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
A belief in five points
“The first condition is to believe in Jesus Christ,” the Chief Apostle explained. Concretely, this includes the following convictions:
- He is the Son of God who came to earth, died, rose again, and entered the kingdom of God.
- He came to bring eternal life to humankind, eternal fellowship with God.
- His teaching is the truth.
- The only way to enter the kingdom of God is to become like Jesus, who is our model.
- We believe in His promise: He will come back to gather His own and lead them into His kingdom.
Baptism is the beginning
The Chief Apostle went on to explain that through such faith God can redeem us. The first active step is baptism:
- We need this act of God because we cannot attain salvation by our own efforts.
- In baptism, God acts to wash away original sin. He removes the obstacle that separates us from God and establishes a new relationship with God.
- He gives us the strength to fight against sin.
- God gives the baptised the opportunity to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and to partake in Holy Communion.
- God incorporates the baptised into the fellowship of His church—the community of those who believe in Jesus Christ and profess Him as their Lord.
Life is the journey
However, the Chief Apostle continued, baptism alone is not enough. It does not automatically lead to salvation. Nor is our faith measured by the number of divine services we attend, the number of prayers we say, or the amount we offer.
We must persevere in faith—keeping it alive—and behave as baptised Christians. This means remaining true to the promise we made at our baptism and professing our faith continually.
Keeping the promise
The promise made at our baptism shapes our entire life. It becomes visible in several key areas:
- The primary goal is eternal life, not material prosperity.
- “Let us obey God’s law.” What He defines as evil is evil, and what He defines as good is good. “We believe that our first priority is to love God and our neighbour.”
- We promised to renounce sin. And we continue to battle against sin. God has given us the strength to do so.
- We promised to follow Christ—to emulate Him and become like Him. Remaining faithful to our baptismal promise means being willing to change.
- Through Holy Baptism, we have been integrated into the fellowship of those who believe in Christ and profess Him as their Lord. The unifying elements of the church of Christ are more important than those that divide.
“The strength of Christianity depends on the resolve of Christians to keep the promise they made at Holy Baptism,” the Chief Apostle emphasised. He appealed, “Believe in your baptism and keep your promise. The baptised who continue to believe will be saved by Jesus Christ Himself.”
God is with us in all circumstances of life
Chief Apostle Helge Mutschler assured the listeners, “God will help us. He will give us eternal life.” His help is revealed in His caring love and in His constant presence in all circumstances.
“And as Christians we should behave as Christians,” he appealed. Referring to the letter of Colossians, he used the biblical image of change: “Put off the old clothes—the old clothes of the old Adam.” These represent what we ‘wore’ before baptism. Instead, let us put on the new clothes of Christians: tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, and longsuffering. “Take theses new clothes from your spiritual wardrobe,” he urged, “put them on, and behave like Christians.”
Photo: NAC Kenya
