Tuesday, May 4 If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself.​—Matt. 16:24.

[Áine]

Tuesday, May 4

If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself.—Matt. 16:24.

 

When you make a dedication, you approach Jehovah in earnest prayer and tell him that you will use your life to serve him forever. When you dedicate yourself to God, you “disown” yourself. You now belong to Jehovah, which is a great privilege. (Rom. 14:8) You are telling him that from now on, you will be focused on serving him and not on pleasing yourself. Your dedication is a vow—a solemn promise made to God. Jehovah does not force us to make such a vow. But when we do, he expects us to fulfill it. (Ps. 116:12, 14) Your dedication is personal and private; it is between you and Jehovah. Baptism is public; it takes place in front of others, usually at an assembly or a convention. When you get baptized, you show others that you have already dedicated yourself to Jehovah. So your baptism lets others know that you love Jehovah your God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength and that you are determined to serve him forever.—Mark 12:30. w20.03 9 ¶4-5

[Vinnie]

If we disown ourselves then we and everything else we have also belongs to Jehovah. Eph 5:15-17 So keep strict watch that how you walk is not as unwise but as wise persons,16 making the best use of your time, because the days are wicked.17 On this account stop being unreasonable, but keep perceiving what the will of Jehovah is. Romans 14:8 For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah.

[rocket]

Imagine how Jehovah would feel if shortly after baptism one said, "I think I made a mistake." Would Jehovah annul your oath or keep you to it?  I think the latter.

[Sister Twister]

16 hours ago, rocket said:

Imagine how Jehovah would feel if shortly after baptism one said, "I think I made a mistake." Would Jehovah annul your oath or keep you to it?  I think the latter.

an oath is an oath - if we take an Oath in court we have no choice but to stick to it ! have to view baptism that way.