How important is baptism?

The Reason Why One is Baptized is Important

Imagine these scenarios:

-    A boy is dating a girl that he is absolutely ‘crazy’ about.  She is a Christian, and he knows that he can ‘make some points’ with her if he is baptized.  So he is . . .

-    A teenage girl has lots of friends at a summer camp.  One night at the camp several of those friends are baptized.  She wants to be ‘accepted’ by her peers, so she decides to be baptized, too . . .

-    A man works for a company owned and operated by a man who is a strong Christian.  He begins attending church services to impress his boss.  He knows that being baptized would be a very ‘big deal’ to the owner of the company, so he decides to do it . . .

-    A fella who needs money - maybe a place to live - and other material considerations, visits a church.  He finds out pretty quickly that these are good people who are generous and helpful.  He figures that if he is baptized even more ‘goodies’ will come his way, so he ‘goes forward’ to be baptized . . .

In all of these cases we would strongly argue that the baptism is not right; that the results of such baptism are not effective to the saving of the soul; that such a person – if and when they are truly convicted – should be baptized again.  The root of the problem being, of course, the improper motivation of their initial baptism. 

Paul commended the Romans because they had “obeyed from the heart” (6:17).  It is interesting that the obedience in view in that context is baptism (6:3-5).  From this we correctly argue that true and effective baptism must be for the right reason.

Now, one more scenario: A man attends a denominational church that teaches baptism is not necessary for salvation.  They claim that one is saved by ‘faith only’.  Yes, they practice baptism, but their teaching is that it is done at some point after one is saved as ‘an outward sign of an inward grace’.  In other words, a person is baptized ‘because’ he has been saved, not ‘in order to be’ saved.  Many passages teach the error of this doctrine (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21; Acts 22:16; etc.).

This man learns the truth on the subject and realizes that he was taught incorrectly and that he was baptized with the wrong motive of heart.  What should he do?  His situation is not essentially different from the ones cited earlier.  He has not obeyed from the heart because – in his heart – he did not understand what he was doing or why he was doing it.  He should be baptized again “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38).  Think!

- by Greg Gwin

How to find joy

Unbridled Joy

Bailey Murrill was paralyzed from the waist down, and she didn’t know why.  She hadn’t been in a wreck or sustained an injury in any other way that would cause the paralysis.  The day before she could walk, but now she couldn’t.

Bailey was rushed to the hospital.  Doctors performed test after test.  But the doctors couldn’t figure out what caused the paralysis.

But then, after 11 long days, Bailey developed feeling in her legs and was able to walk.  To say that Bailey and everyone who knew her and had worked with her were overjoyed is an understatement.  There was one person that Bailey couldn’t wait to tell about – and to show – her recovery: one of her favorite nurses while in the hospital.  That nurse was coming back to work that very day.

A video was made of Bailey and her favorite nurse, and it was posted on YouTube.  You can view it here: http://cts.dundee.net/t/2788722/94734899/5879/29/

At the time of writing this article, over 6 million people have viewed the video.

Bailey’s mother posted this comment with the video clip:

Our daughter, Bailey, had complete paralysis from the waist down for 11 days with no explanation as to why. This video is of one of her favorite nurses coming onto her shift and not knowing that Bailey had started walking this day.

The video shows Bailey in a wheelchair wheeling herself to the approaching nurse.  When the nurse sees Bailey sitting in her wheelchair, she approaches her with open arms as if to hug her.  Then Bailey stopped her chair, locked the wheels, stood up, and walked toward her favorite nurse.  The nurse, in what one commentator described as a display of unbridled joy, screamed in shock and jubilation and embraced Bailey, crying, "Yes!  Thank you Lord!"

The nurse holds on for a long time, rocking Bailey back and forth. They both wipe away tears and embrace again and again. *

Because of our sins, we are in a sense “paralyzed” in that we cannot save ourselves.  Our condition in our sin is grave, for “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

But the Great Physician has a cure!  Jesus died on the cross for our sins so that we might be forgiven and receive the gift of eternal life.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

God has promised to save those who will place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16).   He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7).

The Scriptures teach that we are “dead in trespasses and sins....,” “but because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ.”  It is by His grace that we are saved (Ephesians 2:1-9).

Accepting His grace – and the salvation and ETERNAL LIFE that it brings – should evoke unbridled joy in our hearts!

Won’t YOU accept His offer of salvation and eternal life?

David A. Sargent

A man's word was his bond

Like most of you, I’ve been listening to the seemingly never-ending news coverage of the negotiations with Iran over the nuclear situation.  During my watching of these news reports, I began developing some thoughts for an editorial lesson for us to consider and I’ll present it to you here today.

A while back I did a lesson with the topic being personal responsibility and accountability and today’s will sort of continue on in that train of thought.  What I’m going to talk about, and hope that you’ll consider, is the Christian’s obligation to truth. 

Yes, we have the obligation to believe, to obey, and to teach THE TRUTH, but what I’m referring to here is our obligation to speak truthfully in all things.  To let our “yea be yea and our nay be nay.” 

There was time in the not too far distant past when a man’s (person’s) word was his bond.  They made deals, they entered into contracts, they “negotiated” with others with those things being consummated on the basis of their word.  Why?  Because they considered their word to be a sacred thing.

But alas, the world has changed in that regard, hasn’t it?  And not for the better I might add.  Anymore, anything of importance must be done “in writing.”  Our affairs are no longer negotiated based on the integrity of our speech.  Plus, if it’s really important, we have to engage a lawyer to “draw it up.” 

That just shows me how sad a state we’ve come to, in regards to our personal trustworthiness, when we have to get lawyers involved.  And these sorts of negotiations can range anywhere from property purchases to estate planning to marriage proposals.  What a sad state of affairs.

Did you ever stop to think that if everyone believed, lived and was guided by the laws of God, that there wouldn’t be a need for lawyers, mediators and people occupying those types of positions.  The reason I say that is because if all of us were truly followers of, and true children of God, then everyone would live up to their word. 

Christ taught a great lesson on this subject in His sermon on the mount.  You’ll recall there that Jesus was outlining the new law, the new covenant that was soon to come into existence.  And that it would supercede the Law of Moses which was designed to bring the Messiah to the world.  (Mt. 5:17)

But, the precepts of honesty and truthfulness have always been part of God’s plan for man’s behavior.  Especially within the realm of our topic today.  Look at what the Law stipulated in this regard: “If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word.  He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.  (Num. 30:2 ESV)

Now look again at what Christ said in Matt. 5:37 “But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.”    In other words, what we say is what we do.  Both in the old Covenant and the new, God says we are to keep our word.

And that teaches us something else too, doesn’t it?  That we should be careful, be prudent, in the affairs to which we commit ourselves.  It’s always the best policy to not promise (vow) than to make one and then fail to keep it.

I cited Matt. 5:37 a moment ago and I’d like you to take note of some inspired words of Solomon found in the 5th chapter of Ecclesiastes.  The first thing I’ll point out is from verse 2 where we read: “Be not rash with our mouth nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God....”   And know that everything we say is “before God.”  (Matt. 12:35)

But, I ask you, doesn’t Solomon’s warning in Ecclesiastes dovetail perfectly with what Christ said in the last part of Matt. 5:37 “....for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil?”  The correlation is pretty easily seen to me.

To add to this particular thought of our lesson, Solomon also says there in Eccl. 5 and verse 4, and I paraphrase, that a false-promiser is a “fool” in the eyes of God.  Wouldn’t you just hate to be looked upon by God as being a “fool?”

In closing our thoughts today I want to make something clear.  I’m not saying that we shouldn’t make promises.  That we shouldn’t commit to something.  I’m saying that “The Word” teaches us that we should always take care and caution in the vows/promises we make.  The things to which we commit ourselves.

That we should do the best we can to make sure it’s the right and proper thing to do, and then be faithful to our commitment to our word.  As Solomon says, to do otherwise is foolish in the eyes of God.

Ron Covey