What is keeping me from being baptized? -- Acts 8:36
Philip undoubtedly further explained to the eunuch, that those who accepted
Christ as their savior, and who desired to become his disciples, taking up
their stake in this life to follow him, should give their assent to this
matter by baptism. Apparently it did not take the eunuch long to decide what
his course should be, and his readiness of heart to follow the Lamb,
wherever he would lead, is indicated by his promptness to be baptized.
Sectarianism has set into many ecclesias and conventions, so that baptism
has become more of a symbol of understanding of, and/or acceptance of,
deeper truths only understood clearly with appreciation after receiving
God's spirit, or of a some certain viewpoint(s) of scripture, which
viewpoint(s) are often heralded as an understanding of the deep of things of
God. Scripturally, baptism should represent repentance and death to sin, and
a submission to the will of God through faith in Jesus' blood for
justification to life. Such a faith should show a willingness to follow the
Lord wherever he might lead. It does not mean that the one being baptized
must have knowledge of any of the deeper things of God, nor that he must
repeat an agreement with a viewpoint held by certain leaders before being
baptized. Nor does it mean repeating a loyalty to a denomination, movement,
a man or a group of leaders, or an organization proposed to be "God's
organization." All the one being baptized needs to know is that he has
accepted Jesus as his savior from sin and death, and that he understands
that he is agreeing to follow Jesus wherever Jesus might lead him. Thus it
is possible that even today, like in the early church, many hundreds or even
thousands may accept Jesus and be baptized in a single day. Such a person
consecrates to become a child of God, and with the realization that God will
reward those who put their trust and faith in him. Understanding of the
sacrifice to become joint-heirs with Christ is not needed for the baptism,
for one is saved first, and through the reception of God's spirit, he is
enabled to receive an understand greater things concerning consecration, but
only if he seeks such, for even many, probably, most, of the consecrated
remain "babes" in Christ all of their lives. (1 Corinthians 3:1)
Nevertheless, if one is expected to understand all these things before he
consecrates, or gets baptized, then he may delay, or never consecrate and
become baptized at all. Indeed, in many cases the things often required by
sectarian "viewpoints" may be accepted mentally, but may even hinder the
reception of the true deeper truths found in what God has revealed by means
of his holy spirit in the Bible.
In service of Jesus,
Ronald
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