I love new Christians. Nothing excites a church more than watching a person surrender their life to Christ. Jesus says baptism is a new birth (John 3:3-7), and you can see the transformation when a person rises to, “walk in newness of life.”-Romans 6:4. The effect is even more dramatic when the new Christian comes from, “outside the church.” In those cases, there are two buckets in which most of them fit.
Bucket One: These are people with little to no religious background. So many of us get worked up because, “America isn’t a Christian nation anymore.” But one of the really positive side effects of this cultural shift, is a pool of people who do not bring denominational, doctrinal, pre-conceived ideas to the table. If you have ever studied with someone raised in a devout, denominational household, you know how difficult it can be for someone to see through false doctrine when it has been taught in the family for generations.
To borrow a phrase from the 1990’s, this “unchurched” group is a pleasure with which to work. The simple, plain gospel is a river of life flowing pure and clean into their hearts. If you have ever wondered how the apostles were so effective in their preaching, my sense of it is, they were dealing with an audience (especially the Gentiles) to whom the message of salvation and forgiveness through the blood of Jesus made sense. Their hearts were open to the gospel. They came to faith when they heard. They were immersed into Christ’s deal and rose up to walk in his ways.
What a thrill it is to teach a willing and enthusiastic Bible student. They have, “tasted that the Lord is good”-I Peter 2:3, and can’t wait to drink more of the water Jesus gives that, “will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”-John 4:14.
Bucket Two: This group of believers had to climb the rocks those in bucket one avoided. Many of these new Christians were raised in devout homes with loving believing parents. Others, even though their families weren’t much for church attendance, still faced significant backlash for daring to be baptized or worship with a group which practices congregational singing in worship. Choosing to follow the word of God on these issues meant sacrificing for the truth.
In addition to difficulties in families, many in both categories had to let go of sin in their life. The Bible is easy to understand if your heart is soft. So when these newcomers read, “the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”-Galatians 5:19-21, they don’t deflect or equivocate, they repent.
So, what about me? Is my faith strong enough to confess Jesus as the resurrected Son of God and Christ my Lord? Am I willing to put Christ and his church ahead of mother, brother, spouse, or friend (Matthew 10:34-37). Would I have the courage to submit to baptism even over the objections of family? Do I love Jesus more than my friends who chase after the desires of this world? Can I be so convicted of my sin that I turn from it?
What about it? Do I have the courage today I had on that glorious day, when my sins were washed away? If my soul needs repentance to be saved, do I trust salvation can be found by faith in Jesus.
If it were me, “Would I be baptized today?”
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