LETTER TO A YOUNG PERSON CONTEMPLATING BAPTISM

By Bob Myhan

    I am so glad you are considering whether or not you need to be bap­tized. While you alone can make this decision, I hope these few comments will help you to make it.

    First, the terms of the Great Commis­sion, as given by Jesus to the apostles, make clear that those who have heard, un­derstood and believed the gospel need baptism. Notice the account of Mark. Jesus said,

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).

Again, the first responsibility the apostles had to “every creature” in “all the world” was to “preach the gospel” to them. Who did Jesus say, “shall be saved”? “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” Thus, those who have heard and believed the gospel are to be baptized.

    Second, the Great Commission also makes clear that those who can be made disciples are to be baptized. Notice the ac­count of Matthew. Jesus said,

    “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to ob­serve all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:19-20).

    Whom were the apostles told to baptize? They were told to baptize those whom they had already taught, because teaching was their first obligation to those of “all na­tions.” The word for “teach,” here, means to “make disciples of.” This involves creat­ing within the individual a desire to learn of and follow Christ. Thus, those who have had such a desire created in them are to be baptized.

    What were the apostles to do after bap­tizing those whom they had made disci­ples? They were to teach, or instruct, them to adhere to all of Jesus’ commandments, because this is what following Him involves. Thus, those who can be so taught, or in­structed, are to be baptized.

    Third, Peter (in carrying out the Great Commission) made it clear in the first gos­pel sermon recorded in the book of Acts that all those who need to be baptized also need to repent (determine to forsake the sins of the past and present, and avoid sin in the future), because both are “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). Thus, if one does not need to repent (having never sinned) he does not need to be baptized. On the other hand, if one needs to repent, he also needs to be baptized.

    Fourth, Jesus said, in Luke 14:26,

    “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and chil­dren, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.”

    Of course, Jesus does not demand that anyone abhor or detest any member of his physical fam­ily. The meaning is that one must love the members of his physical family less than he loves Jesus, in order to be a disciple of Jesus. One must, that is, have the capacity (emotionally and men­tally) for putting Jesus first in his life. For example, one who has been raised in a de­nomina­tion must be willing to come out of it, no matter what the emotional reaction of his family and friends. This attitude is illus­trated by the apostle Paul, as follows.

    Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confi­dence in the flesh, I more so: circum­cised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, perse­cuting the church; concerning the right­eousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excel­lence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own right­eousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the right­eousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Phil. 3:1-11)

    Fifth, Jesus goes on to say,

    “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disci­ple.” (Luke 14:27)

    This means that one must be prepared to endure whatever difficulties might be in­volved (even death) in being a disciple of Jesus. Consider also 2 Timothy 1:8.

    Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the suffer­ings for the gospel according to the power of God,

    To sum up, those who need to be bap­tized are those who:

1.          Have heard, understood and believed the gospel,

2.          Have had created within them the de­sire to be a disciple (learner and fol­lower) of Jesus Christ,

3.          Realize their need to repent,

4.          Are willing to put Jesus first in their lives, even before their own family members, and their own personal pref­erences,

5.          And are prepared to endure whatever diffi­culties might be involved in being a dis­ciple.

    Let me know, if you have any ques­tions. &

YOU EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THAT?

By Phil Grear

    In the beginning there was nothing. And suddenly for no reason nothing exploded and created everything. You expect me to believe that?

    At some point, by chance the right chemicals happened to float together at just the right moment to be struck by an electrical charge and become life. You ex­pect me to believe That?

    Somewhere two non-human mothers each gave birth to a human child. They were born at the same time and in the same place, one was male and one was fe­male. These two new "humans" gave birth to the human race. You expect me to be­lieve that?

  One of the descendants of these first hu­mans was born with a knowledge of right and wrong. No longer driven by in­stinct, this person was suddenly making deci­sions based on a morality for which there is no real explanation. You expect me to believe that?

    I'm sorry, I don't have that much blind faith. It's all too farfetched to be anything more than a fairy tale. I can't believe in­telligent people claim it is a "science" (1 Timothy 6:20).

  "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). I can believe that without stretching my imagi­nation into the realm of the impos­sible. The universe was created by an all-powerful, all-knowing God. That I can be­lieve! &