Baptism

Baptism.

It's funny how one simple word can cause so much division, especially among the church. Even trying to find an official definition is near impossible. I bring this up because I was baptized Sunday morning. For some of you, red flags are quickly being hoisted and others are raising the green kind.

Why I decided to get baptized.
This is something I have wrestled with ever since the topic first came up between Erin and I four years ago. My immediate answer: "I have already been baptized, I don't need to do it again."

Here was my list of objections:

• —> I have already been baptized.

• —> Why should I have to get baptized just to become a member of a church. I'm a Christian. That's all that matters.

• —> Being baptized a second time is declaring that infant baptizm is wrong or dosen't count.

• —> The BGC (Baptist General Conference) wants me to declare my allegiance to them. To be batized as a baptist and not as lutheran.

• —> It's a slap in the face to my parents who had me baptized.

Here is how I answered them:

• —> First off, I needed to pray and seek God for the answers. I had made baptism all about me. It isn't about us at all. As with everything in life, it's about God! After all, everything we do should be to God's glory and not our own.

• —> Using the concordance in the back of my Bible, I looked up every reference it had to baptism. The one main theme I kept finding was "repent and be baptized". Over and over again.

• —> I am a Christian. I admit I belong to Christ. I don't think anyone would dispute that. But I did not repent when I was baptized. If anyone didn't need to be baptized, it was Jesus. And even He was baptized.
  

• —> So do I think infant baptism is wrong now that I have been baptized as an adult? No. But God really impressed it upon my heart to follow His command as another act of obeying Him. This was something I needed to do (I felt) to further my walk with Him.

• —> I haven't declared my allegiance to the BGC. I haven't declared my allegiance to Lutherans. I've declared my allegiance to Christ. I didn't get baptized for anyone or any organization. I got baptized for me. I need to put my relationship with Christ first and foremost no matter what anyone thinks or believes.

• —> I love my parents. They know that (at least I think they do). ;) This wasn't an act against them. In fact, it had nothing to do with them. This was between me and my heavenly Father.

• —> Last but not least, if I was completely honest with myself, I didn't want to be humbled. And for me, being humbled was a big part of being baptized as an adult.

So there you go. Agree with me or not. I love the Lord. Do I get special bonus points for being baptized as an adult? Nope. It's just an another way I can obey Him and show my heavenly Father that I love Him.

—b

Monday, October 30th, 2006/Ezekiel chapters 20 & 21

GOD'S MESSAGE FOR ME TODAY
"So I resolved to pour out My wrath on them, to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness. But I withdrew My hand and acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out." —Ezekiel 20:21b-22

HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO MY LIFE?
The Lord will never go back on His promises. He had promised the Israelites Israel while delivering them from Egypt. Before they could reach the land God promised them, They were committing acts of "evil" against God. The needed to be punished. God was able to punish them (40 years in the wilderness) while keeping His promise (Israel).

Copyright 2006, City Vision / John A. Mayer
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WITCHCRAFT IN THE TWIN CITIES
There are an estimated 20,000 witches of all types who live in our metro area who meet in 179 different witch covens/groups. Many witches are drawn to the Twin Cities area because of the many lakes and rivers, which have spiritual significance to them.
• Grove of Avalon—Henge of Keltria, Minneapolis Branch—Minneapolis