Baptism – Can It Save You?

“Baptism is not enough 

to forgive or absolve your sins.”

When I walked into Terry’s hospital room, and saw her laying on her bed she said to me, “I was wondering when you were going to get here.” Her physical condition was deteriorating and she was not ready to face her Creator. As I got down on my knees and visited with her, we soon began talking about God, and I shared with her the good news of Christ. Later, as I was praying over her, she yelled out for God to save her from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet. It was an incredible moment. Weeks later when Terry was home and bed-ridden, she wanted to be baptized. So surrounded by family, and with a cup and towel I conducted her baptism. What a blessing! Then hours later Terry left this world to see her new Savior face to face. (Photo by Josue Michel on Unsplash)

What prepared Terry for her new home with Christ? Was it some of the good things she had done, her baptism, her faith in Jesus or something else?

Like with Terry, many times I have been at the bedside of the dying. If someone is fatally sick, and knows their time is short and their not right with God, they might request to see a clergyperson. If a dying person is baptized, are they saved? Have their sins been forgiven? Will they go to heaven?

Baptism is part of our American religious culture. Millions of followers in Catholic and Protestant churches have experienced the sacrament, from infants to adults, during memorable religious ceremonies filled with family and friends. Sometimes it is a quiet, solemn and reverent event. At other times it is filled with much energy and praise. The occasion is looked upon as an important religious milestone in a person’s spiritual life.

Why does someone get baptized? Because it is a command given by God in the Bible, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…” (Acts 2:38)

A baptism ceremony is filled with beautiful and significant symbolism. As a person stands ready to be baptized, they are a picture of their old self, standing dead in their sin as Jesus hung dead upon the cross. Then as Jesus was buried, so they are buried. Their old self gets buried in the waters of baptism. The water is an image of the Holy Spirit washing them of all their sin while being immersed into the life of Christ and His church. Then as Jesus rose from His grave with a resurrected body, so the one being baptized is raised up out of the water, like a new creation. It is a powerful thing to watch, an honor to administer, but most of all, it is life changing to personally experience. The mighty grace of God is almost palpable in those moments.

What is the singular most important focus in baptism? Jesus.

It is not the water, the Pastor or Priest, nor the one being baptized. It is about Jesus, and a picture of His suffering, death, burial and resurrection from the dead.

Sometimes we can elevate the pomp and circumstance of a baptism ceremony above Christ. We can elevate the water above Him, believing it becomes holy. We can elevate the actual baptism above Christ, thinking that through it we can secure our eternal salvation.

Unless you have turned from your sins and to Christ, and placed your full trust in Him alone -- your baptism is meaningless. Do not believe anyone who says otherwise. Your baptism is not enough to forgive or absolve your sins. Only the blood of Jesus, which was shed from His cross can save you. Thankfully, Terry understood this when she cried out to Jesus in her hospital bed.

A prayer for you - Lord God, if there is someone reading this that has been deceived, believing the waters of baptism are greater than the atoning blood of Jesus, open their eyes to see the truth. Bring them to turn from trusting in a ceremony, and to repent of their sin and trust in Christ alone for their salvation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Curse of Sex Trafficking in America

“America’s devilish obsession with sex is the driver for innocent boys and girls to be ushered into the deep abyss of the sex trade.”

Along with millions of other movie-goers, my wife and I attended the blockbuster movie, Sound of Freedom. We did so due to the generosity of an anonymous donor that paid for the whole theatre! The theme of the movie came from a captivating line by Jim Caveziel’s character when he said, “God’s children are not for sale.” The movie took America by storm, framing the massive multibillion-dollar demonic sex trafficking industry in a compelling way. (Photo by Francesca Zama on Unsplash)

According to one source, “It is estimated that between 15,000 to 50,000 women and children are forced into sexual slavery in the United States every year…” And a few years ago, it was reported that over 50% of U.S. criminal cases for sex trafficking involved children. And not only does a massive number of victims originate from America, whom are shipped across the globe like cargo, but America also receives over 50,000 of these broken souls annually from other nations. Geoff Rogers, co-founder of the United States Institute Against Human Trafficking made this alarming fact about our nation, "The United States is the number one consumer of sex worldwide. So we are driving the demand as a society."

America’s devilish obsession with sex is the driver for innocent boys and girls to be ushered into the deep abyss of the sex trade. We are doing this to our own kids, and the children of the world! This realization should drop every American to their knees, and plead for the Almighty’s mercy. It is written, “For behold, the Lord will come in fire, and his chariots like the whirlwind, to render his anger in fury…” (Isaiah 66:15)

Americans lust for sexually explicit material naturally leads some to enter the sex trafficking industry. Pictures and videos are not enough, so a man searches out ways to experience it first-hand, thus providing demand. Scrolling through sexualized videos on Facebook, YouTube and other social media. Watching R-rated and X-rated movies with steamy sex scenes. Paying subscriptions to secretively watch porn on various websites. These avenues, combined with a culture that permits and encourages such perverted activities has created our nation’s sinful cesspool.

DO WE UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY 

OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE?

We have soundly rejected God’s ways of preserving sex for a man and woman in the bounds of marriage, and are reaping its affects. The Scriptures say, “For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.” (Hosea 8:7) For decades a faithful remnant of the church has proclaimed God’s truth, warning Americans to stop this progressive escalation of sexual obsession. Yet, we have mockingly rejected that call and are reaping its consequences. Accordingly, God has given us over to our destructive passions. The Bible says, “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie…” (Romans 1:24-25)

What shall we do? The root of America’s sex trafficking problem is a spiritual one. We have exalted our immoral and perverted lust for one another over our Creator God. Instead, lust has become our god of choice. However, God still holds out His hands of mercy. For He says to our nation, “I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices…” (Isaiah 65:2) According to His mercy, He sent Jesus to us, His beloved Son. And He says to all who recognize their disobedient ways and turn to His Son by faith, that He will joyfully grant immediate freedom from the slavery of sin. And He promises to wash away the deep stains of their sin and give them a transformed life.

A prayer for you – Lord God I pray that you will help us to see the connection between our obsession with sex and the curse of sex trafficking on our nation. Sexual temptations are so strong, but you are stronger. Help us to turn to you and cry out with a desperate heart, that we might be set free from our sexual sins, and destroy this evil from among us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Obedience to God is Optional. Right?

“Today, millions of church goers feel what they believe is more important than how they live.”

According to a study from Lifeway Research on the wide impact of pornography in America, “43 percent of people who use the Internet visit pornographic websites. Some 40 million Americans are regular visitors to porn sites, with pornographic downloads representing 35 percent of all Internet downloads. Of the 40 million regular visitors, 33 percent are women. A full 70 percent of men age 18-24 visit porn sites monthly.” And Lifeway asked pastors about the impact of pornography on their congregations, and concluded that, “Large numbers of church attendees are included in the nearly half of all Internet users who visit porn sites.”

Wow! It appears that millions of professing Sunday morning Christians, after they attend church and hear the Word of God preached, go back home and stare at sexual images and videos on their phones or computers. How is that possible?

This highlights a massive problem in the American church. First, we have an urgent situation with porn in the pew. Second, the even bigger issue, is the disconnect between what someone professes and how they live. This means millions of people feel what they believe, is more important than how they live. It means they see obedience to God as merely optional.

Somehow large numbers of professing Christians have been exposed to a teaching that conveys how obedience to God does not matter. They have been taught to believe certain things, make certain religious professions and do certain religious duties, then God’s mercy will cover whatever they do not get right, and their home in heaven will be certain.

Since Jesus is the foundation of Christianity, is this what He taught?

Days before Jesus went to the cross, He spent much time alone with His disciples, preparing them for what was to come. He stressed the importance of two truths - love and obedience. He taught, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15) Then again, He said, “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me.” (Jn. 14:21) And another time, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word…” (Jn. 14:23) And finally, “Whoever does not love me does not keep my words.” (Jn 14:24)

Jesus, the Master Teacher, was not emphasizing mere rule keeping to His disciples, but obedience to Him that springs from a heart of love. Not a romantic love that is mere feeling. No. Instead, a love that is rational, deliberate and willing to lay down one’s life for Him if necessary.

Obedience is non-negotiable. It is a must! It is an expression of true saving faith and authentic love toward Christ, who loved and obeyed His own Father by giving all for Him through the cross. Let us follow Jesus’ example.

This is so important. Everyone is heading toward an appointment with God their Creator. On Judgement Day He will examine each of us. When He does and says, “Why should I let you into my heaven?” What will you say? Jesus once predicted exactly how conversations will end up playing out. He stated that people will come to Him and say, “Lord, Lord” and He will reply, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46) And that will be it. Our mouths will be shut, unable to offer any response and our eternal fate sealed.

While we still have time, let us get it right. Today, let us obey His command to stop sinning, and bring to an end, the sinful things we are doing. Let us obey His command to trust in Him with all our heart for our acceptance and forgiveness, and stop trusting in our own goodness and the religious things we do. Let us obey His command to walk in holiness and faithful obedience to Him until our final breath.

A prayer for you - Lord God, help us to recognize the importance of belief, but also of obedience. Help us to see the connection between a genuine love for Christ and genuine obedience. Help us O, Lord to live a life of faithfulness unto you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.