There are those who claim to be followers of Christ and yet will not identify themselves with Him in believer’s baptism and will not commit themselves to the gospel with a local body of believers. Therefore they feel that they are under no obligation to be faithful to attend the worship service nor do they feel any responsibility to consistently support the gospel monetarily or in any other way. This is the same attitude as those who argue that it is not necessary to go to church to be a Christian.
This attitude is not consistent with a heart that loves Christ, His gospel and His church, and longs to obey His word. The heart of the child of God operates by love, not responsibility and obligation. These poor souls are a god unto themselves. They totally miss the joy and privilege of being free to worship the true and living God in Spirit and in truth.
A good analogy of this is a man living with a woman and will not commit himself to her in marriage so that he will have the freedom to do as he pleases, even to change partners for advantage and gratification of the flesh. There are even those who have made outward commitment and yet have no constraining love for Christ and His church. These poor deceived souls have no desire to learn of Christ nor do they find any real comfort and joy in the gospel when they hear it proclaimed. It goes in one ear and out the other, never finding a place in the heart.
What a blessing and joy it is to the pastor and other believers in the assembly when they observe those who count it a joy to be faithful and committed to Christ and His gospel, and to each other in whatever way they can. On the other hand it brings sadness and concern to those that love them to see those that are so casual and unconcerned about the things of God. The scriptures repeatedly affirm that “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also “ Luke 12:34.
This is not a judgment call from this pastor, this is a crystal clear declaration from God Almighty. The only ones they are deceiving are themselves. Those that live so are tottering upon the brink of destruction - “they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth†2 Thess 2:10-12. Those that love the truth have a desire to be committed to it - PERIOD!
And the gospel preacher must do all He can, to demonstrate that baptism, that is the believer immersed in water, is one of the most vivid ways to demonstrate to the onseeing world of Angels and men, just how God saves sinners.
I have found after ten years of local ministry, that this resistance, which is often the pride of not wanting to say that I was wrong, in what I formerly believed, and now coming to the truth of his soveriegn work of Grace in my souls, apart from anything I did or can do, which is the confession, to which baptism is pointing, Christ alone
Can be overcome ,by the grace of God, when baptism is seen as the gospel of our Saviors redeeming work alone for the elect, in the scriptures from Genesis to revelation.
Not just a mode argument. The gospel!
Noahs ark, Naaman the leper, the dead man in Elsiha's tomb, Jonah in the whales belly, and many more testmonies of our Savior redemption in our behalf, set forth in the old Testament.
Lo I come in the volume of the book, it is written of me, to do thy will o God.
Eventually, God's sheep will find it necessary to follow Him in baptism.
It may take time. But when Christ becomes all, they will follow him.
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6/5/07 9:58 PM
