Raised to New Life...

Last Sunday I had a very humbling and yet thrilling experience when I was asked to peform the baptism of a new believer. It was truly an awesome experience. I was humbled because you never know what role you play in showing or sharing Christ's love with somone else. I had met this young man at "The Porch." It is an area within our church where people can come to talk to someone else about what the Spirit is stirring within them. This guy came out and felt that God was telling Him to follow in obedience. He'd studied the scriptures and recognized that there was always a pattern between confession and being baptized. That day there on The Porch, he confessed Jesus as Savior and decided to wait until the following Sunday to be baptized. What an awesome day it was and what a celebration was occuring in heaven as one of God's children had officially come home.

It caused me to reflect on my own conversion experience. I could remember when I was baptized as a child. I remember my parents letting me make this choice. Yet I did it with all the wrong intentions. I knew it was a requirement to join the church to have been baptized previously. All of my friends were joining church at the allowed age, and so I wanted to as well when I turned that age. Thus, I decided to be baptized. This was merely an outward expression and there was no inward decision that had been made. I no more knew Jesus as my personal Savior than I knew the President of the United States as a friend. To me both were just figures in a story of life.

Fast forward to college. After the death of my brother I began to really question the meaning of life. I looked in many areas for that meaning. Many of them were dead ends. Most were unfulfilling. And at such an appointed time a person from Campus Crusade from Christ that I had gotten to know, pulled me aside in the library and really questioned me about whether I truly knew who Jesus was. He asked some very pointed questions that left impressions - and at the time - some deep wounds as I thought it to be offensive.

Yet, in those wounds it forced me to confront the deeper questions I wasn't facing. Then I really began studying the Bible and truly listening to the words of some of the old hymns that I realized I hadn't confessed and I hadn't obeyed. You see, I confessed to Jesus that I needed him when I was a teenager. I remember exactly when it was on the floor of my bedroom after a Christmas Eve service at church. But I had never told anyone of this decision. After realizing the words of Amazing Grace - were for me and that I hadn't told anyone about "the hour I first believed" I decided it was time. I studied the scriptures and found for myself that confession always comes before baptism in the Bible. Not the other way around. So at the age of 26, I was baptized on October 11, 1999. I remember repeating the great confession that day. Being lowered into the water and being raised out of it feeling completely free and loved. (It was extra special that my precious wife decided to be baptized that day as well so we have that special memory to share for ever as well.)

So as I was preparing to perform the baptism this last Sunday, I was praying and thanking God for the conviction of the Spirit and the strength to obey. I prayed with my new Brother in Christ before the baptism and asked God to help him remember this day for eternity and also to feel the awesome freedom and unconditional love that comes along with our confession of faith. As we stepped into the baptistry it really hit me -the awesomeness of this moment. That God would chose a sinner like me to become his own. And now through this ministry on "The Porch" I had the opportunity to introduce others to my heavenly Father and to be a part of their baptism.

Just to be clear, let me make certain that I do not believe the act of baptism confers salvation on anyone. There is no scriptural evidence to proove this. Yet, confession of Christ is what saves. And the Biblical order of this is confess and be baptized (See Matthew 3:6 for an example). So one is the commitment and one is the ceremony of that commitment. Yet this ceremony is so important. Because it is our chance to publically confess and show others our commitment. There is nothing like public confession to keep us accountable.

As I was lowering this young man into the water, I recited the phrase,
burried in death" and saw the water completely wash over his face. I realized again what that statement actually means. Burried ... forgotten... forgiven... Then I raised him out of the water, I recited, "Raised to new life in Christ" and I saw that as the water rolled off of his face, a huge smile replaced it... and I knew he was feeling this freedom that comes with our obedience.

Why can't we all feel this freedom? This forgiveness? The answer is - we can. Yet many have chosen not to. I urge you, if you don't feel it or if you can't remember - please don't hesitate. God might just be calling you to follow him. Don't wait...

In this season of Thanksgiving... the most important thing you could/should be thankful for is your salvation in Christ. If you haven't already, won't you make this the most memorable Thanksgiving already by telling someone else you've confessed Jesus as Lord of your life?