Baptising babies

At our church we're encouraged to read the bible for ourselves to ensure what's being taught is in fact the word of God. As easy as it is to just listen to the man at the pulpit, we have to ensure what we're absorbing is not contrary to the truth.

If you ask someone why they're christening their child, they'll mostly answer with "it's what my parents did with me and my grandparents did with my patents." In the ceremony you also find the babies being given a "Christian name" and allocated "Godparents". As followers of Jesus Christ our actions should not contradict the word of God. We must also be mindful that we don't mix cultural tradition with biblical traditions.

Where christenings originated from, I couldn't tell you, but as bible following Christians we should cross check all that we're doing. I mean, which has more accuracy, mans teaching or biblical text? Lets' break down some scriptures!

Mark 16:16

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Acts 2:38

“Repent,” Peter said to them, “and be baptised, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:41 

Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Acts 8:12

But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women.

Acts 8:35

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?

Acts 9:18

At once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptised. 19 And after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Acts 16:14

One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home.

Acts 16:33 

At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.

Acts 18:8

Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.

Acts 22:16

And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.

In all these verses we see the bible referring to adults. These texts prove baptism is done after believing. We all know a baby isn't capable to believe or make this decision. Furthermore, there is not any mention in the bible of a child being baptised.

Lastly, the most iconic baptism of all time, Jesus Christ. He himself was baptised as an adult, not as a child. Even though this is something he did not need to do, would we not follow the footsteps of our living example?

Matthew 3:13

The Baptism of Jesus

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.

So what is baptism?

Baptism is a quintessential part of our walk with Jesus. It should be the next step taken following accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and saviour. What is the purpose of being baptised? As we've read, baptism is a choice hence it isn't for babies. If you're old enough to make this decision, you're probably old enough to sin. The word baptism means to submerge. And so baptism is deciding you want to be done with your old life, old ways and want to embark on a new way of life with Jesus Christ. Kind of like out with the old in with the new. This act is a mark of that. Imagine it like you enter a freshly made bath and come out all squeaky clean leaving all the murky water behind. The water symbolises new life (hence we immerse ourself and not just sprinkle a bit on our heads), the dirt is all of our sins which is want what we want to get rid of and leave behind.

Here's what the bible says about baptism;

Matthew 28:19

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Romans 6:3

Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

Colossians 2:12

Having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

1 Peter 3:21

Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:26

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

As we can see in these scriptures baptism is a command and it brings glory to God. Though we can't die and resurrect just like Jesus Christ did, we can let our old self die in the water and resurrect as a new being, a new creation. Baptism is a rebirth!

(Oh, and that's why some Christian's refer to themselves as born again!)

What is a Christian? (Part 3)

We've just about covered what it means to be a Christian, but we haven't discussed why. In part two we saw the word 'saved' come up in Acts 16:31. This is what will be discussing today in part 3, the finale.

Jesus Christ was sent on this earth to seek and save the lost with his light. He was then crucified. He died for our sins, paying that price for us so that whoever believed in him would be rewarded. Three days later he resurrected, just as he said he would. This was to show the great power of God by fulfilling his word and to prove that Jesus Christ was truly the son of God. Believing this makes you are saved! This is what we call salvation.

What is the reward? Paradise. He came to spread the message that he was the only way to heaven. That only through him could you reach his father in heaven. Save us from what? By believing in his death and resurrection he is saving you from an eternity in hell.

We all want to be saved from our troubles but end up finding the wrong saviour, whether it be drugs, gambling or relationships. By accepting Jesus as your saviour, not only will you be saved in the after life but also in this life. The moment we make this choice we are to repent and turn away from our sinful nature. Through him you will find a change in your lifestyle and find that the things you thought you needed aren't actually healing you but instead are the reasons for your downfall. Once you are saved all your past sins are forgiven and it's basically a fresh start. Who knows we all need one of them at some point!

We should die from our old ways just as Christ died for us. And just as he resurrected we are to resurrect as a new creation in Christ. He is the ultimate saviour.

Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

The end.

What is a Christian? (Part 2)

Last week we concluded that Christianity is Christ. Today we will go through various scriptures in the bible to further answer this question.

Being a Christian is usually connected to attending church on Sundays and listening to a man at the pulpit in religious garments. Some of these people may believe that engaging in this regular activity is all that it takes. However, the bible shows us otherwise.

In the bible, we first see the word used in Acts 11:26; And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Here we see the the word Christian was used to refer to the disciples. So a Christian is a disciple? What is a disciple?

In Matthew 4:18-22 Jesus calls his first disciples. 18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

This scripture shows us that a disciple is a follower of Jesus Christ. As well as this, the bible explains how you can be recognised as a disciple in the following verses. John 8:30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him. 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

John 13:34 ‘A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’

John 15:8 'This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples'

So we see a disciple is also someone that practices Jesus' teachings, someone that loves all and someone that brings Glory and honour to God.

Ok is that all it takes? Nearly. Let's re-read verse 30. "Even as he spoke many believed in him." So? So before you become a follower of Jesus Christ, be a believer? Believer of what exactly? That Jesus Christ is the son of God. I'm going to say that again, a believer that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 14:6 Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me

John 20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Acts 16:31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

Why must I believe in Jesus Christ as the son of God? These five messages couldn't have made it any clearer. Jesus Christ is the centre piece!

Bare in mind that a disciple is a believer but not every believer is a disciple.

So there we have it, a Christian in not someone who partakes in religious practices, it is not someone who acts holier than thou or someone who has studied theology and thinks they know it all. A Christian is someone who has chosen (you can't be born a Christian) to believe in Jesus as the messiah and chooses to live as a disciple following his teachings. There is no criteria you must meet to be a Christian, the bible tells us to come as you are but through Christ you wont stay as are.

I end with this parable** Matthew 20:1-16 'The parable of the workers in the vineyard' (see below). The workers started their shifts at different times in the day but at the end were all paid the same wage. It's the same with coming to Christ, it can happen at any stage in your life. Finding him is the ultimate goal, it doesn't matter when it happens. And just like the landowner treated them equally, it is the same way Jesus Christ will equally accept us. Just as the landowner paid them an equal wage is the same way the Jesus Christ paid an equal price for us all. There is no favouritism. At the end they all receive their reward just as we do.

**parable - a story told by Jesus

The parable of the workers in the vineyard

20 ‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

3 ‘About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the market-place doing nothing. 4 He told them, “You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” 5 So they went.

‘He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, “Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?”

7 ‘“Because no one has hired us,” they answered.

‘He said to them, “You also go and work in my vineyard.”

8 ‘When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, “Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.”

9 ‘The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 “These who were hired last worked only one hour,” they said, “and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.”

13 ‘But he answered one of them, “I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?”

16 ‘So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’