Baptism

So many times I have heard preachers say that Paul was basically downplaying the role of baptism in the Church, or showing its insignificance, in 1 Corinthians 1:17 when he says "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel," putting preaching at a much higher level than the sacrament of baptism. However, a closer look at the context that the verse is placed in paints another picture.

In verses 12-17, Paul is correcting the church at Corinth for their mistaken belief that whoever baptized them, or introduced them to the faith, required their devotion and full allegiance, creating factions of Christians within the church. This is why, in vs. 13, Paul says "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" Paul goes on to say "I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name." (vs. 14 & 15).

Paul's words, "I thank God that I baptized none of you", and "were you baptized in the name of Paul?", place a great deal of importance on baptism. The people of Corinth were all baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ. They all belong to Jesus Christ through their baptism in His name.

Paul's relief in not baptizing many of the members of the church of Corinth is caused by his desire to not be a major part of the factions that were being created in the church, not because he placed little or no importance on baptism. Paul writes in many other places about being baptized into Christ, dying in baptism and rising in Christ. Paul simply was not called to baptize them, but to preach to them. This means that there were others who were called to baptize them. Simply because Paul wasn't called to baptize but to preach doesn't mean that baptism isn't important, it just means that wasn't his job! Of course he would do it if he had to, as he mentions that he did baptize a few of them. The very fact that Paul points out that divisions were caused over the people who baptized them shows what a great deal of importance the early church placed on baptism.

Tradition and Reason

I have to admit, I don't like change. I am a sucker for tradition. Tradition is usually a sign of stability, or maybe very slow change. This dislike for change and desire for tradition may be caused by a world that views truth as relative and a church that conforms to the fashions and fads of the day. Actually, I'm sure those reasons have something to do with it.

However, if tradition leads to a dead spiritual life I am against it. I've been in many traditional churches that are still Spirit filled and full of life. I've been in others where the members go to church because they really like the liturgy, or the sound of the organ, or they rant about their choir or they are really in love with the smells and bells, and they seem to lack spiritual life and vitality, and they have little or no concern for those in the world.

Tradition, theology, doctrine and liturgy are all very important; important to me personally. But I can't stand deadness! I don't mean that I need to see people doing back flips in church, waving their hands or speaking in tongues. What I mean is I can tell when I meet a Christian who really loves the Lord and who's life has been transformed by Him, and I can tell the other type; the type that goes to church for social reasons, and that's about it. They may sing ancient and beautiful songs that have beautiful words and melody's, but do they mean or feel what they sing? Of course, there may be people in the congregation that do love God and want to serve Him truly. I've met some.

What is more depressing is that there are hardly ever young people in either group. The church seems to be dying in America. At least the traditional church. To me, this is very sad. It's my opinion that it is NOT the right thing to do to coax them back to church using entertainment. That has nothing to do with conversion. They have to be made disciples, true converts, true seekers of God, and only conviction and the Holy Spirit can do this. I suppose we live in an age where people, especially young people, are completely and totally lost to entertainment. How can a quiet and reverential old traditional church compete? It can't. One has to love God to do anything truly. One must let go of over-entertainment as well. People are so consumed with entertainment that it is saddening. They must be doing something constantly, such as playing video games, chatting, texting, surfing the web, listening to IPod's, downloading music, looking at porn, watching a movie, whatever. Satan wins through these tools.

This post is turning into something I didn't intend it to. What I wanted to say is that tradition is good at making boundaries and passing on the ancient faith. It is not good when tradition becomes the god. There is One God. He is jealous for us and for our time.

Paul

"If anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know." St. Paul

Jesus told us to:

Jesus told us to:

To feed the poor.

To clothe the naked.

To visit the sick and imprisoned.

To help the orphans and widows in their afflictions and

To keep oneself unspotted from the world.

To obey the Ten Commandments.

To become like little children in order to inherit the kingdom of God.

To suffer the little children to come unto Him, and forbid them not.

To baptize believers and

make disciples of all nations.

To cleanse the lepers, heal the sick and raise the dead.

To sell all that we have, give it to the poor and come, and follow Him.

However, all these commands are summarized in this, "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, mind, soul and strength and to love thy neighbor as thyself."

Because, "Love suffers long and is kind;
love does not envy;
love does not parade itself,
is not puffed up;
does not behave rudely,
does not seek its own,
is not provoked,
thinks no evil;
does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13

Love is the fulfillment of the Law, because love looks after the salvation and welfare of others, and one who loves God will never want to offend their Holy Father.

1 John 1:3 "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."

The beloved Apostle John is writing his letter with a mission in mind. He wishes for the readers of his letter to gain knowledge of the precious Savior, Jesus Christ, so that they may have fellowship with him. Why does he wish for others to have fellowship with him? Well, because his fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. Why would St. John want others to share in this fellowship? What is so pressing that he feels the need to write a letter to share with all the churches of his time, and, ultimately, to all Christians everywhere for all time?

There is a need for every living human to share in this fellowship, for there is no life outside of this fellowship. More to follow...

Give Thanks!

Give thanks to the Lord.


1 Thesselonians 5:18, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

In all circumstances and situations give thanks unto the Lord, for His steadfast love endures forever. Don't blame God for the bad stuff. All bad stuff, like sickness, disease, fights, wars, death, come as a result of human sin and the curse it brought upon the earth. Even vegetation and animals suffer because of sin. Before sin there were no thorns, thistles, or weeds and animals didn't eat one another. God is the source of life and light. In the book of James we read, "ever good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the the Father of lights". This is the verse that I read when my son James was born. He is a life, he is my son, he is a gift from God, a good and perfect gift.

The breath you breathe, the reason you woke up this morning, the heartbeat that just pumped, the food that you ate, the water you drank, the clothes you are wearing, the vehicle you drive; you don't DESERVE any of these things. These are conveniences and blessings from our heavenly Father. They could all be gone tomorrow, and you could be going to the bathroom outside and wiping with leaves, building a shelter out of sticks with a thatched roof and mud, digging up roots to eat for dinner, going without a shower because you don't have running water, or you could loose your health, your money, etc.

Give thanks to God, for this is His will and desire for your life.