This one is right after I came up out of the water. The guy on the right is Josh, my youth pastor, and the one of the left is Pastor Les, the...regular pastor...I'm not sure how to classify him.
This one is later, with Crazy Jenni and a cake they got me (seriously guys, you're way too sweet! :') ) Oh, and it's okay to call her "Crazy Jenni", we talked about this stuff.
Why did I decide to be baptized? Well...it all started long long ago--okay, not that long ago--when I had a meeting with Josh (seen in the first picture) and his wife Abbey. Some of the scriptures we looked at made baptism look like...well...like it's necessary...not optional.The church I grew up in...well...they never did baptism, which gave me the impression that it wasn't necessary for salvation. The scriptures we looked at...well...they seemed to say otherwise.
So, after that meeting, I thought for awhile, then when we had a "questions" night, for Wednesday night, I asked to talk about baptism again...so we did.
THEN...after that, I went and asked Pastor Les about being baptized and we sat in his office for over an hour talking about it and looking at scriptures...and we scheduled a meeting with him and his wife for Thursday, around 8:00-8:30.
Thursday came around, and I went over to their house around 8:15...and didn't come home until almost 11:00....
I thought for a bit after that, then on Friday, I messaged both Pastor Les, and Josh's wife, and asked for both of them to baptize me...because, well, they both directed me down that path and I wanted them both to be involved.
And...yeah.... The water was hot. Idk what else to say....
~Katie
Baptism is not necessary for Salvation. There are times when Jesus said to repent and be baptized. And John the Baptist talked a lot about it. There is much encouragement for one to be baptized and for a person to show their commitment to God through baptism; but it is not necessary for salvation. There are a host of instances in the scriptures where people are saved without baptism. Even the thief on the cross was saved (by Jesus himself) with no form of baptism taking place. Paul tells in many writings that salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (baptism is not necessary).
ReplyDeleteEphesians 2:8-9..."For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast."
Hi Douglas! I don't know you, but as a friend of Katie's and her sister in Christ, I felt a need to speak up. I do think that if God wants to save without baptism, He's God and I believe he can do whatever he chooses. However, I do not believe we should want to disobey a command given in the Bible (Acts 2:38, 1 Peter 3:21-22) and followed by his disciples. Yes, salvation is through faith, but what is faith without obedience? I gladly embrace the beauty of baptism. Christ himself was baptized, and I choose to follow his example!
DeleteI do believe baptism is the usual appointed time when God chooses to send us the Holy Spirit and forgiveness of sins(Again, Acts 2:38, 1 Peter 3:21-22). Besides all these things, the imagery of baptism is so special. Why not be baptized? Baptism is a witness and a sign to the world that we belong to Christ. We are buried with him, and raised to walk in new life! (Romans 6:4). Yes, there is the example of the thief who was saved on the cross... but that was before Jesus even died, the sending of the Holy Spirit, and the start of the church. Also, the other instance you speak of, in which people received the Holy Spirit prior to baptism, they went ahead and were baptized afterward (Acts 10:44-48).
I'm grateful for Katie and her decision to take a stand and do something that she believed the Bible said she should do! Praise God!
And I thank you, Douglas, for your faith in God, and your boldness in sharing it.
Sincerely,
Grace
This is so awesome, Katie! Love you!
ReplyDelete