Is baptism is necessary for salvation?

As I’ve mentioned on this blog before, I was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness. I was never baptized into that faith, but, I recall that most members, when they’d been raised in that faith, would choose to be baptized when they were in their early to mid or late teens. They were baptized by immersion – usually at a JW convention or assembly.

While I was in my twenties, I started attending an AME church. During the alter call, when I came forward, I told the usher that I wanted to join the church and I wanted to become baptized. The usher wrote down the names of all of those who’d come forward, and why they’d come forward, and relayed this information to the pastor. When the pastor stated my name, the first thing he said was: “She’s not saved. She’s come forward to join the church and to become baptized.”

I cringed when I heard those words. So, since I had not yet been baptized, I was not saved? The pastor’s statement bothered me for a long time. It bothered me because, in my heart, I felt I was saved because I’d accepted Jesus. I believed he was the Son of God, He was God, and He came to earth to save mankind – all we needed to do was accept His gift of salvation. I really believed this in my heart, and the fact that I’d not yet been baptized… well, if I’d died that night, before my baptism the following Sunday, I truly believed I’d go to heaven.

When I mentioned to my co-worker that I’d be getting baptized, she was shocked. She said adults shouldn’t be baptized, I should’ve been baptized as a baby. She said all babies should be baptized. I kindly pointed out to her that not all churches baptized babies. Some churches wait until you’re old enough to have an idea about what you’re doing. A baby doesn’t have a concept of salvation, and, in the Bible, it’s never mentioned about babies being baptized – does a baby know how to repent? She seemed puzzled by my words and said that the Bible was written by men, but, in her heart, she felt babies should be baptized.

I was sprinkled in the AME church, not immersed. I joined a new church several years later, and that’s when I was immersed. That’s the way I felt, in my heart, that I really needed to be baptized, but, I don’t think my actions affected my salvation – but, I just wanted to do it.

I believe once you’ve accepted Jesus, you should become baptized, as an outward profession of your faith. However, if you’re not baptized, I feel that you’re still saved. For example, if you’ve accepted Jesus, and while you’re driving, on your way to get baptized, and you’re killed in a car accident – I still think you’re saved and will go to heaven.

Do you think that baptism is necessary for salvation? What were you taught about baptism when you were growing up? Do you remember any details about your baptismal day?

Please leave a comment!

^{Matthew 3:13-17}

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, who

m I love; with him I am well

pleased.”

²⁰ to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, ²¹ and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

1 Chronicles 10:13-14 ESV  So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. He did not seek guidance from the Lord. Therefore the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.

Have you ever read your Horoscope on a regular basis? Do you regularly read it now? If your answer is yes, why do you read it? Does reading your Horoscope give you hope? Does it provide a ray of joy in your day?

While getting my hair done a few weeks ago, I was telling my beautician that my son had a hot temper when he was upset. I told him how my son had burst into tears, crying, when he didn’t pass his Karate test for his purple belt. I also told him how my son would sometimes push board games off the table, mad, whenever he lost a game! He (my hairdresser) asked me, “When is his birthday?”

I said, “July 31^st.”

“Oh, he’s a Leo, then. That explains it.”

Whenever I hear people talk about the Zodiac and their Astrological signs, a little red flag goes up in my head. I feel slightly uneasy and I inwardly cringe. Why? Just the thought of relying on the stars, when you were born, and using the daily knowledge from someone (other than God) to predict your future – even for one day – just sounds ridiculous. Some check their Horoscope daily, and some let their Horoscope control their lives. I feel like using the Zodiac, Horoscopes, etc. is in the same category as Saul (old Testament Saul) consulting a medium for guidance. I kinda sense that some people may use the Zodiac for guidance. For example, they might not want to get into a relationship with someone with an incompatible Zodiac sign.

I’ll admit, several years ago, I used to read my Horoscope in the newspaper daily. I looked forward to it, and I laughed aloud when some of the stuff in the Horoscope turned out to be true. As I continued to read each day, I then found myself wondering which parts were true – I was sure that it was true sometimes, right? After all, I’d noticed some truth in some of my past Horoscopes. I finally decided to just stop reading it one day. I can’t recall why I made the decision to stop. I knew it was wrong to read the Horoscope, but, I did it anyway. I never went back to reading my Horoscope and I don’t encourage others to, either. Seek God for guidance, not a daily Horoscope.

Have you ever read your Horoscope on a regular basis? Do you read it regularly now? If your answer is yes, why do you read it? Does reading your Horoscope give you hope? Does it provide a light of joy in your day?

Leave a comment! 

From my blog archives…

 

Photo courtesy of Free Digital Photos
Question:
What happened to Philip at the end of the eighth chapter in the book of Acts?

I wanted to talk about the ending of the scripture involving the Ethiopian eunuch. After Philip has a life-changing conversation with the eunuch, Philip baptizes him. After the baptism, the following occurs:
Acts 8:39-40
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

What I’m wondering is, did the Lord’s Holy Spirit enable Philip to disappear and then re-appear in Azotus? I know some translations use the term “carried” Philip away instead of “took Philip away.” Either way you look at it, it appears to me that Philip literally disappeared from the scene of the eunuch and then reappeared in Azotus. I’m thinking Azotus was where the Lord felt was the greatest need for Philip to preach the gospel. So, that’s why He had to carry Philip away from the eunuch so suddenly – Philip had lots of preaching work to do.

Do you think that Philip literally disappeared and then re-appeared? If so, why?

 

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Photo courtesy of Romanticando.

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Do you remember when the Gospel was preached in public schools?

Reading this scripture had me thinking about my childhood. When I was in the fifth grade (many, many decades ago!) the Gideons Bible group sent permission slips home to our parents, asking if they could give each student a new Bible when they came to visit the school. I recall my mother telling me that I didn’t really need a new Bible since we were Jehovah’s Witnesses and we already had our own Bible (The New World Translation).

Anyway, I recall one of my Bible-receiving classmates taunting a non-Bible-receiving classmate – asking why he refused the new Bible. The Bible-receiving classmate had said, “Why didn’t you get a Bible? Do you love the devil?”

The non-Bible-receiving classmate mumbled that he already had a Bible. I also recall that the teachers had separated us non-Bible receivers into another room while the rest of the students were gifted with their Bibles. We returned to the classrooms later, amidst students flipping through scriptures, enjoying their new gifts. The teachers had received the full Bible, both Old and New Testaments, the students received a smaller Bible containing just the New Testament.

Anyway, my whole point to this blog post is that times have changed. I can’t imagine the Gideons visiting a public school nowadays, gifting each student with a new Bible. I’d imagine it would make the school explode with shock, as well as some possible lawsuits, if such an event happened today?

Do you remember a time when Christianity and faith were discussed in public schools? Do you remember when the Gospel was shared in the classroom? Please share your thoughts…

Jesus healed the sick, he made the blind see and he made the lame walk. Let’s pretend that you were born during Biblical times, if you were alive back then, and you witnessed Jesus doing his miracles, would you believe? Would you accept Him as your Savior?

I’ll be honest, if  I were living during Biblical times, I’m not sure if I would believe if people told me about Jesus. I could imagine myself being skeptical, thinking that people were exaggerating about Jesus’s healings. However, seeing is believing. If I actually saw somebody being healed, I would believe. I could also imagine myself believing if I encountered the blind man (or somebody like this) described in John 9 (quoted below). If I’d seen this man, blind since birth, before his healing, and then encountered him after he’d been healed…well, I’d be stunned, shocked, and then I’d fall on my knees, praising my Savior!

So, if you were alive while Jesus walked on this earth as a man, would you have accepted Him as your Savior? Would you believe?

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

John 9:1-12 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

³ “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. ⁴ As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵ While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

⁶ After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. ⁷ “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

⁸ His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” ⁹ Some claimed that he was.

Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”

But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

¹⁰ “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.

¹¹ He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”

¹² “Where is this man?” they asked him.

“I don’t know,” he said.

Image courtesy of John Kasawa at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Is it wrong for Christians to drink alcohol? Over the years, I’ve found that many Christians have mixed views about drinking. The Apostle Paul warns us not to get drunk with wine in the book of Ephesians:

Ephesians 5:17-18

¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. ¹⁸ Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,

At a wedding at Cana in Galilee, Jesus and his Apostles attended. When they ran out of wine, Jesus miraculously turned water into wine:

³ When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”…⁶ Nearby stood six stone water jars…⁷ Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. ⁸ Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, ⁹ and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew.

I wonder why Christians have such conflicting views about drinking? Many Christians consider having a glass of wine, or a beer, to be a sin – yet, some Christians drink wine during communion, and Jesus may have served his Apostles wine during the last supper – the fruit of the vine:

²⁸ This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹ I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Also, the Bible advises drinking wine to help with stomach problems and illnesses:

1 Timothy 5:23

23 Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

I do believe it’s wrong to get drunk, and, if you’re prone to alcohol addiction, then, you should not drink at all. But, I’ve heard some ask – how much is too much? How does one measure how much to drink?

So, what’s your opinion? Is it wrong for Christians to drink alcohol? I’d be interested in hearing the responses to this thought-provoking question. Leave a comment!