A caller to yesterday’s broadcast suggested that both water baptism and spiritual baptism were necessary for salvation. With this as his premise, he wondered why Paul used the phrase “one baptism” in Ephesians 4:5. If you missed the broadcast, you can listen to the conversation here.
Paul does have it right. There is only one baptism that saves. To the surprise of many, it is not water baptism. To the Corinthians who wrestled with this very question, Paul was very clear concerning water baptism: “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel–not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (1 Corinthians 1:17).
The Holy Spirit is the One who regenerates us and baptizes us into the body of Christ. This means we have been baptized, or placed, into Christ’s death, burial and resurrection according to Romans 6. It also means we have been added to the church as members of Christ’s body. Though we are many, Paul wrote, we form one body.
There are many people in this world who have been baptized in water. Simon the Sorcerer was one such person. Luke recorded in Acts 8 that Simon believed and was baptized. Did this act save him? Of course not. He went through the motions in hopes to add to his mystic and his financial empire. Peter called him out saying that he was still captive to sin. Water baptism didn’t change his heart. Just because someone has been baptized in water doesn’t mean that person is saved.
However, when it comes to spiritual baptism, here is a claim that is true. Everyone who has been baptized by the Spirit of Christ into the body of Christ is saved. John the Baptist said it best; “I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:8). It’s the “one baptism” by the Holy Spirit that matters. Let’s rejoice together in His work.
Author: Bob Christopher
Spontaneous Combustion
Today is Caitlin’s 20th birthday. If you don’t know, Caitlin is my oldest child. During our recent vacation, she posted this hilarious article to her personal blog. I will say, this is the first time I’ve ever been called a “free-spirited hippie.” Flexible, yes. Spontaneous, yes. But never a “free-spirited hippie.” In the context of her story, it fits.
I know you will enjoy Caitlin’s humor. She keeps our family in stitches most of the time. She also delivers keen insights about life. As you read, do so with our monthly theme of faith and freedom in mind. Caitlin hits on several major issues we all struggle with, issues that can be obstacles to faith.
Read and enjoy, and then join the conversation by sharing times in your life when you’ve experienced “spontaneous combustion.”
Planning. A beautiful art that ensures events and activities go the way the “planner” intended, without any spontaneous interruptions. Spontaneity is the enemy. To enable my maximum enjoyment of a night out on the town, or a summer vacation, detailed planning must take place prior to the night before departure. With that being said, I categorize myself as one of those psycho women who have everything worked out…down to the second.
With my mother being a Southwest Airlines employee, our family is privileged with free flights all over the country. Being a college student in my early twenties on summer vacation, I took advantage of her benefits and made my way to Siesta Key beach. Of course, I had all the details of my trip worked out three days before my plane took off.
Just when I thought I was about to enjoy a nice relaxing week with my backside molded to a beach chair, I get a call from my mom explaining that after Florida, we’d be taking a trip through New England and eventually make our way up to New York! That was it. That one sentence was as far as they got. The flight and hotel information seemed to be obscure to them. “We’re just going to wing it”, she said.
Now, I’m not sure of my parents’ motives. I came to the conclusion that raising my anxiety levels to an 11 on a scale of 10 would be more fun for them to watch than actually going on a sight seeing vacay through New England. My brother and sister were all in. They were excited to embark on a spontaneous adventure. They all boarded the plane and left me hyperventilating into a brown paper bag in front of our gate.
I reluctantly got onto the aircraft and tried to get myself to relax. My breathing techniques were useless because the fear of not knowing what the next few days consisted of was taking over my brain.
We spent a day in Baltimore. Not expected. Then we traveled to Newport Rhode Island. Definitely not expected. When it finally came time make our way up to New York, the one part of the trip I allowed myself to be excited about, all the flights were booked. This is the karma that all these free spirited-non planning hippies deserve.
Of course, my mom is planning our next move at the airport. I have my brown paper bag handy. My brother saw a plane about to leave for Denver, Colorado at the gate right next to us and suggested we hop on and see what that city has to offer us. My worst nightmare. Once again, I’m convinced my parents agreed to it for the sole enjoyment of seeing the look of fear on my face. We boarded the plane exactly two minutes before it was supposed to take off.
So where are we now you might ask? Still on this four hour flight to Denver, with no plans. I’m squished between an elderly couple who keep asking me questions about my life. Can’t they see I’m in the middle of a huge crisis? The answer is no, they can’t because I’m sure they know where they are sleeping tonight, which is more than I can say for myself.
On the way to the bathroom I was informed that white water rafting and horse back riding are on the agenda while we are in Denver. Excuse me? How is this anywhere close to our classy New England tour? Normal people, like my brother and sister, would be excited about this news. Not me.
I sound crazy, I know. You’re probably thinking I need to suck up my controlling attitude and have a good time. You are right. I need to overcome my boring, detailed ways. This “vacation” is perfect practice. By the time I make my way home back to sweet Texas, I expect to be more like the hippies who, as my mom would say, “wing it”.
The captain just announced were landing in Denver. Wish me luck.
You Can Have Assurance of Salvation
Completely. This is how Jesus saves us. He doesn’t provide a temporary fix, or grant us a reprieve. No, Jesus saves us completely.
The writer of Hebrews put it this way: “…because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:24-25).
If you have come to God through Jesus, you are saved. You have crossed over from death to life. The transaction is complete, permanent, and unchangeable. He guaranteed His work on your behalf with this promise: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
What wonderful news!
Yet, far too many believers doubt they have been saved completely and fear that they can lose their salvation. Through thirty plus years of ministry, we have discovered that doubt regarding salvation is the biggest spiritual issue Christians face.
For most people, doubt flows from the daily struggles against sin and temptation as we do our best to live the Christian life, yet fail time and time again.
My friend Stacy was 95% sure that he was saved. He had trusted Christ for salvation during his teenage years. Instead of being encouraged to grow in the grace of God, he was quickly caught up in all the religious do’s and don’ts.
He gave it his best shot, but soon he was lost in the Romans 7 maze and didn’t know how to get out. The things he wanted to do, he didn’t. The things he didn’t want to do, he did. His struggles to live the Christian life gave voice to the gnawing doubts concerning his salvation.
With one negative event after another parading through his mind, that 5% uncertainty became Stacy’s constant companion. He went to bed each night wondering if he was actually saved at all.
Stacy finally reached a point of desperation. He called our radio broadcast for help. We had the privilege of sharing the wonderful truth of God’s complete salvation in Jesus Christ and the assurance we can have in Him. Two passages were particularly meaningful to Stacy that day.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2).
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life (1 John 5:11-13).
As Stacy listened, he drove a stake, anchoring his assurance of salvation to the finished work of Christ. It was a point in time when the love of God melted his fears and replaced his doubts with thankfulness.
That isn’t to say that doubts concerning his salvation have never resurfaced. They have, but Stacy has a point of reference. When those doubts come, the Lord reminds him that he has been saved completely through faith in Jesus Christ.
Sadly, Stacy’s story is not unique. Doubts and fears regarding salvation are common place.
I spent much of my early Christian years wondering if I was truly saved. I prayed to receive Christ hundreds of times just to make sure. But still the doubts persisted. Then I learned what Christ had accomplished on my behalf, that the salvation He provided was complete. The day I gained assurance of my salvation was one of the best days of my life.
If you are struggling with assurance of salvation, let today be the day you drive the stake. It could be the best day of your life.
The Star Spangled Banner
Last week I visited Fort McHenry in Baltimore Maryland. This fort is best known for the role it played in the war of 1812. The soldiers who occupied this fort successfully defended the Baltimore Harbor from attack by the British Navy.
Francis Scott Key was aboard a British ship anchored in the Baltimore Harbor to negotiate the release of prisoners. While on board, he learned of the British Navy’s plan to attack Fort McHenry. He was not allowed to leave the ship until the battle ended. As he penned, he watched “the rockets’ red glare and the bombs bursting in air” throughout the night.
The dawn of September 14, 1814, Key saw the American flag, 30′ by 42′ in size, waving over Fort McHenry. The sight of “old glory” inspired him to write the famous words of The Star-Spangled Banner.
This powerful poem captured the essence of the indomitable American spirit. Some 100 years later, by decree of Pres. Woodrow Wilson, it was adopted as our national anthem. Once adopted, the Star-Spangled Banner was inextricably linked to the American flag as symbols of our freedom.
We cherish these symbols and the American way of life they represent. The very act of singing the national anthem as we fix our eyes on a flag waving in the distance invokes a sense of patriotism and thankfulness in each of us.
We are privileged as American citizens to have freedom of religion, free speech and the right to pursue happiness, just to name a few. These are the qualities of freedom that these wonderful symbols point us to. They also issue a warning that these freedoms could be taken away or lost. We should never take them for granted.
What we have in America speaks of a greater and more enduring freedom, one whose symbols are a wooden cross and an empty. These symbols point us to the newness of life we have in Jesus Christ, a life marked by freedom from sin and death, freedom from legalism and freedom from the fear of death. These are freedoms that Christ purchased for us and they can never be taken away.
When you think of the cross and empty tomb, what aspects of your new life in Christ are you most thankful for? For me, it’s the truth that I’ve crossed over from death to life. What about you? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Faith and Freedom
Our theme for the People to People radio broadcast this month is “Faith and Freedom.” Richard and I introduced the theme last Tuesday. Our staff thought the on-air discussion was worthy enough to be the call of the week.
You can listen to that discussion here.
Here is the main point; faith in Jesus Christ leads to spiritual freedom. In the spirit of this blog, First Life Then Change, Richard coined the phrase, First Faith, Then Freedom.
The quest for freedom is one of the strong themes within the human story. We all long to be free. That longing is satisfied within the Gospel story. Jesus died to set us free. He was raised so that we could experience that freedom in His resurrected life. Walk by faith in Him and you will be free.
Once you listen to the call of the week, join the conversation. Others will be blessed to read your story of freedom.
A note of information. We send the call of the week each Friday to our e-mail list and we post it to our call of the week blog. If you would like it be delivered to your e-mail inbox, visit realanswers.net and click the subscribe to newsletter link. Or you can access the blog by clicking the blog tab on our website. I encourage you to share these real-life calls with your family and friends. It’s a great way to share the message.
We Can Get Along — Really!
Instructions for Christian Households. This is the heading in my Bible for Ephesians 5:21-6:9. It is way too generic or vanilla for my liking. And it certainly doesn’t motivate me to read further. I mean, who wants a bunch of boring instructions?
Let’s face it, simple instructions just won’t do when it comes to handling the complex and often complicated dynamics of relationships. As we all know, family life can be tough, painful and sometimes too much to bear, even for those families who know Christ and are in Christ.
Household is another word I’m not crazy about. Again, it reeks of everything plain, common and domestic. It misses the “wow factor” of the passage. This section of Scripture is about people – husbands and wives, moms and dads, brothers and sisters, and sometimes, other folks as well – who are sharing life together in a very intimate setting.
The point that Paul is making is that families can experience powerful and genuine relationships. The home does not have to be a place of tension and stress and angst. Living together under one roof, we can get along.
But how?
Paul begins this section with these words: “Submit to one another out of reverence to Christ.” Yes, he is specifically writing to Christians, Christians who know after reading his letter that they
- have been given every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3),
- have been adopted to sonship in Christ (Ephesians 1:5),
- have redemption through the blood of Jesus, and the forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7),
- have been marked with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who guarantees their inheritance (Ephesians 1:13, 14),
- have been given God’s incomparably great power, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead (Ephesians 1:19)
- have been made alive together with Christ (Ephesians 2:5),
- have been saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8),
- have been created anew in Christ Jesus for good works (Ephesians 2:10),
- have access to the Father through the Spirit (Ephesians 2:18),
- have the freedom and confidence to approach God through faith in Christ (Ephesians 3:12),
- have Jesus Christ dwelling in their hearts through faith (Ephesians 3:17),
- have the power to know and experience the love of God (Ephesians 3:18),
- have been added to the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:16) and
- are light in the Lord (Ephesians 5:8).
The entire book of Ephesians provides the context for Paul’s vision for family relationships. This vision is moored to the wealth of riches that are ours in Christ Jesus, and it is animated by the incomparable power God has given us through His Spirit.
Submission one to another, wives submitting to their husbands, husbands loving their wives as Christ loved the Church is the fruit of God’s grace and power. Otherwise this section can be reduced to a set of instructions that are impossible to carry out.
As children of God, we are alive in Jesus Christ, empowered by His Spirit, and blessed with all the treasures of God’s grace. Perhaps we should give this section a new heading – Grace Filled, Spirit Led Relationships. This tells us that yes, we can get along, really!
Are You Listening?
In his letter, James provides practical advice in living out our faith specifically within relationships. Like Paul, James anchors his wisdom for living to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
For example, in his first chapter, he wrote:
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. James 1:18-20
Notice how he sets the foundation. As believers, we have been born again through the word of truth. We are a kind of firstfruits of all He created. Right now, right here we are the initial subjects of God’s new creative order. We are ambassadors of God’s kingdom in this world of darkness.
Building on the foundation, he gives us wisdom to carry into our relationships — be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.
There is no quicker way to show a person that you care about them and are interested in them than to listen.
- Husband, take the time to listen to your wife. Look her in the eye and hear what is on her heart.
- Mom, Dad, listen to your children. Hear what is on their minds and learn the things that are important to them.
- Teacher, listen to your student.
- Employer, listen to your employees. It might help make your company more successful.
- Friends, listen to each other. Your friendship will be much stronger for it.
- Believers, listen to one another. You belong to each other, you are fellow members of the body. Take a listen and discover the unity you have in Christ.
I address this on a recent broadcast. You can listen here .
How can we experience positive, healthy relationships in life. The first step is to be quick to listen. Your attention will send a strong message that you care.
Are you listening?
Skateboarding, the Law and Relationships
The doorbell rang. Jeanna opened the door and there stood a police officer. A neighbor had registered a complaint against us. According to the officer, Coleman and his friends were making too much noise on his skateboard ramp.
We knew the ramp was loud. We had spoken to our neighbor several times about the noise issue. He asked that Coleman limit his skateboarding on the ramp to 45 minutes and only skateboard during the day. Coleman was willing to make this concession, so these terms were agreed upon.
Our neighbor held to a strict interpretation of the agreement. 45 minutes meant 45 minutes. At the first sound of Coleman zooming down the ramp, our neighbor would appear at his back door with watch in hand.
But soon even the 45 minutes was too much to bear. He was retired, and dealing with noisy neighbors was not part of his retirement plan.
He went to City Hall to research the noise ordinances. He pored over the documents, highlighting all the possible violations on our part. He then met with the police officer, shared his findings and asked that he issue a citation to us. The officer did not agree with our neighbor’s interpretation of the code, but he was obligated to meet with us to discuss the problem.
Soon the problem took care of itself. Coleman lost interest in skateboarding and the ramp began to rot. The interesting aspect of the story is that when our neighbor brought the city ordinances into the picture, a code that he believed stood against us, he stopped talking with us. The law had placed a barrier between us. Any vestiges of a relationship were gone.
We eventually took the ramp down. Our neighbor watched from his window as we did, but he never ventured out to speak with us. That was sad to me. We wanted to be good neighbors, and I know in his heart of hearts he wanted that as well.
This story reminds me of Peter’s actions in Antioch. Paul told the story in his letter to the Galatians. Under pressure from the Judaizers, Peter decided to rebuild the Jewish law in his life regarding the Gentile converts, which meant they had to follow Jewish customs, including circumcision, in order to be embraced by Jewish believers. This became a barrier that stood between Peter and the Gentile believers. As a result, Peter withdrew from them and ended all relationships. Law does that. It is not the foundation on which to build relationships.
Jesus is the One who brings us together. As Paul wrote, “for he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations” (Ephesians 2:14, 15). The law divides and causes hostility. But all that changes when relationships are built in Christ. He is the foundation for strong, healthy relationships.
Some six months after we tore down the skateboard ramp , my neighbor saw me mowing the yard and stopped to speak. He shook my hand and said, “We got off on the wrong foot, can we start over?” The barrier was gone. And now we’re on the road to becoming good neighbors.
How about you? Has the law become a wall of hostility in any of your relationships?
How to Have More Meaningful Relationships
God’s process in our lives is this: first life, then change. Transformation occurs after we have been made alive together with Christ. Most often we think in terms of internal changes, such as fear turning to peace, or restlessness becoming contentment. But the Gospel also transforms our relationships.
As we grow in our knowledge of Christ and learn to abide in Him, we bear the fruit of His love for others. That is the key to more meaningful and fulfilling relationships. John and Paul explain:
- “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34 (NIV)
- “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13 (NIV)
- “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” Romans 15:7 (NIV)
Healthy relationships are built on the foundation of God’s love. If you want to love others, forgive others and accept others, start with the love of God. Ask the Lord to teach you the “as I have” truths. As I have loved you, forgiven you and accepted you.
From that foundation, you can experience meaningful and fulfilling relationships.
The Three Characteristics of a People Pleaser and How to Avoid Them
Please people or please God. This was the issue that prompted Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Peter, the one who boldly delivered the first gospel sermon and the one who ended the heated debate at the Jerusalem Council with a stunning claim that Gentiles were saved by grace just like the Jews, had become a people pleaser.
The believers in Antioch witnessed Peter’s lapse in judgment. When he first arrived in there he enjoyed fellowship with all of the believers, Jews and Gentiles alike. He ate with the Gentiles regularly. However, once the men sent from James showed up, Peter’s actions began to change.
At first Peter drew back. But soon he separated himself from the Gentiles altogether. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray.
Paul could not let this gross misrepresentation of the gospel go unchallenged. He confronted Peter to his face. This was not a private meeting between the two leaders. No, Paul admonished Peter in front of all the believers in Antioch. You can imagine the tension that filled the assembly, but it had to be done. The truth of the gospel was at stake.
Why did Peter cave? What provoked this blatant display of legalism on his part?
Galatians 1:10 answers clearly: “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Plain and simple, Peter had decided it was more important to please people at that time than it was to be a servant of Christ.
Shockingly, Peter at that moment had become a legalist. He placed on his neck the yoke of the law that he had already concluded neither he nor his forefathers could bear (Acts 15:10). We’ve all been there. We conducted ourselves as “grace Pharisees”, or reverted back to our old legalistic tendencies. The question is this: How do we recognize when people pleasing is more important to us than being led by God’s Spirit? Paul points to three signs.
- Fear — Peter separated himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those men that had come from James. If you are afraid of others and are living to please them you are on the fast track to becoming a legalist.
- You do not act in line with the truth of the Gospel – Peter knew separating from the Gentiles was wrong. The Gentiles had heard the Gospel message from his lips. He saw that God added them to the church and that He does not show favoritism. Yet his fear of the Jewish leaders that had come to Antioch caused him to play the hypocrite. Trying to please others will cause you to act in a way that does not line with the truth of the Gospel.
- You lead others astray – Peter’s actions influenced others. All the Jews, and even Barnabas, joined Peter in his hypocrisy. The old adage, misery loves company, applies here. To help justify your decision to give in to the legalistic demands of others, you will encourage others to follow suit.
These are the tell-tale signs that you are on the road to becoming a legalist. But you don’t have to go down that road. You don’t have to live as a people pleaser. Here is how to avoid that trap.
- Recognize that you have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ. You are already right in God’s sight (Galatians 2:16).
- Die to the law so that you can live for God (Galatians 2:19).
- Since Christ lives in you, live by faith in him, the one who loves you and gave himself for you (Galatians 2:20).
- Fully embrace the grace of God (Galatians 2:21).
In Antioch, Peter caved to the pressure of those he deemed important. God, however, never intended for our beliefs, attitudes or actions to be shaped by the opinions of others. We have been rescued from that realm and have been placed in Christ. We are to live by his indwelling presence, being shaped by his death, burial and resurrection. This will keep you from becoming a people pleaser and will help you avoid the snare of legalism.