Information Related to "Are You Putting Off Your Salvation?"
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Are You Putting Off Your Salvation
Even
though they’ve come to understand the truth of God, many put off baptism
for years.
But is that really acceptable to God? Should you delay your baptism?
by John Ross Schroeder
Others attend church for years with a desire for baptism somewhere in the back of their minds while continuing to entertain doubts about making a lifelong commitment.
Part of the problem for many is a lack of biblical perspective on the subject. A helpful way to gain that perspective is to look at examples of people in the Bible confronted by their need for baptism.
Paul’s experience
The apostle Paul hadn’t always been a Christian. Far from it! In fact, he had violently persecuted Christ’s true followers (Acts 22:4-5; 26:9-11). His life was headed in the wrong direction, away from God’s promise of eternal life. Spiritually, he was on a one-way trip to nowhere.
But on Paul’s way to Damascus--ironically, on a mission to persecute Christians--God mercifully intervened, stopping him in his tracks and granting him repentance. Shortly afterwards Christ sent Ananias to instruct the future apostle in the right path.
Perceiving Paul’s repentance, Ananias asked him: "And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16, emphasis added throughout). Paul had flagrantly transgressed God’s law, even to the extent of being partially responsible for putting Christians to death. But a merciful God gave him the opportunity to put his sins behind him, leaving them in the bottom of the baptismal pool where they belonged.
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