As a full time evangelist who either spends time either training for or actually evangelizing, it has become clear that we need to correct some very common misconceptions that many in the Church hold. It stems from what people have come to believe is baptism. There are so many people who simply don’t understand what the baptism of Jesus Christ actually is. For most, they see it more like the baptism of John the Baptist – one of repentance.
While repentance certainly has a lot to do with baptism, it is not all. There is so much more that we must articulate to those whom we are trying to lead to the Lord. At some point in our recent history, we stopped communicating what a relationship with Christ is really going to cost. I believe that as the culture began to change, those responsible for passing on the faith began to water down the truth.
I believe that fear began to influence the presentation. If the truth were clearly presented, some began to believe that the people would not buy into it. Those receiving this message would more likely reject it and hold onto the wonderful things of the world.
Instead of teaching that a relationship with Jesus Christ is all or nothing,
we began to show them how to “add a little bit of Jesus”
to our already over-committed lives.
We must repent of that fear that this relationship with Jesus can’t compete with what the world has to offer. We must take them to Matthew 6:24.
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” (NASB)
We must bring people the real meaning of the baptism of Jesus Christ. While most see this as simply a rite where your original sin is forgiven, rarely is it explained that baptism is also a declaration of your complete donation of self to Christ. It is the establishment of a nuptial union with the living God, who invites us into this intimate relationship.
However, most often, this rite is administered to infants who neither chose this nor understood what happened. This is where the parents must live the model of adults who willingly live lives repentant towards God; adults who cease to live for themselves and now live only for God.
Can we honestly say that our lives are lived for Jesus and spent in the effort of the building of the Kingdom of God? Or are we building our own kingdom first and giving God the leftovers of our time, talent, and treasure? If the latter is more accurate, then we must acknowledge now that we are not disciples of Christ but, more accurately, volunteers for Christ.
The call of Christianity is an invitation to enter into a nuptial relationship with the living God. We are called to entrust every aspect of our lives to His providence because we have come to believe in His goodness and power as God. Just as in our earthly marriages, the two parties must give themselves completely to each other.
Jesus did this on the Cross. How have we?
Beautiful. We are not building a Kingdom of volunteers but of disciples it is a total game changer to be a disciple. It should bring Joy to the person and those in their vicinity.
Thanks for all you do Deacon Ralph.
Humble thanks, and right back at you, my Sister in the Lord.
Thank you for confirming what I have been be-living Deacon Ralph. I was recently verbally attacked. My first reaction was to be frightened and unsure and it didn’t take long to realize those were not from our Lord so I chose not to react and to spend quiet time with our Lord. Through Bible reading, I was brought back to His truth, that He is master of everything, The Creator, and even this situation was under His control. I believe it was allowed to happen in order to teach me something, to go deeper into relationship with the Lord. The following day I was shown something and I gained a new perspective then I heard these words, “He is my beloved son with whom I love also.” Filled with the Holy Spirit, I was ready to respond to that attack with love and compassion. It totally diffused the situation. Jesus will use us to help others if we allow our will to want what He wants. This took place just over a week ago.
This week I had a second attack, this time from someone I have known for many years. This person has had much formal education about our Lord and has made a career out of it, but is not in relationship with Him. Over a year after my conversion experience (at a four day mission that you led), I met this person for lunch and after we talked for a bit, he made the comment, in a jokingly laughing manner, “Have you become a religious fanatic?” I admit there was a shock factor in hearing that comment, like a finger was being pointed at me, accusing me of something bad. I believe there is always an ounce of truth in what others say and felt he seriously meant what he said and after having time to think about it, I realized that if loving God with all my heart, all my mind, and all my soul equated to being a fanatic then I will resound with a great YES, proud of it and not be ashamed. He repeated this comment a couple months ago (about four years since the last time), this time in the presence of two of his friends that I was meeting for the first time and I held my hand high and smiled at them both as I said, “Guilty as charged.” Fast forward to yesterday. He called me and said he wanted to share something with me. I was told that I don’t need to share so much of God with others, that I actually share too much about Him. If our Lord is truly the center of our lives, how can I not share Him with others? I do have other interests because I can appreciate His creation and know He intended for me to enjoy it but when I share a bicycle ride with a friend, it is inevitable that I will see many signs and wonders put in place by Him, who loves us so much that He worked out every detail to perfection for our enjoyment. As I love to say, “The best things in life are free, a gift from God to thee.” I do not get up on a soapbox, shake my Bible at people, scrunch up my eyebrows and scream, Repent or go to Hell! We humans beat ourselves up enough on our own, but I do speak truth with love. To ask me not to share Jesus with others would be like saying, as perhaps this friend could be thinking, “I think it’s awesome you ride a motorcycle and I’m inspired that you are brave enough to take a 1,000 mile trip on your own to help a friend, but that’s the only part of you I care to know, the chick on the bike. Put your mask on real tight and just act cool, calm, and collected. Your God words bring you down to my level and where is the fantasy in that? Be a good girl, always the pretty one, and just stay up there on that pedestal.” Well, I won’t go back. I jumped off the hamster wheel of life and am now really living, loved so much that Jesus went to the cross for me, and wanting to share that amazing message with others because I was lost, I know what it feels like to be really lost, but now I have been found and nothing or no one on this earth can hold a candle to the love He has for us. When He revealed Himself to me during that mission, I knew my life had to change but without Him using you to share that truth with me, the scales could still be covering my eyes for I was blind, but now I see. I know my purpose in this life is to bring light into the darkness, to never hide the light under a basket but to set it high upon the lamp post. The Bible speaks these words to me and affirms to me the truth. The Bible is our roadmap to eternity for He is the way, the truth, and the life. I Trust In You Jesus✨
Thank you for sharing. Your story, unfortunately, is no longer uncommon. Those who are authentically living FOR Christ are viewed more and more radically. Not just because we are moving toward Him but also because the world is moving farther away.
Keep up the great work.
🙏🙏🙏