“It Couldn’t Wait”
Yesterday, it was a joy to baptize one of our young ladies, named Carson, into Jesus Christ. Carson had been studying with her parents, as well as others, for several months. Her mother called me yesterday morning and asked if we could baptize her as soon as she got home from school. Of course, we could!!!
Throughout the day, several were told. When the time came, there were several present, and all were excited and thankful for what brought us together. Her parents, several elders, and other members were present in the building where the Lebanon Road church of Christ meets.
Before we baptized Carson, I sat and spoke with her for a few minutes. One of the first questions I asked was, “What made today the day?” Her answer was simple: “It couldn’t wait.”
As I reflected on those words, I couldn’t help but think of those in the Scriptures who were baptized that very night, or at that very moment. As soon as they came to the realization of their need for Christ and of their need to obey Him, there was no delay.
—BEFORE CONTINUING, PLEASE READ: This is a disclaimer. I am not saying that waiting to be baptized is sinful. Keep that in mind! END OF DISCLAIMER—
It concerns me sometimes how long some will wait to be baptized, when they know they need to be! Some will wait until summer camp, while others wait weeks or even months until their entire family can be present, or for some other reason.
Is that wrong? No. But is it worrisome? I think it is.
When someone knows (1) that their sin has separated them from God, and (2) that obedience to Christ–culminating in baptism–is what removes those sins, then we must ask: why would that person wait at all? Aren’t we, at least in some way, “toying” with eternity and with life and death?
I am all for someone “waiting” until they know they must be baptized. That is Biblical and it keeps that person from being “forced” into that decision. However, when one realizes what must be done, they need to say what this precious 7th grade girl said: “It couldn’t wait!”
Why do you wait?
5 Comments
nick gill
The early post-apostolic Fathers by no means toyed with sin, as their writings convey with passion, but they don’t seem troubled with delaying baptism until someone is ready to pledge allegiance to Jesus.
So I guess my answer would be that while delays to wait for people to gather are indeed worrisome, repentance/baptism is in a sense an oath of loyalty to the One True God – delaying in order to count the cost and take the oath seriously shouldn’t be interpreted as toying with eternity.
Of course, the extreme of the Fathers’ position lead to people waiting until their sick/deathbeds to be baptized – which led to the innovation of affusion rather than immersion – so the doctrines of urgency and readiness must be held together in tension.
Jim Faughn
ANOTHER GREAT POST!!
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Westley Hazel
Great article. I will say that I have never seen loose waders before. See you at FHU.
Wes
Adam Faughn
Wes,
The waders are actually the source of a running joke here. They were bought when our friend Dan Chambers preached here. Seeing as how he about 13 feet tall, they don’t quite fit me!!!