My Wish For The New Year

I suspect Man adds the legal aspects to salvation.

(How much water,how public the confession,what sort of "clergy" might be present,etc.)

That seems to pave the way for indulgences or other works-based doctrines.

I'm no expert theologian but I think God would work things so a mute by himself in the middle of the desert could get saved.

(No running river,public repentence or ordained minister required.)

Hearing with the ears would be optional but hearing with the heart and reaching out to God to be made spiritually sound would be essential.

Once the heart is oriented toward God's will,repentence follows and desiring to serve Him becomes more of a joy than a burden.

It's not as hard to be open about one's faith or set aside misbehavior or admit one's faults.

It's not as hard to relinquish crippling hate and fear.

Those things belong to the past.

As uncertain as we might be in the begining,our new strength builds as we grow in faith.

We can begin with baptism as an "official" declaration of allegiance to God that shows that a serious committment has been made.

It is an outward indication of an inward change.

(But the announcement is a token expression.

The indwelling spirit of God is the clearest sign of salvation.

As the saying goes:"When being saved becomes a crime,will there be enough evidence to convict you?")

By that theory,baptism of water or Holy Ghost is a consequence of joining with God-not a pre-requisite.

We don't hide our affiliation because friends don't deny friends.

Does salvation and the declaration of faith mean that it instantly gets easy to be good?

No.

Our fallen nature now has competition from a new God-powered self that will increase even as our former sin-directed side withers.

But,the old part of us hangs on a while to plague us before it dies.

As an ancient Native American once said,"I have two dogs battling within my spirit.

One is a good dog. One is bad."

"Which dog wins?"

"The one I feed the most."

As I understand it,baptism confirms our joining with God and repudiation of evil.

It asks the community of believers to nurture,protect and support the newborn faith.

It is one of the first bits of evidence of our belief.

It is one of the first bits of sustenance the "good dog" gets.

Does baptism make us saved?

Perhaps no more than weddings make us married or funerals make us dead.

The reality can exist without the ceremonies and ceremonies occur with no truth behind them.

But,a baptism or wedding without that covenant of love can be very like a premature burial.

Avoid all three because until the reality matches the ritual,one is going to be very uncomfortable.

So,I'd say don't be overly concerned about a religious ceremony but be as wary of those who seek to avoid it as one would a person who wants to avoid a written,legal contract.

A real covenant requires no more than a handshake but the person whose word is his bond has no reason to refuse a public committment.

1Peter 3:21

It washes notning of the flesh but does our conscience goods toward God.

The baptism of Jesus saved us for our sins of the flesh were washed away for the meaning of The Jordan river in Hebre wis the river of death my sins died there , now it is my faith that saves me.

God Bless you in Az.

Being born again is FAR more than doing what's expected of you or avoiding eternal torment.

It's more than having access to some celestial Sears catalog.

(I'm going to be like the blind guys describing the elephant here...)

It's a bit like an end to illness or a cool drink on a hot day.

It's a bit like getting a good night's sleep or starting your vacation.

It's like running into that old friend who understands exactly what you're about and likes you.

It's having all your creative juices flowing and seeing the solutions to your problems.

It's perfect weather,your favorite dish,a gorgeous sunset,the wonder in a child's eyes and the goofy behaviour of a beloved pet.

It's the ties you have with kith and kin and the bond you have with those who share your goals and sorrows.

It's finding courage and purpose when you need it most.

It's having everything that matters feel very real and very accessible.

It's knowing you can make a mistake without BEING a mistake.

You belong here and you're exactly who you're supposed to be.

Sure,Heaven is going to be nice.

It's good to become an adult or get a diploma.

But,what we experience before we "graduate" or finish growing is pretty great,too.

It's an adventure just applying the salvation here and now.

Doubting salvation is like doubting being alive or loving.

The more you accept the gift you've been given,the more benefit you gain from it.

With every blessing you claim,you have more joy to impart to others.

Every bit of love you invest in your world reaps unlimited dividends.

That's a *little* of what salvation's like.

Even without the "fire insurance" and cushy "retirement plan",it's worth it.

Giving up the fallen state for salvation is like giving up being an infant to become a grown-up.

We can fear or resent the responsibilities of maturity or we can take pride in the challenges that come with the greater power and privileges.

Souls are rather like green stamps.

We won't know how much wealth they represent till they've been redeemed.

Let's make it great in 2008!

where did the phrase "being saved" come from??