Many pastors today (i.e. emergent as well as a few others) do not understand all the hullaboo concerning them baptizing practicing homosexuals/lesbians who have no intention of not being practicing homosexuals/lesbians. There is a stipulation though. These pastors want the homosexuals/lesbians to be monogamous. For all of you non-Californians this means they have a life partner and don't cruise the gay bars. I thought baptism was for believers who were leaving sinful and "interesting" lifestyles. Isnt' that what Acts 2:38 means when it says,
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
I read a blog many weeks ago that said that a very well-known seeker church baptises shack-ups. For all of you non-Californians that means two unmarried people (a man and woman) living together and probably having sex.
I wonder who else churches today baptise? But the emergents do have a point. Where do we draw the line. If someone is an angry person and refuses to change do we not baptise them? If they worry (a sin in the Bible) and refuse to change, then do we not baptise them? Do we baptise practicing child molesters? That kind of hits home doesn't it. As long as it doesn't affect me or my family go ahead and baptise them and hey....let's give them church membership too. But if it affects me or my family, then...whoa...let's think this out. I find that position a bit hypocritical to put it mildly.
Please NOTE the term "refuse to change." This is NOT about the sanctification process where people want to change but are having trouble (probably because most churches don't have a clue today as to how to assist the Spirit in the change). I think this is a real dilemma. What do you think about this dilemma? Where do we draw the line? Please no comments telling me that Romans 1 is talking about gay prostitutes, not committed gay couples. This post isn't about homosexuality. It it's about baptism.
Feed Croaked, Sorry!
7 hours ago
4 comments:
Wow. I live on the east coast.
This is all "greek to me" I havn't heard about this. I don't really know or hang with any emergents.
We are told to "repent and be baptized." (Acts 2:38). But what are these actions? Works or acts of grace? There are no works that I can do to merit my salvation, so they must be a response to the salvation that is offered. When I truly understand what Christianity is offering me, I cannot help but change (repent). If I do not change and surrender my life to Christ, have I really accepted him? Same for baptism. Baptism is a response to Christ's invitation, not a work that earns our salvation. It is no guarantee in itself of salvation.
Perhaps those who get baptized without that consideration have a problem. Whether from their own stubbornness or from being taught wrongly about baptism, wrong is wrong. No one is perfect, but to go into the faith without complete surrender is dangerous. Remember the rich young ruler? Homosexuality or clinging to your riches, it does not matter. Because this man did not want to completely surrender, he walked away (and Jesus let him.)
I think we abuse the grace of Jesus whenever we don't give the full impact of what it means to become a Christian: surrender to Christ. Anything less is a weak and potentially insufficient message. God is not a God of arithmatic, but we are often a people consumed by numbers. We need to be consumed with truth!
The New Testament has quite a different custom of baptism than what we practice now, it seems. Then people made the decision to follow Christ and were baptized - immediately (e.g. Ethiopian eunuch, Philippian jailor). The baptizers didn't wait to find out whether their lifestyle changed. People made the decision to follow Jesus and baptism seemed to part and parcel of that decision.
Maybe to help come up with an answer to your question we need to consider also what is the significance of baptism, and why are people getting baptized anyway.
It isn't up to us to "decide" who gets to be baptized based on what kind of sinful lifestyles they may have lived. If the couple REPENTS (real repentance, not just being "sorry"), confesses with their mouths that Jesus is Lord and believes in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead, baptism should follow very soon. Baptism is NOT contingent on whether or not the new believers produce fruit. If the person has been truly converted, fruit WILL follow. If the couple stays in or returns to their old sinful lifestyles, correct them as the Bible instructs us. If they continue, remind them of how God's children should look (read 1 John) and then tearfully remove them from fellowship. Lovingly restore them to the faith, relying on the Holy Spirit to convict.
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