When we say things like, "We believe that an individual is not a candidate for baptism and, therefore, salvation, unless he or she is ready to repent of sin and make the commitment to live each day of his or her life as a disciple of Jesus Christ," it sounds like it is our own righteousness that entitles us to salvation. In whose righteousness do we put our faith? In Mt. 9:13 Jesus says he did not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Likewise in 1 Tim 1:15 Paul emphasizes the same. Doesn't it sound like we put ourselves at risk of losing our "calling" or "candidacy" for salvation if we focus on working out our own "righteousness" by "counting the cost," "repenting from sin" and "making the commitment to discipleship" before we can feel welcome to receive God's gift of salvation? When we have become a "successful" candidate for baptism, how do we avoid falling into the same sin of self-righteousness that Christ warns about in His parable of the Pharisee and the tax-collector in Luke 18:9-14? -- Florence Davis
A well-founded concern. Any time we discuss the demands of discipleship, we have to watch our step. It is so easy to come across -- or to be -- self-righteous. Christians throughout the ages have struggled with the balance between works and grace, and, I imagine, will continue to struggle until Jesus comes.
In the New Testament, it is clear that a substantial commitment was expected before (or by) the point of baptism, but the specifics are not spelled out. In Luke 3, John the Baptist expected specific repentance before immersion. This was apparently offensive to some (Luke 7:29-30), who eventually rejected such a demanding baptism. We are all to count the cost before following Christ (Luke 14), and yet the shape of that "cost-counting" will be different depending on the person.
How specific should we be when studying the Bible with our people? I would say, as specific as we need to be. John the Baptist seems to address the "major sins" in the lives of those who came to him; he does not apparently deal with all the "minor sins," nor does he dot every 'i' or cross every 't'. In other words, it is easy to overdo it. But we should be wary of embracing the opposite extreme, the "come one, come all" approach that expects no evidence of genuine repentance at all. The truth is found somewhere between these two extremes.
Let us all be careful of the statements we make, and especially the creedal or quasi-creedal formulations we are likely to print, or utter from the pulpit. Works righteousness has been a temptation for human beings since the beginning. Performance theology comes from the flesh, and is an attraction to most believers. We want to codify, quantify, and systematize. We like check-lists, programs, and guidelines. The Lord looks at the heart. This is not to suggest less commitment of Jesus' followers; if anything, an engaged and genuine heart will lead to a more fervent devotion!
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