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Thursday, September 05, 2013

Untying the shoes of Jesus

“Untying the shoes of Jesus” by John Durham
At the close of one of Eld. A. P. Durham’s revival meetings, he was requested by the pastor to give the devotional when time came for the ordinance of baptism to be performed. He chose for his Scripture lesson Matthew’s account of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, and read also Luke 3:16. He drew a graphic picture of the scene of that baptism without referring to the creeds of others whose views differ from those of Baptists.

When the services were over and the congregation dismissed, a lady school-teacher of another faith came up to the preacher to express appreciation for his talk, and said, “This is the first time I ever witnessed a baptismal scene like this, and it was beautiful. But you seem to imply, by your talk, that there is but one way to baptize, while I have been taught that there are three ways, - ‘sprinkling’, ‘pouring’, and ‘immersion’.” He replied, “Didn’t you notice, dear Lady, that just before the baptizing, some brethren stooped down and untied the shoes of the young men who were to be baptized?” She answered in the affirmative. Then continued he, “You remember what I read about Jesus’ baptism; how that when he asked John the Baptist to baptize Him, John protested and said, ‘I need to be baptized of Thee’ and ‘I’m not worthy to unloose the sandals from your feet’. Now, do you suppose that if John had intended to baptize Jesus any other way than by immersion he would likely have mentioned the untying of Jesus’ Shoes?” The lady replied, “I don’t suppose he would; but I never saw it in that light before.” It was reported that she joined the Baptist church soon afterwards. 
From Apostle of Sunshine, as printed in The Baptist Waymark, Vol. III, No. 2, March-April 1995, p. 2

1 comment:

Steve Finnell said...

WE BELIEVE JOHN'S BAPTISM
Why do most believers in Christ accept what God said about the purpose of John the Baptist's baptism, but reject what God said about the purpose of Christian baptism?

JOHN'S BAPTISM & CHRISTIAN BAPTISM

Luke 7:30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God's purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John.

Most believers accept this as fact. Quakers and the Church of the Salvation Army reject Christian water baptism. If the Pharisees rejected God's purpose my not being baptized by John, what will be the fate of the men today who are not baptized with Christian baptism or reject its purpose?

Mart 1:4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Men do not deny that John the Baptist baptize for (in order to) the forgiveness of sins, however, they reject Christian baptism outright or deny it is for (in order to) the remission of sins.

Luke 3:3,7 And he came into all the district around Jordan,preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; 7 So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be
baptized by him, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Most men agree that these men were fleeing, the wrath to come, by being baptized by John for the forgiveness of their sins. Men today do not believe that men can flee from the wrath to come by being baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of their sins.

Why would men believe God when He talks about the baptism of John, but doubt God when He refers to the purpose of Christian baptism?

Act 19:4 Paul said "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.

Most "Faith Only" believers agree that John baptized with the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and then the people subsequently believed in Jesus.

Most "FAITH ONLY" believers deny that Peter and the apostles preached Jesus and then told the believers to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. (Acts 2:22-41)


THE QUESTION REMAINS WHY WOULD BELIEVERS IN CHRIST ACCEPT GOD'S WORD CONCERNING THE BAPTISM OF JOHN, BUT DENY CHRISTIAN BAPTISM? (JOHN'S BAPTISM IS NOT VALID TODAY)

WHY DO "FAITH ONLY" BELIEVERS REJECT GOD'S VIEW ABOUT CHRISTIAN BAPTISM?

CHRISTIAN BAPTISM: Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, Acts22:16, 1 Peter3:21.Colossians 2:12-13



YOU ARE INVITED TO FOLLOW MY CHRISTIAN BLOG. http://steve-finnell.blogspot.com