Christianity suffers from many misconceptions. People think it is about attending an old building and obeying a lot of rules and regulations. Or they think it is about trying to be good all the time – how can anyone do that ! Or they see all the hypocrisy of people who attend church and so believe it’s a hoax.
Of course all this is completely wrong. And even those who have some idea of what Christianity is, just never quite get to the truth of it. They go on with some sort of religious notion about doing good and so getting to heaven.
Well the final chapters of the gospel according to Mark show us what it is about. Doing what God wants us to do, even though that may be painful, because that way lies life in Christ, and eternal life with God.
It requires us to die to the nasty part of self which resides in us all, and learning to live our lives the way Jesus Christ taught us. It is not about a set of rules, or about going along with everyone else to a church. It is about you the individual connecting with God in person; connecting with the living reality of the risen Jesus Christ.
How do we do that ?
Well, in the final chapter of Mark’s Gospel, chapter 16, we find certain words spoken by the risen Jesus to his closest disciples whom he had chosen as his messengers, his apostles. In verses 15 and 16 we read Jesus saying to them:
GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE. HE THAT BELIEVETH AND IS BAPTISED SHALL BE SAVED; BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT SHALL BE DAMNED
Jesus spoke these words to a group of men whom he had just rebuked for refusing to believe the reports that he was indeed risen from the dead. If the disciples had problems believing about Jesus being resurrected, it is not surprising if we have similar problems 2000 years later. Jesus had to appear to them in person and to challenge their unbelief.
Now, today we need Jesus to speak to us personally, too. Please be aware he is not likely to turn up as a physical presence. But he will turn up and challenge us through the words recorded about him in the Bible – such as here in Mark. He challenges us to believe what the Bible has recorded about him. He challenges us to act on that – to live as he commands. And the first instruction is to be baptised – that is to be fully immersed in water.
If we have problems believing, then that just means we are human. In fact the New Testament teaches us that belief or “faith” is a gift from God. We need God’s intervention to give us faith – his faith to believe as he would have us believe. And that faith comes when we listen to – and accept – the message about Christ in the New Testament.
It is an important lesson about how God deals with us. He initiates, and he grants. He speaks first, and we listen. Then when we know he has spoken, we respond – and we must respond in obedience. Do as he says.
Now God will never tell you to do anything weird or crazy or in any way harmful to other people. He will challenge your own selfishness and lack of belief. He will challenge you to live by the Ten Commandments, in short, to love other people.
As the apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, chapter 13, verses 9 and 10:
FOR THIS “THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY”, “THOU SHALT NOT KILL”, “THOU SHALT NOT STEAL”, “THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS”, “THOU SHALT NOT COVET” – AND IF THERE BE ANY OTHER COMMANDMENT, IT IS BRIEFLY COMPREHENDED IN THIS SAYING, NAMELY:
THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF. LOVE WORKETH NO ILL TO HIS NEIGHBOUR: THEREFORE LOVE IS THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW
There is never anthing outrageous with God. In essence it is a message of true civilisation.
But we cannot live this life of love by our own human resources. We can only live this life as God directs and as God enables us.
That is why it starts with “belief”. The Belief that Jesus Christ died in my place on the cross. He took the pain and guilt and shame for my sin – my rebellion against God. All I can do is acknowledge what I am before him – a sinner. Then acknowledge that only Jesus can make me right with God because of his sacrifice on the cross.
I must then avail myself of this by telling God that I am a sinner and by telling God that I need him – and will always need him. In believing this, I must then take the next step and be baptised in water.
Why ? Because Jesus himself commands it, first and foremost. And the apostle Paul explains why in chapter 6 of his letter to the Romans, where he says:
SO MANY OF US AS WERE BAPTISED INTO JESUS CHRIST WERE BAPTISED INTO HIS DEATH.
THEREFORE WE ARE BURIED WITH HIM BY BAPTISM INTO DEATH: THAT LIKE AS CHRIST WAS RAISED UP FROM THE DEAD BY THE GLORY OF THE FATHER, EVEN SO WE ALSO SHOULD WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE
FOR IF WE HAVE BEEN PLANTED TOGETHER IN THE LIKENESS OF HIS DEATH, WE SHALL BE ALSO IN THE LIKENESS OF HIS RESURRECTION. KNOWING THIS THAT OUR OLD MAN IS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DESTROYED, THAT HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN. FOR HE THAT IS DEAD IS FREED FROM SIN.
NOW IF WE BE DEAD WITH CHRIST, WE BELIEVE THAT WE SHALL ALSO LIVE WITH HIM. KNOWING THAT CHRIST BEING RAISED FROM THE DEAD, DIETH NO MORE; DEATH HATH NO MORE DOMINION OVER HIM
Full immersion in water baptism is VITAL because – done in faith – it grants us the life of Christ to live as Christ commands.
Hallelujah !
Christian Preacher
Christianity 