Baptized later in your adult life

[rolylane6]

I’m using “baptism” in this discussion as a symbol, a stepping stone or a launching pad to fulfillment of higher faith better Christian living. If I take thy step I want to be ready to take a huge leap. I don’t want to be a hypocrite. Like many who openly and willing create massive sin but feel they clean the slate every Sunday at church because they attend church and ask for forgiveness. I know that’s the process of salvation but it just never set well with me. I want to be different.


Thank you all for your reply’s, they were all great!I needed this.

Don't be different. You're not. We're all the same. We're all short of God's glory without Jesus. You can't be a "better" Christian than any other person. We all need Christ. We all need grace. We all need forgiveness. We all need mercy. We all fail, every day. We all recieve forgiveness every day. We all recieve grace every day. We all recieve mercy every day. You won't do it any "better". Don't measure yourself and your success/failure in your Christian life by how other men live theirs. Let Jesus be the standard you measure your actions and choices against but not what you judge your salvation by. He already settled your debt in judgement.
Make a commitment to living as He did. Thank Him when you have success and ask Him to show you new areas in your life where He wants you to focus on change. Thank Him when you fail for showing you your weakness. Ask His forgiveness and for His help in overcoming it.
Stop judging those you believe to be doing it wrong. You haven't walked in their shoes. Focus on your relationship with Christ, not theirs. There's no value to you or Jesus in doing that. It actually benefits the enemy because it distracts you from pursuing your relationship with Jesus. Afterall, it has already delayed you in pursuing it by making you believe you can't until you can do it better than they are.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[LivinADream]

God is working on you brother, and it's awesome to see.
Just remember, gods grace is enough. You will fall short, but he already knows that. He knew that before you were born and he still loved you enough to hang on a cross to pay your debt. One of the coolest things about God is there is nothing you can do to make him love you less than he does right now. We often get so caught up in our own shame and guilt that it's almost embarrassing to turn to God for forgiveness, when he already carried your every sin to the cross with him. You are asking some awesome questions, got me thinking.

Sent from my SM-F721U using Tapatalk

[doright]

We are all Gods children. It becomes a lot easier to understand once you have a child of your own. You love them from the instant they come into this world. You teach them, train them ,correct them when they need it. Through every step you love them. Will they be perfect? In your eyes ,yes. Do they make mistakes? Yes but you still love them. Will they let you down? Yes but you still love them. Will they always listen to you? No but you still love them.No matter what they do you will still love them. I like to believe that God looks at us much the same way. I know He wants the best for me and I should do my best to honor Him. I know I will fall short but I also know He still loves me. Just as every child is different,so is each of our relationship with Christ. I can't walk your path and you can't walk mine. As far as you thinking of hypocrites in church,that is something between them and God. Remember He knows our heart. The Bible tells us to not worry about the splinter in someones eye when we have a log in ours. I wish you the best of luck as work through this.

[McPatrickClan]

May The Lord bless you in your journey. God is good, He can be trusted and Jesus paid it all. Baptism is for those of us who want to join the church on earth and believe those things.

[KactusKiller]

Thank you all again for the supportive uplifting posts.

[Bone Thug]

Jack….I don’t have all the answers to everything but give me a call if you ever want to talk.

[SaltwaterSlick]

Morning KK… Thank you for posting this thread! You have no idea how blessed I (and likely others) have been blessed by reading through it!! Some great thoughts here.
The thought I had was “Sunday’s a coming!” Be a perfect time for your surrender to follow Jesus in Baptism!! Git-er-dun brother!!!

[SaintBlaise]

Baptism is the first step on the way to heaven. Here is an article that covers it. It is the most important thing you can do. Please consider becoming Catholic, you have to go through the RCIA program with your church. I think the program is weekly for 6 months, ending on Easter.

https://www.beginningcatholic.com/baptism

[Tmag]

Great posts, and I really appreciate the input. I enjoy reading others stories, makes me feel not alone. I just can’t get myself past the thought of needing to be a better person before making that leap. I think it’s why I have felt “unfinished” and “unsatisfied” with most every facet of life. I just want to be able to sit back and feel a sense of relief, accomplishment or a sense of total relaxation and enjoyment of present day.

Hey Jack!(in my Uncle Si voice)
The enemy, satan, will continue to tell you that you are not ready! The Holy Spirit is telling you otherwise. As for the age part, I've seen 70+ year olds get baptized.

The better person you talk about is what keeps a lot of folks from accepting Christ! He said "come to me all that are heavy laden and I will give you rest"! Jesus will do the transforming. Don't worry about the junk you bring along, He will help you get rid of it.

Find a good Jesus preaching church.

Admit you're a sinner.
Believe by faith that Jesus died for your sins.
Confess Him as Lord of your life forever.

Get baptized as soon as you can.

And start living for HIM! Attend church faithfully and read the Word daily.

[Cberry]

Great posts, and I really appreciate the input. I enjoy reading others stories, makes me feel not alone. I just can’t get myself past the thought of needing to be a better person before making that leap. I think it’s why I have felt “unfinished” and “unsatisfied” with most every facet of life. I just want to be able to sit back and feel a sense of relief, accomplishment or a sense of total relaxation and enjoyment of present day.

Ephesians 2:8-9. No one is ever worthy or a good enough person to be accepted in to the Kingdom of Heaven. We are only saved by the Grace of God and if you repent and accept the Gospel, everything should fall in to place after that. Just remember we are all broken and until the day we are called home we always will be.

[LukeDuke]

Yes - Baptism is just a ceremony, it doesn't secure salvation...

BUT I also think it serves as your "press conference" as a Christian...and that's a good thing!
There is built in accountability that comes with publicly making your profession of faith.
Let everyone know who you are...then go be that person!

But don't do it for yourself...do it out of grattitude for what the Lord has done for you on the cross!.
Do it because it will make others in your life think of their own salvation...and maybe change their life!

Jesus himself started the ministry phase of his life by being baptized. Likewise, your baptism could be a landmark in your life.

Pride and feeling foolish is probably the biggest thing holding you back.
Punt that pride and take the plunge is my advice!

Prayers for you my friend!

[Bud]

Kactus, I feel like I was about where you are not that many years ago. I never felt like I was "ready" or "worthy" of being saved by God. Guess what. I'm not. But, just be his grace he saved me anyway.

All you need for a baptism is to be water immersed and accept the Lord as your savior. It is as simple as that. But, it is a commitment to become as Christ-like as we can. We will fall short every day, but through Christ's grace we try again. We go into the water and die unto our old self. We are spiritually and physically renewed when we come out of the water.

I was baptized about 8 years ago on a 36 degree day in the Colorado river. It was literally the best decision I ever made.

[Gumbo Man]

What a great thread this has become loaded with tremendous knowledge and understanding. It’s inspiring and refreshing at the same time knowing that not only the OP, our brother and so many others desire to be better Christians. That’s the crown that we all should be chasing in our daily walk. There’s been so much knowledge already posted there’s really nothing to add except maybe, speaking to the OP, God is convicting you. He has great plans for you. Even though you have a wonderful life as you have described he has rewards beyond measure stored just for you sir. You have been chosen. Surrender to Gods will and receive your reward sir.

I’d like to address the hypocrisy that you have mentioned. When living with a heart of judgement everyone of us will fit into that category. And that of all things become stumbling blocks for new believers and non believers alike. In my early walk I was determined to be just like Jesus. How hard could it be? I struggled with that a lot just as you have and then it all came clear one Sunday morning. Our Pastor was preaching about how our testimony will become dead if we don’t project Gods spirit in everything that we do day in and day out. He said I wish that y’all knew how many people I have witnessed to that said “Preacher, I’d be a Christian if it weren’t for the Christian people that I’ve known”. He was talking about how we are perceived as hypocrites and become stumbling blocks for those that would be receptive to Gods gift of eternal life otherwise. But when we cast our eyes on others with judgement it’s us that are denied the true joy that God really wants for us.

In the same sermon he went on to say that “ a lot of people are here in church today hoping to visit with me or take me to lunch after the service is over. Let me tell everyone here if you set your sights on me, I will surely let you down soon because at the end of the day I am only human flesh. Set your sites on God and focus on being with him every moment of the day and you will never be disappointed”. I have always tried to focus on these things.

Maybe a good analogy would be like when I took up golf. I was determined to be as good as the pros and played a lot and had great instructors and golf pros that I worked with. A year into it I was frustrated that I wasn’t a better golfer and really put a lot of pressure on myself to the point that I truly wasn’t enjoying it. Then one day I realized while watching a PGA tournament that the best golfers in the world had to have their instructors with them every step of the way. That’s when I realized that I can NEVER BE LIKE THEM and after that I just really started enjoying the game more knowing that I am only what I am.

[bugleboy]

Show me scripture in the Bible where Baptism forgives you of your sins?

Acts 2:38

[KactusKiller]

Read thru most of this again at lunch. Again I truly appreciate all the great posts. My hope is also that maybe I asked some questions that someone else had as well. It’s a weird feeling thinking you have everything figured out(ask my family and friends) but also feeling a little lost without direction.

I started and deleted this thread a few times before finally posting and starting this discussion. It’s a little embarrassing to admit being a little unsure of one’s self or direction. Men hate stopping and asking for directions, but really glad I did.