I heard of a pastor who refused to baptize new believers if they smoked cigarettes. Baptism in water belongs to every Christian so why deny someone because of a habit that is not mentioned, let alone condemned in the Bible? Because that would be unfair to the new Christian, having to struggle with such a habit throughout their Christian life.
All Scripture – Scripture meaning the Old Testament and the New Testament – is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16) so let’s go right into Isaiah Chapter 1:
16 Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. 17 Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. – Isaiah 1:16-17 (NIV)
It says to wash and make yourselves clean. Speaking to the Judah and Jerusalem but also to the spiritual Jerusalem that includes us, the believers in Christ. Sometimes we like to skip that important detail and go right into the following verse.
18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. – Isaiah 1:18 (NIV)
“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Yes, I like that. Invite Jesus to your heart and it’s a done deal. No! Please continue reading.
19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; 20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. – Isaiah 1:19-20 (NIV)
If you think that you will eat the truly good things of the land without changing your ways you are deceiving yourself, and so is every pastor who tells you otherwise. It’s about doing right whatever it is. Please read Romans Chapter 6. We need to die to sin to be free from it. No need to over spiritualize things. Stop smoking and drinking until you are clear from the habit for good and only then take the baptism. I think that sounds good, don’t you?
6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. – Romans 6:1-4 (NIV)
Please take Christianity seriously. It’ll be so much easier. It is Jesus who says:
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
His burden is light. God bless you, Dear Reader.
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