To lighten things up a bit:
I was around 16 years old and was sitting in my pew next to a friend minding my own business. It was the close of a service and the Pastor was extremely happy because he was in the baptistery to baptize those who had walked the aisle during the revival. All was quiet and reverent when the Pastor announced “buried with Christ in Baptism, raised to walk in newness of life”. I was not as intent on what was going on as some because I had already been baptized myself 3 times. As I recall I was irreverently trying to make bubbles with my saliva with my mind in lala land. THEN IT HAPPENED…down he went into the water and up he came, at which time my friend leaned over to me and said…
“WEEEE, another sinner bites the dust”
It was his fault not mine!…those bubbles spewed out over the balcony onto the unsuspecting people below and we just could not stop laughing. THEN, just as suddenly as we laughed, FEAR seized my body as a saw the Pastor and congregation looking up to where we were sitting. “Oh crap Wayne…we’re going to hell for sure.” Next service I was the first down the aisle and all was well until…well you get it, there is always the next thing that makes you happy, then turns to guilt and fear…and repentance is there to save the day! Thank you Jesus.
Now let me ask you. Reading that story, did you laugh? If you did then you are fine…keep attending the church you attend. If you reacted in self-righteous horror…you may have a problem…get out!
Just thinking.
I was around 16 years old and was sitting in my pew next to a friend minding my own business. It was the close of a service and the Pastor was extremely happy because he was in the baptistery to baptize those who had walked the aisle during the revival. All was quiet and reverent when the Pastor announced “buried with Christ in Baptism, raised to walk in newness of life”. I was not as intent on what was going on as some because I had already been baptized myself 3 times. As I recall I was irreverently trying to make bubbles with my saliva with my mind in lala land. THEN IT HAPPENED…down he went into the water and up he came, at which time my friend leaned over to me and said…
“WEEEE, another sinner bites the dust”
It was his fault not mine!…those bubbles spewed out over the balcony onto the unsuspecting people below and we just could not stop laughing. THEN, just as suddenly as we laughed, FEAR seized my body as a saw the Pastor and congregation looking up to where we were sitting. “Oh crap Wayne…we’re going to hell for sure.” Next service I was the first down the aisle and all was well until…well you get it, there is always the next thing that makes you happy, then turns to guilt and fear…and repentance is there to save the day! Thank you Jesus.
Now let me ask you. Reading that story, did you laugh? If you did then you are fine…keep attending the church you attend. If you reacted in self-righteous horror…you may have a problem…get out!
Just thinking.