I’ve been pondering my position on salvation lately after some discourse with a friend over the Internet. I cannot move myself away from the position I have taken. Why should I? I can find no good reason. This was once upon a time a position I fought tooth and nail against and simply could not bring myself to believe. I believe it now. My friend is now in the same position I was in a little over a year ago. The debate is: did I choose God, or was I chosen by God?

The Bible provides enough ammunition for both sides of the debate. Or so it would appear. I have come to find that I didn’t really understand the Bible until I realized that I was chosen by God. Scripture makes more sense as a whole with this new understanding. For instance, how does the man who believes that he chose to follow God explain the following verses from Titus 3:

“Indeed, we, too, were once stupid, disobedient, and misled. We were slaves to many kinds of lusts and pleasures. We were mean and jealous. We were hated, and we hated each other. However, when God our Savior made his kindness and love for humanity appear, he saved us, but not because of anything we had done to gain his approval. Instead, because of his mercy he saved us through the washing in which the Holy Spirit gives us new birth and renewal. God poured a generous amount of the Spirit on us through Jesus Christ our Savior. As a result, God in his kindness has given us his approval and we have become heirs who have the confidence that we have everlasting life.”
(God’s Word translation)

“Not because of anything we had done…” What does that mean? Does that only refer to Mosaic Law? Or does it refer to our choosing God? Don’t you do something when you take a decision?

This is the fundamental problem with Arminianism. If we choose to accept God through Jesus, then how do we explain all the verses that talk about God choosing His special people? Choosing His disciples? The Bible speaks of God’s choice again and again. Yes there are passages about people here and there choosing to follow God. But how did they come to make that choice? Let’s face it, sin is fun! Lust, debauchery, drunkeness…what’s not to enjoy? Sin is pleasurable to the physical body. What could possibly make us want to turn away from that pleasure, deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus?

God regenerating the heart of man and giving him the option of choosing God. That’s the only answer I can come up with. Can someone show me where this is wrong?

Actually Steve was a Baptist but is now a reformed Prebyterian pastor. He is also an all around good guy and friend who baptized me this past Lord’s Day. That’s Sunday for all you evangelicals out there. 🙂

Here is a video of the event:


The story behind my baptism at age 40+ is that no one in my family could remember whether I was baptized or not. Everyone *thinks* I was baptized. I *think* I was baptized. Unfortunately I can’t find any baptism records. No one remembers for sure. Because I’m not sure, I asked to be baptized FOR CERTAIN. So a baptism party was organized by our intrepid Pastor, Steve. I had asked for full immersion in a river but apparently he didn’t have one of those in his backyard so the next best solution seemed to be the swimming pool that he did have in his backyard. There were three other families who wanted their their children baptized so the kids and ol’ Mr. Van (The Flying Dutchman to our aviation fans out there) each took turns coming up out of the water.

Afterwards we we had snacks and fellowship in the best tradition of church functions worldwide. The kids splashed around in the baptismal font…er… pool, and the adults sat around and… yep, talked. Steve’s wife Wendy graciously cooked a delicious dinner for the baptism families that night and we enjoyed a sing-a-long after dinner.

This was a seriously, and spiritually fun and fulfilling day. As we drove home my kids were kind of bummed out that the fun-filled day was over. I rememinded then that we look forward to eternity, spent rejoicing in the presence of our Lord with all of God’s elect.  That is going to make this day seem about as fun as a dental appointment. Oops, we have an elder who’s a dentist, he seems to have great fun with dental appointments. Well, the rest of you know what I mean. 🙂

That’s a play on words taken from a bumper sticker I saw here in the Central Valley, “I voted for Pedro.” I don’t even have any idea what it means but those stickers are everywhere. It seemed like a catchy play on words. You see, I’ve been a credobaptist and credocommunionist my whole life. What that means is that I’ve always believed that one must profess a belief in Christ before one is baptized and receives communion.

Thanks to Thursday morning breakfasts with a mens group from church and a book we’ve been studying on covenantal relationships with God, I now believe that baptism has replaced circumcision as the sign of the covenant between believers and God. Circumcision was performed on Jewish babies, so it follows that baptism should be perfomed on children, babies in fact, of believers.   

Now, you may say that “The covenant of circumcision” (Acts 7:8) was confined to descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and those converted to Judaism (Genesis 17:12-13; Exodus 12:48); baptism is for all nations (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8).This is true, just as God first chose Israel to demonstrate to the world that we were unable to save ourselves, when He delivers that salvation in the form of His Son, that salvation is made available to all nations, therefore the new covenant must be for all nations.
Then again circumcision was confined to males; baptism is for both male and female. How do we explain that?  I believe that this is part of God’s all inclusive covenant, open to all whom He chooses.  Under the new covenant “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)  The barriers have been lowered.  The temple veil has been torn.  There is no Gentile Court in the temple.  We are all now brothers and sisters in Christ.  Remember, at first God’s grace and mercy was limited to the Jews, it is now open to all nations.
Okay, well if baptism replaced circumcision people who were already circumcised could not be baptized. If baptism replaced circumcision, how could both covenants be in effect at the same time, among the same people?

They weren’t both in effect at the same time. You can’t uncircumcize yourself before you enter into baptism. There had to be a tansition. In God’s mercy He instituted the new covenant before removing the old covenant. Once you are baptized, you have now entered into the new covenant of redemption, the covenant of circumcision is no more.

Well, those are my deep thoughts for this week. Feel free to show me where I’m wrong but be sure to have scripture to back you up!

May God bless you this week.

Just a cryptic message for a certain family and a member of the Liberian Liberation Front.  You know who you are and you are very welcome.  May the Lord bless your family with “just enough”.