The Gospel of Christ is a mystery to many because it is so unlike any human idea. At the heart of the Gospel is the resurrection of Christ. While a fallen world believes it should gain God’s approval by great deeds or works, God determined before the foundations of the world were put in place that He would save us through the perfect life of His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ. Our relationship and even our salvation from God are not based on the great things we have done, but rather on our unity with Christ. Jesus is the ONLY human being who ever gained God’s approval by living a sinless life, overcoming this world and perfectly fulfilling God’s will. Our hope does not rest on how perfectly we live out our lives every day –that is a supernatural result of a greater truth: Our hope rests on our unity with Christ.
This is a primary reason why baptism by immersion is so important. God gives us a living event that establishes our hope. It is at the time of baptism that we are united with Christ’s death and resurrection. This is why it is so important to give consent to baptism; if I am too young to remember the event, if I never personally made the decision to be baptized, then how have I given consent to be united with Christ, His death and resurrection? The Scripture is clear that we are saved by accepting the Gospel of Christ that is offered to us by grace through faith, when we confess Christ as our personal Savior at the time of baptism by immersion.
God has always offered us a choice to accept His love or reject Him forever -personally. He offered this to Adam & Eve, He offered it to Israel, and He offers it to us today. The teachings and traditions of men often obscure the truth of God, but God’s Word stands forever. To be found in God’s pleasure, we must be found in Christ. To be found in Christ, we must be united with Christ by personally accepting His death and resurrection. To be united with Christ’s death means to be set free from the condemnation of sin (“the wages of sin is [eternal] death”). To be united with Christ’s resurrection means eternal life, victory over death and a completely new existence to come. If we are united with Christ, then we are united with all that Christ has and WILL accomplish –and this is the truth on which all of our hope rests –and hope in Christ will never disappoint us.
Kouts Christian Church is the Body of Christ, united to Christ through His death and resurrection. KCC is released from the condemnation of sin and is released to serve and love God by the resurrection of Christ. Because Jesus lives, WE LIVE! Church is the most awesome place to be in this world, because it’s the place where we are constantly reminded that we serve a Risen Savior who loves us –and we love Him too! And He’s coming back to realize His resurrection in all who have longed for His Appearing! Isn’t that exciting?!!!
Anticipating His soon Return,
George