THE MODERN CHRISTIAN PARADOX OF SALVATION
"We believe BUT we don't believe"
Most Christians believe in the Trinity, One God in Three Persons, The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Yet this truth is NOT VERY CLEAR from Scripture. There is no word "Trinity" in the Bible nor is there any explicit declaration of God as three-in-one.
So, why do we believe this truth? It is because of Holy Tradition (the writings of the bishops, pastors and deacons of the first 300 years after the Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.)
On the other hand, The Lord Himself declared to Nicodemus in John 3:5, "unless one is born of water and the Spirit he CANNOT ENTER THE KINGDOM of God."
Now, Holy Tradition is UNANIMOUS that to be "born of water" means to be baptized in water three times in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. THERE IS NO OTHER INTERPRETATION FROM HOLY TRADITION!
And yet, paradoxically, many modern western "American" Protestants ignore this and instead believe the new "invention" that it is enough to "pray to receive Christ" to become a child of God and inherit eternal life, because this is the way they present "their way to salvation"
This is a tragic dilemma because ETERNAL LIFE IS AT STAKE! What then is the foundation of our faith to claim that we have eternal life? Is it based on the Word of Christ or is it based on a Protestant "invented" formula which is nowhere in Scripture except some logical deduction from John 1:12?
If it is based on the word of God? Where does it say? You will find no such explicit declaration. On the other hand, Peter's Pentecost salvation message was "Repent and BE BAPTIZED for the removal of sins". There is no mention of prayer to receive Christ in order to enter the Kingdom!
In fact, water baptism was so mysteriously sacred to the Apostles that in Acts 19, Paul DID NOT ACCEPT the baptism of John the baptizer and the "believers" HAD TO BE REBAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS!
So why do modern American protestants make water baptism so optional that they postpone it based on convenience instead of the urgency of "saving someone from a burning building?"
Those of us who claim to be biblical, we seem to be the tragic opposite when it comes to the most important event in human life, that of entering the Kingdom of God!
Paradox it is but not a simple one. It might be a matter of life and death. In fact, it is a matter of ETERNAL LIFE or ETERNAL DEATH. Again, what is the foundation of your claim that you have eternal life? The word of Christ or some "invented" formula?
Think about that.
No comments:
Post a Comment