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Atínale... Get it right...

1/21/2017

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“pues todos sois hijos de Dios por la fe en Cristo Jesús;” (Gál 3:26)

En un bautismo reciente un hombre de veinte y tantos años nos contó cómo había venido a Cristo cuatro años antes.

No nos gusta esperar cuatro años para bautizar, pero tampoco nos apresuramos con creyentes nuevos. Tiene que haber una claridad en cuanto a lo que es un bautismo y lo que no es. En donde me ha tocado ministrar, casi todos "saben" que el bautismo tiene que ver con quitar el pecado.

Cuando bautizamos, siempre hay gente presente que no ha visto cómo lo hacemos. Es una excelente oportunidad para aclarar el punto y compartir el plan sencillo de Dios para la salvación.

Es importante ser claro. Hay una simplicidad bella en la historia de Jesús. ¡Qué gozo ver que hasta los niños la abracen! Hemos de alumbrar el camino a Dios, no hacer que sea más difícil de distinguir.

No hay nada novedoso en la manera en que intentamos hacer el punto. Nos gusta preguntar, "si el bautismo lava el pecado, ¿por qué entonces se bautizó Jesús?" O, "Cómo es que el malhechor en la cruz junto a Jesús fue ese mismo día al Paraíso sin ser bautizado?

"por la fe en Cristo Jesús” significa entender que si él no hubiera hecho lo que hizo, nadie iría al cielo... nunca. Cuando derramó su sangre por nuestros pecados, las demandas justas del Padre fueron satisfechas. ¡Pagó todo Jesús! Lo que queda es invitarlo a nuestros corazones.

“Mas a todos los que le recibieron, a los que creen en su nombre, les dio potestad de ser hechos hijos de Dios;” (Juan 1:12)

Pero, ¡atínale! El creer no es una mera sensación de que Dios de alguna manera esté contigo. Es "la fe en Cristo Jesús." Es su muerte en tu lugar que abre la puerta al cielo. Dále entrada a El y Él te da entrada a ti... ¡para siempre!

Querido Dios: Me veo a mí mismo y mi pecado incluídos en el sacrificio de tu Hijo. Sufrió y murió en mi lugar. Me invita a abrir mi corazón a Él. Lo hago felizmente ahora. Gracias por hacer posible que yo sea perdonado y recibido en tu presencia.

"for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith."  (Ga. 3:26) 

In the recent baptism of a man in his 20’s, he told us about how he had came to Christ some four years earlier.

We don't like to wait four years to baptize, but neither do we get in a hurry with new believers. There has to be clarity about what baptism is and what it isn’t. Where I have ministered, nearly everyone “knows” that baptism plays some part in the remission of sin.

When we baptize, there are always people present who are unfamiliar with the way that we do things. It is an excellent opportunity to clarify the point and share God's simple plan of salvation. 

It is important to be clear. There is a beautiful simplicity in the story of Jesus. What a joy to watch even children embrace it! We are supposed to shed light on the path to God, not make it harder to see.

There is nothing novel about the way we try to make the point. We like to ask, "If baptism washes away sin, then why was Jesus baptized?" Or, "how did the thief on the cross next to Jesus get to Paradise the same day that he died without being baptized?"

"by faith in Christ Jesus" means understanding that if He had not done what He did, no one would go to heaven... ever. When He shed His blood for our sins, the Father's demands were satisfied. Jesus paid it all! All that is left is to invite Him into our hearts.

"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,"  (Jn 1:12)

But get it right: believing is not a mere sensation of God somehow being there for you. It is "faith in Christ Jesus." It is His death in your place that opens the door to heaven. Let Him in and He lets you in…forever!

Dear God in heaven: I see myself and my own sin included in the sacrifice of your Son. He suffered and died in my place. He invites me to open my heart to Him. I gladly do so today. Thank you for making it possible for me to be forgiven and received in your presence.

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    Greg Smith

    Greg grew up in Menomonee Falls, WI. His ministry began in 1976: 5 years in Central America, 36 in Mexico. His passion is church planting and discipleship.
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    Greg enjoys being married to Carol Ahola-Smith. Both have been missionaries (Japan and Mexico); both watched their first spouses precede them in death.
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