Happy Re-birth Day!!
Written by Christopher
Mentzer
This coming Friday I celebrate my 40th birthday. To me and to most people it’s a milestone year. Not exactly young anymore and not exactly old either. Now I know I receive flak from both sides of that spectrum but that not the issue of this article. Today, September 9th, is another milestone for me. It’s a more important milestone than my birthday, or wedding anniversary or any other date that is out there. It’s a milestone because it was the day I was baptized and added to the body of Christ.
Six years ago on a Sunday night I
was baptized. But the number of years
isn’t exactly important because, to me, every year is a milestone as a
Christian. As Paul stated in 2 Cor. 4:
16, “For which cause we faint not; but though our
outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed
day by day.”
(KJV)
This is very true for me. I came into the church as a member of the
world, knowing very little about the church and the bible having been raised in
a denominational church. My original
goal was to have my girls baptized but I didn’t want the hassle of joining a
church because I knew that I would only join long enough to see them baptized
and disappear! So instead, I became an
ordained minister online and it was my thinking to baptize them myself.
One thing led to another and I
considered starting my own church. To do
that of course, I had to learn the bible.
I found online a website called Truth For The
World, not realizing it was through
Once I learned the truth about
salvation, and the true church, that is, the people and the not the building,
it was time to act upon it. I attended
my first service with bible in hand. I
wasn’t expecting to use it thinking back on my denominational days but brought it to show I could “talk the talk” or whatever. The first gospel sermon I heard was called Mirror
of The Soul.
And my bible was officially broken in.
Never had I heard so much scripture used in one lesson!
Of course this wasn’t enough and I wanted more. The next Sunday night was a song service and I was disappointed because I want to hear a sermon. The invitation came along and it was very convincing and I almost went to the front that night. Almost? Yes, almost. I’m sure you’re reminded of what Agrippa told Paul in Acts 26:28, “…Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” (KJV) The reason for my delay though was not fear of the truth but a promise I made to some friends that I would let them see me be baptized.
Later that week I thought to myself, “I’m doing this for
me not for them or for anyone else.” So
on
Did I expect to feel different? Yes, I did. I’ve read stories about people ‘feeling
change’ like the heavens opened up and Jesus smiled down on them or
whatever. I, however, didn’t feel
different. But that was okay because I
knew I had done the right thing and that’s what was important. Feeling different came months later as I
realized some of the things that I use to do, listen to, and watch became more
offensive to me. I gave up those
things. As Paul states in 2 Cor.
But the road to heaven is very
difficult as Jesus states in Matt. 7: 13-14 and I learned that the hard way
too. I knew it would be hard, just not that
hard. But I haven’t regretted my
conversion at all just made adjustments in my life to better serve God and my
family.
If you’re reading this and are
not a Christian, consider seriously these words and look at your own life. Change yourself while you still have the
chance. As Paul wrote in 2 Cor. 6: 2, “…behold,
now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Don’t put
it off another second, only you can do what is right for you. Save yourself from this crooked generation.
(Acts