by Warren Baldwin

A man is stumbling through the woods drunk when he comes upon a preacher baptizing people in the river. He proceeds to walk into the water and bumps into the preacher. The preacher turns and is almost overcome by the smell of alcohol, whereupon he asks the drunk, "Are you ready to find Jesus?" The drunk answers, "Yes, I am." So the preacher grabs him and dunks him. He pulls him up and asks the drunk, "Brother, have you found Jesus?"

The drunk replies, "No, I haven't found Jesus." The preacher, shocked at the answer, dunks him again for a little longer. He pulls him out and asks again, "Have you found Jesus, my brother?" The drunk again answers, "No, I haven't found Jesus."

By this time the preacher is at his wits' end and dunks the drunk again -- but this time holds him down for about 30 seconds. When he begins flailing and kicking, the preacher pulls him up. The preacher again asks the drunk, "Finally, my friend, have you found Jesus?" The drunk wipes his eyes and catches his breath and says to the preacher, "Are you sure this is where he fell in?"

Humor sometimes is more serious than it is funny.

I wonder how many people have been baptized based on someone else's decision or influence? I bet the number is pretty high, actually. A child or young teen is baptized because "everyone else is" at this age. A young man or woman is baptized because the person they are dating strongly encourages it. A person is baptized because he has heard a stirring lesson about baptism and is convinced that "If I am baptized Jesus will take away all of my problems."

Some people being baptized may be as willing as the drunk in the story. And they may not have any more understanding than he did, either.

The Bible teaches that baptism is a response of faith of someone seeking a relationship with God. Preceding baptism is the conviction that Jesus is the son of God, and that he came from the Father to reach out to people who are lost and struggling in this life. Jesus is the offer of God to enter a saving relationship with the Father.

Baptism says, "Yes, I believe, and I am ready to act on that belief." Several statements in the Bible indicate how important this decision is ... and not just this decision, but rather this DESIRE to enter into relationship with God. Baptism is to wash away sins. It is to clothe oneself with Christ. To be granted a clear conscience for having obeyed God. To become part of the family of God.

None of these aspects of baptism are insignificant. They are all important, which is why baptism deserves more attention and thought than the drunk being dipped against his will by an overly zealous preacher.

One writer described baptism as the believer's wedding ceremony. Just as the wedding ceremony and the "I do" statement seal the marital relationship, so baptism is like the sealing of a relationship with God. Neither the wedding ceremony nor baptism IS the relationship. They are merely the public demonstration of the commitment to another taking place in one's life. But that public demonstration is incredibly important.

Don't just stumble into baptism. Don't let someone else decide FOR you when the proper time is for you to enter this relationship with God. The "I do" statement of marriage, followed by the kiss, and the "I believe Jesus Christ is the son of God" statement, followed by baptism, are entry points into two very important relationships. They are both decisions and relationships to be made and entered into BY YOU when you are ready. Enter prayerfully. But, please, enter.

by J. J. Turner

The world is looking for a place where people aren't putting up fronts or wearing masks. "Be real" is a common expression in our day, and is some very good advice for all of us.

Hypocrisy is not confined to religion; it is everywhere. I've heard people reject religion because "There are too many hypocrites in the church." Yet these same people are not influenced by them in other areas of life. Society is crowded with them, and yet they never think of becoming hermits. There are hypocrites on the job, but they won't quit. Hell is full of them, and yet they don't do a thing to keep from going there.

During His ministry Jesus had a lot to say about the traits and destiny of hypocrites. In general, the Greek word "hupocrisis" means to play a part, act, false, deceptive, deceived; formally and outwardly religious and good, but inwardly insincere and unrighteous. The play actor may deceive himself as well as others.

This is why "the way of the hypocrite's hope shall perish" (Job 8:13). On no other class did our Lord pronounce such severe condemnation as on the "play actors" of his day. (See Matthew 23.)

Only God knows who is real and who is merely playing a part. John Milton, in Paradise Lost, Book III, wrote, "For neither man or angel can discern hypocrisy, the only evil that walks invisible, except to God alone."

If hypocrisy is part of your lifestyle, let me encourage you to lay it aside before it is too late (1 Peter 2:1).

It's okay to be real.

Adapted from Building a Positive Life, vol. 2 (J. C. Choate Publications), pp. 12-13.

by Warren Baldwin

We frequently speak of "searching" or "seeking" for God and truth. For many of us the idea of "hungering and thirsting for righteousness" has become the basis for how we view our relationship with God: we left him in sin and rebellion and now we turn back to him.

And that is true. But that is only part of the story. Because even with all of our efforts to "find" God, we never would if it were not for the fact that God wants for us to find him. And he has made it possible for us to find him.

You see, even before we began our search for God, before we ever opened the Bible and searched his Word, before we ever began to pray and worship, God was first seeking us.

Think about it. Who was it who

• approached Adam and Eve after they sinned and then tried to hide from their creator?

• sent Nathan to David after his horrible string of sins?

• commissioned prophets to go to the people and plead for their return?

• sent his own son as a sacrifice for the sins of all people?

• sent out fishers of men in the name of his son?

It was God. Before we ever began our search for the Father he has been in diligent search for us. He is the shepherd who searches for the lost sheep, the woman looking for the lost coin, the father patrolling the road looking for the homeward glance of the son.

The Bible says that "we love him because he first loved us." It is equally true that "we seek him because he first sought us."

Our hungering and thirsting for righteousness finds fulfillment in the God who wants to be found.

by H. Leo Boles*

Much trouble and worry come about because we didn't know -— didn't think. Many know and preach, but don't practice. The following is the results of a questionnaire from successful men.

I Wish I Had Known:

1. What I was to make my life's work.

2. That my health after thirty years of age depended largely upon what I ate before reaching the age of twenty-one.

3. How to take care of money.

4. The commercial asset of going neatly and sensibly dressed.

5. That habits are hard to change after twenty-one years.

6. A harvest depends upon the seed sown.

7. Things worthwhile require time, patience, and work.

8. That I can't get something for nothing.

9. That the world will give me what I deserve.

10. That by the sweat of my brow I must earn my bread.

11. That a thorough education brings the best of everything.

12. That honesty is the best policy for right.

13. The value of truth in everything.

14. The folly of not taking the advice of older people.

15. What it really means to parents to rear their son.

16. What hardships and disappointment leaving home against parent's will brings.

17. More of the Bible.

18. The value of the opportunity of serving my fellow-man.

19. That Jesus is with me always.

20. That God's relationship to me is as good as that of a shepherd to his sheep.

*Chapel Talk by H. Leo Boles at David Lipscomb College, Spring, 1928. Taken from A Word Fitly Spoken, by John D. Cox.

by Leroy Brownlow

1. More Knocking on Doors and Less Knocking on Each Other. The Great Commission demands that we busy ourselves in taking the gospel to others (Mark 16:15). The Bible says, "Speak not evil one of another..." (Jas. 4:11). It is so much better to be busy doing good rather than evil.

2. More Sound Heads and Fewer Soreheads. Perhaps there has never been a time in the history of the church in which we have had a greater need for men sound in the faith and wise in judgment. Sometimes the voice of the wise goes unheeded and the voice of the foolish takes over (1 Kings 12:6-8).

3. More Open Hearts and Fewer Open Mouths. All conduct proceeds from the heart. Prejudice closes the heart to a true consideration of the facts. If the heart was made right before the mouth was opened, most church problems locally and universally would cease to exist (Jas 3:5-6; Prov. 26:20).

4. More Seed Slinging and Less Mud Slinging. The task of sowing the seed of the kingdom is so great that it should leave no time for the slinging of mud at a brother. The fact that we have the whole world as our foe should draw us closer together (Prov. 18:24). There should be no division in the Lord’s camp (1 Cor. 1:10). One can never whitewash himself by slinging mud at another. He who tries gets his own hands dirty.

5. More Sacrifice of Self and Less Sacrifice of Others. There are plenty of members of the church who are willing to sacrifice the other fellow — his talent, his time, his money, and even perhaps his reputation. Sacrifice should begin at home (Luke 9:23).

6. More Concern over Direction Than Speed. This is the jet and missile age. Speed is being enthroned and multitudes bow before it. But in the Lord’s work, the greater question is not: “How fast are we traveling?” But rather, “Which way are we going?” (John 14:6; Matt. 7:13-14). All speed is not progress. On the other hand, neither is standing still.

From Vol. 38, The Voice of Truth International.