> -----Original Message-----
> From: john-thomas richards [mailto:jtrspam@...]
> Sent: Wednesday, 30 April 2008 5:23 AM
> To: soundofgrace@...
> Subject: Re: [soundofgrace] Baptism Celebration
> 
> Jeff Scanlan wrote:
> > Last Sunday at the door as we were leaving I told our pastor that I
> really
> > appreciated his sermon on Romans 9. He used the opportunity to explain
> more
> > on justification.
> >
> > Telling him that I appreciated the sermon is a far cry from paying him
> > according to how the congregation rated his sermon. Paying him that way
> > would be inappropriate.
> 
> How does this relate to the discussion about celebrating a man's new
> life via a barbecue?  Thanking your pastor and celebrating new life are
> not similar.
> 

There is a clear similarity at the point of whether we give glory, implied
or otherwise, to the person rather than God.


> > Nobody likes a party more than me. However I cannot accept any notion of
> > having cakes, barbecues, etc. after baptisms. It is too easy to
> > misunderstand what is happening, particularly for those who are not even
> > Christians and might be watching.
> 
> You are unable to accept *any* notion of having cakes, barbecues, etc.
> after baptisms?  You cannot conceive of any time where it might be
> appropriate to celebrate a baptism with a cake or a barbecue?  Do you
> celebrate a loved one's birthday?  What did he/she do but live another
> year (and that by God's grace)?  We celebrate physical life annually, so
> why not celebrate eternal life?  Can we not have a barbecue for the
> glory of God?  Did not Paul instruct us to do everything - including
> barbecues - for the glory of God?
> 

NO I will never accept that. I have seen it almost always be something that
misses the point of what the baptism is about. I have always come away from
it considering that the whole process has been thoroughly debased and
looking at those who have been the candidates on those occasions and their
subsequent lives fully justifies how I see it. 



> > After all we are unworthy servants. When we do things for the Lord and
> > because the Lord has commanded them we are only doing our duty.
> 
> "Only doing our duty."  Therein lies our disagreement.  I am most
> unworthy.  When I ponder how God has called me to preach and to teach I
> want to get up and dance...and have a barbecue.  That Holy God would
> deign to use me for His work...wow.  That is cause for celebration.  I
> am sorry it is mere duty to you.  Really, I am.  That we can serve a
> holy God and not be struck down is an amazing privilege.  It is far from
> mere duty.
> 


Well that is what the scripture says. We have only done our duty (Luke
17:10)

God bless,
Jeff