The Cover Story
THE COVER STORY
Usually the cover story is reserved for the front page of the newspaper, or the second page of the book. However, this is the story behind the picture and the graphics which appear in this book. We shall call the young man in the picture Joshua. That is not his real name, of course; as he shall give his testimony in this manner for all time—anonymously! The reason being, we are protecting his identity as this is a true story. As I said previously in the chapter entitled "Mode of Baptism," I have baptized people in streams, rivers, lakes, stock tanks (new, of course); or, the baptistery of our church. The baptism pictured on the cover happened at Lake Laura, a lake formed by damming up the famous "Plum Creek" of "Little House On The Prairie" fame.
Since we do not have a baptistery, every year when we have our church picnic, we also arrange for those who have trusted the Lord during the past year to be baptized. Then, after filling ourselves with the delicious food church picnics are famous for, we descend upon the beach at Lake Laura. It instantly begins to very much resemble the Jordan River, or the Sea of Galilee; and we usually draw an audience of local residents, which gives me the opportunity to explain that baptism has nothing to do with salvation. It is simply one of the two ordinances Christ left us, and not a "sacrament" which some denominations believe imparts saving grace. This particular summer, when we were making our way to the lake, the young man in the picture took me aside and whispered that he wanted to be baptized, too. I asked him, Why?; and he said he knew he was saved; but had never had the opportunity to be baptized. Since he was young, I wanted to be sure that he knew how to go to Heaven, and everyone else understood that he knew that!
So, I quizzed him. Joshua assured me that a couple of years earlier, his parents had led him to the Lord. He also assured me that he had believed that Jesus Christ's death was the total payment for his sins, and that was what gets you into Heaven. He knew that baptism did not have anything to do with salvation, he just wanted to be obedient to the Lord.
I said, "Joshua, before you are baptized, I want you to tell everyone else what you just told me, and I want you to speak up like a man! Can you do that?" He nodded his head. Just before I baptized him, I said, "Now, Joshua!, and he belted out his testimony in tones so loud and clear they reverberated off the surrounding hills! His mother was shocked. Everyone else was surprised! And Joshua got baptized.
We always take pictures of these occasions, and that's how we happened to have this one. It's just a casual snapshot.
That's the "cover story;" but it brings out a point. The Bible teaches that, whether you are older or a young person, baptism comes after salvation and has nothing to do with getting you to Heaven. If Joshua had never been baptized, according to what he told me, we would still see him in Heaven someday. Do you believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the Cross to pay for your sins, plus nothing? No works, no church membership or ritual, just "...believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." --Acts 16:31 Then, this book has accomplished its goal. This book is dedicated to all who have a
sincere desire to know the truth, and
not be deceived by tradition.
"See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." - Acts 8:36-37