George had made a very good living in the Gas Station business. He was a very good businessman. His wife, Martha, helped him make sure that all things were tracked, logged, and accounted for. They made a very good team. George's prosperity did not blind his humanity. He helped more people in a year than most could or would help in their lifetime. George never drank a drop of liquor. He had seen what it had done to men and their families. He told the truth. He had more integrity in his little finger than most professing Christians had in their whole body! In fact, George was more faithful in church attendance than many of them. George was a good man ... period! Imagine what he thought when I told him how pitiful he was!
George read all the scriptures about baptism. He came to realize that you were not really "in Christ" until you have been "baptized into Christ" (Galatians 3:27). He had never been baptized. George had been in business for many years. He had dealt with all kinds of people. People had cheated him out of a lot of money over the years. Many of these people were professing Christians. He knew that he was a better person than a lot of them! Surely God knew that too! What difference did being baptized make? I simply looked at him and told him, "George, you are pitiful!" His face grew red as he tried to hide his feelings behind his broad smile. George was a no nonsense kind of guy. If you insulted him, he would defend his integrity in no uncertain terms. I was playing with fire here! He knew that Paul was told in Acts 22:16 "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, ..."! I explained that if a man's sins had not been "washed away", he is in a pitiful position.
It was on a Wednesday night (June 11th, 2003). We were getting ready to begin our Wednesday night Bible class. George walked up to me and said, "I want you to baptize me." We did. George understood that it was not about him or his goodness. It was not about anyone else's hypocrisy or lifestyle. It was about Jesus and His goodness! When he wasn't "in Christ", he was a sinner - he was pitiful! Now George is a Christian!
George read all the scriptures about baptism. He came to realize that you were not really "in Christ" until you have been "baptized into Christ" (Galatians 3:27). He had never been baptized. George had been in business for many years. He had dealt with all kinds of people. People had cheated him out of a lot of money over the years. Many of these people were professing Christians. He knew that he was a better person than a lot of them! Surely God knew that too! What difference did being baptized make? I simply looked at him and told him, "George, you are pitiful!" His face grew red as he tried to hide his feelings behind his broad smile. George was a no nonsense kind of guy. If you insulted him, he would defend his integrity in no uncertain terms. I was playing with fire here! He knew that Paul was told in Acts 22:16 "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, ..."! I explained that if a man's sins had not been "washed away", he is in a pitiful position.
It was on a Wednesday night (June 11th, 2003). We were getting ready to begin our Wednesday night Bible class. George walked up to me and said, "I want you to baptize me." We did. George understood that it was not about him or his goodness. It was not about anyone else's hypocrisy or lifestyle. It was about Jesus and His goodness! When he wasn't "in Christ", he was a sinner - he was pitiful! Now George is a Christian!