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Most of the things we believe are preferential, not divisively doctrinal. This news may be odd to you if you spend time reading, listening, and watching the “smart people” talk about all the things that you can split into tiny theological hairs.
I’m stating this upfront because I don’t want you to read or listen here, thinking I’ve cornered the market on how things ought to be. I’m in a learning process just like you. The things I believed when I started my journey with the Lord in 1984 are not 100 percent identical to the beliefs that I subscribe to today.
Also, I don’t want you to succumb to the fear of man. When insecure folks hear how others do things, they can become anxious, as they wonder if they are doing something wrong. Or worse, they think that God is not pleased with them.
And then there is the legalist who lives in a clearly defined black and white world. If you don’t do it their way, you’re wrong, and there is nothing else to say about that. I’m not a legalist about baptism, and I trust you aren’t either.
For this podcast, I’ve divided baptism into two categories, non-negotiable and negotiable. As you will see, there are few things worth fighting over when it comes to this precious ordinance of the church. Every hill is not worth dying on, and the things you believe today will take on different shapes as you learn more about God and His Word.
The one thing you must not mess with is the gospel (Galatians 1:8-9). Paul had strong words for those who try to define and live the gospel another way. But the great apostle was flexible, patient, and, above all else, humble when it came to many things, even if those truths are important to our walk with the Lord.
Rick Thomas leads a training network for Christians to assist them in becoming more effective soul care providers. RickThomas.Net reaches people around the world through consulting, training, podcasting, writing, counseling, and speaking.
In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology, and in 1991 he received a BS in Education. In 1993 he was ordained into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master’s University in Santa Clarita, CA. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).