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I was baptized when I was 17, and I made A LOT of terrible choices in life and veered away from God. I’m now about to be 27, and ready to give my life completely to God. Would I be able to be baptized again?
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If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.(Luke 14 : 26~27)
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.(John 15 : 12~14)
For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.(Romans 14 : 7)
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.(1 John 3 : 3~9)
What matters most is why I believe. If one truly becomes a true Christian who takes up his own cross, follows after the love of God, and lives with the hope of Christ as his goal, then all of his experiences and life will be more valuable than anything in this world. However, because of heresies, corruption, and false faith that attempt to serve God while at the same time clinging to the world and material things, all Christians today cannot escape the yoke and habit of sin in which they inevitably continue to sin and repent, sin and repent, until the day they die. The Scriptures say that whoever commits sin is a child of the devil, and that such a one is a servant of sin. But it is also written that the children of God do not commit sin and are freed from sin.
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.(1 John 3 : 6~10)
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.(John 8 : 34)
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.(Romans 6 : 17~23)
Therefore, whether one is baptized or not has no meaning. If your faith is truly only for your own happiness, blessing, and success, then you stand as an enemy who directly opposes the word of Christ, who said, Take up the cross and follow Me. The holy will of God is that we receive His love, and through that love obtain the power to put an end to the sins that arise from the evil habits of our flesh. A lifetime of self-reliant awareness, resolutions, and determinations learned through sermons that emphasize words and theories alone cannot remove sin. That is why sin inevitably continues to repeat. This is not the faith of Christ, but the faith of a mere religionist. Christianity today is not true follower of Christ. It is a faith that only repeats sin, a faith that reveals nothing but the limitations of the flesh. In other words, it is by the power of God revealed in His love that He personally helps us, so that even though we may spend a lifetime awakening, resolving, and determining, yet cannot change or be transformed, we are led instead to receive the power to overcome the yoke and limits of sin, which compel humanity to commit sin. This is the work of God’s shepherd, and this is the truth.
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.(1 Corinthians 17~18)
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.(2 Timothy 3 : 16~17)
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:(Colossians 1 : 10~14)
The truth is to lead us to receive the power of God, not the teachings of man that, with words and theories alone, stir emotions, awaken, and cause people to make resolutions and determinations. With such human teachings at the forefront, all heresies and all religions instruct in the very same way. Christians also, even though they are awakened, resolved, and determined through the teachings and emotional inspiration of man, cannot escape the limitation of committing sin until the day they die. If I truly desire to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance, then I must not, like Esau, only cry out about my own tears, my own pain, and my own suffering. Rather, through my tears, I must see the tears of my brethren; through my pain, I must recognize the sorrows of my brethren; and through my mourning, I must seek a heart that has compassion upon the suffering of my brethren. This is the attitude, the standard, and the very center of a true Christian. And for more detailed matters, please ask within Moses’ Burning Bush(https://mosesbush.com). Its contents are vast.
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.(2 Corinthians 7 : 10)
Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.(Hebrews 12 : 16~17)