At the youth lock-in back in February, the youth were challenged to come up with some tough questions for the pastor to answer. We call it “stump the pastor.” Here are two of their questions.
1 – Do we have to be baptized to go to heaven?
No, you do not have to be baptized to go to heaven. However, we do need to be baptized in order to obey Jesus who commands that we must be baptized! Acts 2:38-39 – “And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
Baptism is a sign of the new covenant that God makes with His people. We have the clear mandate in the New Testament that Christians are to be baptized. If you are a believer in Jesus, as soon as you have opportunity, you must seek to be baptized (unless you have received it when you were an infant).
Note: There is at least one person in sacred Scripture who was taken to heaven and
hadn’t received baptism. Do you know who he is? He was one of the criminals that
was crucified with Jesus. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And He
said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
There’s another question the youth posed as I mentioned earlier in this letter.
2 – Do we need to go to church to go to heaven?
Yes, we see your need to go to church to go to heaven. And we will want to go to heaven because we would be in paradise! Give us more, Jesus! Hebrews 10:24-25 – “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
Notice phrases like “stir one another to love and good works,” “not neglecting to meet together,” and “encouraging one another.” This is the language of family and togetherness. It is not the language of isolation or running away from each other!
There are at least 59 “one another” passages in the New Testament. Each of them is given to strengthen the Church and our covenant families against the wiles of the evil one (Satan, the devil). There can be no denying that the local church congregation is a gathered family of people present among one another to worship the living God!
I’ll have more questions to answer from the youth to discuss in the July Trinity Times newsletter. Until then, live for Jesus, give God the glory, overcome your sin and temptation. The Battle is not long! We can do this…together! SDG, Pastor Daren
Trinity Presbyterian Church 