The Eunuch's Hindrances

Acts 8:36

I am one of those people that when I get an idea, which doesn't happen to often, then something prevents me from doing that idea.  I had an idea that I could be a model.  I wanted it so bad, but it turns out my looks are preventing me from doing that.  Well, I could always try to model for a sock company.  On a more serious note, the eunuch was similar to me in that he had an idea the he should be baptized.  He too, didn't want to be prevented from doing his idea so He asked Phillip about it in the above scripture.  That got me thinking, what are some hindrances today that prevent people from being baptized?

I instantly thought if unbelief.  Phillip made sure that belief was present in the eunuch.  Look at his response to the eunuch's question. Acts 8:37  The person to administer the baptism was present in Phillip.  The person to receive the baptism was present in the eunuch.  The water was present beside the desert road.  The only thing preventing the eunuch  from being baptized was his possible unbelief!  No person can be scriptually baptized without belief. Mk 16:16

Another hindrance is impenitence.  Repentance, like belief, must be present before a scriptural baptism takes place. Acts 2:38  Jesus tells us repentance in essential. Lk 13:3

The third hindrance is how the first two have come to be in existence.  A lack of sound Biblical teaching hinders many people from being baptized.  Many people are not taught the essentiality of baptism.  Many are told baptism is a Christian duty as opposed to a command.  I am pretty sure Christ commanded baptism. Mt 28:19  Many teach this duty of baptism is to be done after a person is a Christian.  That is an errant teaching.  When is a person a Christian or born again?  Many say when we make the mere mental assertion that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.  This mental assertion, or belief is a necessity as mentioned above, but it is not the only stipulation.  Dean Mills once said, "When we read of one criteria to receive something in scripture we now have the minimum of what must be done to receive what we desire.  As we continue to study about what we want to receive and learn of another criteria we don't forget the first criteria.  We now have two minimums to receive whatever we are studying."  So when we read Mk 16:16 belief is to present for salvation we have a minimum for receiving salvation.  Now, when we read in Acts 2:38 that repentance is needed for salvation we cannot just throw away our first minimum.  We now have two minimums to receive salvation, belief and repentance.  That is what needs to be taught.

A lack of sound Biblical teaching results in false teaching.  This is another hindrance.  Many people go through life thinking they were baptized as an infant and have no need to be baptized.  How can an infant believe like the eunuch?  What sin has an infant committed that repentance is necessary?  How has an infant received sound Biblical teaching?  THEY HAVEN'T!!  

The teaching on the method of baptism is a hindrance as well.  Many are taught that sprinkling, dabbing. or pouring water on a person is a sufficient baptism.  This teaching is as false as the infant baptism.  Rom 6:4 says we are buried with Christ in our baptism.  Thus, baptism is a burial.  I always say "You never see a funeral where the deceased person has dirt sprinkled, dabbed, or poured over their body and then is called buried do you?  NO!  When a deceased person is buried they are put completely underground.  Hence, if we are to be buried with Christ in baptism we must be completely under the water.  How else can a person "go down into the water" & "come up out of the water?" Acts 8:38,39; Mk 1:9,10   The false teachings on the methods of baptism and infant baptisms are a result of no sound Biblical teaching and they are hindering many form being scriptually baptized today.

Another hindrance is voting candidates into a congregation.  You must understand this, "You CANNOT join the church.  You must be ADDED to the church."  Man does not have the authority to add people to the church!  Adding people to the Church is a right that exclusively belongs to the Lord. Acts 2:47 KJV  Man is to baptize by the authority of Jesus Christ (Mt 28:18,19) and the adding to the Church is God's business.  Was the eunuch voted into a congregation.  NO!  He was, however, immersed into a watery grave after he believed with all his heart.

Lastly, procrastination is hindrance to people being baptized.  Felix was hindered by this in Acts 24:25.  Life is too short and uncertain to foolishly squander away time and opportunity.  Our stay on this earth is like that of a vapor. Jas 4:14   Life is too frail to trust in what tomorrow may offer!

Have you been hindered by any of the above things and they have kept you from being baptized?  You know Saul of Tarsus met Jesus on the road to Damascus.  There he believed that Jesus was the Son of God.  There he began to obey Jesus as he went to the street called straight.  In Damascus, he prayed and fasted for three days. Acts 9:9.  After all that most people would teach you have done enough to be saved, but that is not what the Bible teaches.  You have not done enough to be saved until God says you have done enough to be saved.  Saul was told to be baptized! Acts 22:16

Today, have you been immersed into a watery grave with Christ for the remission of your sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit?  Have you been scriptually and Biblically baptized?  If not, you now have heard the truth and all that is missing is your belief and repentance.  Please don't be a procrastinator like Felix!!   "Why do you delay?  Get up and be baptized.  Washing away your sins.  Calling on the name of the Lord.  

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

Hear The Word-  Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4

We Must Believe or Have Faith-  Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31

We Must Repent-  Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30

We Must Confess Christ Before Others-  Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37

We Must Be Immersed Into Christ (Baptized)-  1Pe 3:21; Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38  

We Must Remain Faithful-  Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22