One cannot sow wheat and expect somehow, by some miracle, rice to grow. What one sows is what one reaps. One cannot jump from a cliff and expect nothing to happen. Every effect has a cause. Every thought has a consequence. Every consequence follows from a chain of decisions. One cannot play with fire and not expect to burn. Therefore, be careful how and where you set your foot. Do not presume divine protection for careless stubbornness. Fear the Lord. There is a law of sin and there is a law of the Spirit. These laws don't budge to our whims and fantasies. If one tries to indulge in mire, even for a little while, by the edge, the mire will pull him down. If there is a warning or danger sign, better take heed. The fool hardens himself and gets punished. A man who repeats a mistake twice has failed to learn from it. A man who judges others for falling into a pit, and then himself goes and falls into it has not learned from the mistakes of others. But, it may not be a mistake the second time, just a presumptuous hardening of heart. Those who know the laws don't follow their feelings. A builder who builds according to what feels right and innocent or harmless, but, neglects the laws of engineering and is lazy to minutely refer to them will waste both time and material, and sometimes lives. One who sows at the wrong time and the wrong place will only damage the seed. There is a time for everything. There is a place for everything. And, there is a law by which each thing finds its own place and purpose.
"Last Supper" by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo (1750) Yes, it is. Water baptism identifies one with the redemption work of Jesus Christ, with His death, burial, and resurrection. It is anticipated of visible identification with Christ and His Church. Every person has the personal responsibility to examine him/herself before deciding to partake in the Lord's Table. The Bible makes it clear that those who chose not to be baptized were rejecting the counsel of God (Lk.7:30). In a mixed congregation, it is not possible to always know who is worthy to partake of the Table; however, the minister must encourage only those who have been baptized for remission of sins (not just as a ritual but by faith in Jesus Christ) to partake of the Table. Before Jesus sat down to dip bread in the cup, He washed His disciples' feet. He makes the statement that they are already "washed" and only need feet to be washed. Of course, this may not explicitly/only refer to their baptism, fo
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