A Young Couple's Baptism

In a metropolitan society like Gurugram where young people are flocking the city for jobs, it has become a trend for lovers to live together without getting married. Live-in relationship has become a new normal for the secular people. When the saints go out to preach the gospel, a good number of such couples were contacted, preached the gospel to, and introduced to the church. This is not the first time I come across such case. 

The Lord has sovereignly brought them to the church and whom the Lord received who am I to not receive? I was reminded of Peter's experience in Acts 

And on the next day as they were journeying and drawing near to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray around the sixth hour. And he became very hungry and wanted to eat. And while they were preparing, a trance came upon him; And he beheld heaven opened, and a certain vessel like a great sheet descending, being let down by four corners onto the earth, In which were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and birds of heaven. And a voice came to him: Rise up, Peter; slay and eat! But Peter said, By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything common and unclean. And a voice came to him again a second time: The things that God has cleansed, do not make common. And this occurred three times; and immediately the vessel was taken up into heaven.  Acts 10:9-16

Yes, I am personally very much aware that such a live-in relationship is sinful. But when they were brought into contact with the saints, the gospel has to be preached and the truth announced. That's what I did. When I met them the first time I could not find time to preach the gospel. Later when they came on the 25th December for the new ones' meeting, in fellowship with the gentleman I realized that the Spirit has been working in his life, even leading him and his friend to meet with the church again. Though they moved away to another city after they first came, they came back as the job promised to them was not working out. Their coming back and joining the meeting was the sovereign arrangement of the Lord. 

In our small-group meeting, we ministered the word of God to him and led him to the Lord. Sensing the need to help him further in his spiritual journey, I explained to him the seven important aspects of baptism using relevant Bible verses and encouraged him to consider the word of God carefully. Two days later, today he and his friend came for the meeting. In fact, he came prepared to be baptized. After the meeting, we led him to baptism. Praise the Lord he was baptized!

After his baptism, I fellowshipped with them about the need to set things right before God and man. On the one hand, God is a God of love, grace, and mercy, and on the other hand, our God is also a God of righteousness and holiness. In a way of shepherding I  fellowshipped with him and his girlfriend the need to set right their live-in relationship into proper marriage life. In fact, they both agreed that they should be indeed legally and properly married. They are waiting for financial stability and family approval. I made it clear to them that they already crossed over to the limit of relationship an unmarried couple should maintain. Therefore, they need to set their relationship right at the earliest. I had no intention to tell them this but the Lord led me to teach them the truth in a way of shepherding to lead them in the proper path. They both confessed their sins and wanted to set things right. I spoke what I need to speak and left the decision to them. May the Lord lead them through and through.

They also joined the church's PSRP session, after which I spoke to them again. To my surprise, I discovered that the lady was only child baptized though a confessing believer. Then I spoke to them about the meaning of believing and baptism. I led them to the word of God in Mark 16:16, the importance of genuine believing first, and then proper water baptism. To clarify the truth further, I led them to read through The Mystery of Human Life and expounded them  God's plan, God's creation of man with three parts -body, soul, and spirit; man's fall, Christ's redemption, repentance, confession, believing and baptism, and the need to grow in life by daily spending time with the Lord in prayer in the word, and to be in constant fellowship with the church. Then the girl who was only child baptized decided to be baptized properly. Therefore, we gave her baptism as well. Thus the couple got baptized on the same day today.

May the Lord grace them to continually feed on the word and grow in life to be remaining fruits in the church life.