Unashamed Confidence (2 Timothy 1:8-12)

You're listening to the expository preaching ministry of Kootenai Community Church located in Kootenai,

Idaho.

We pray that Christ is exalted and your spirit is blessed by the teaching of God's Word.

For more information about Kootenai Church, please visit us online at Kootenai church org.

All right,

baptism is a proclamation of our identification with Jesus Christ.

We do this in obedience to him to show that he is our Lord that we belong to him that he belongs to

Us.

This act of baptism displays something that he did on our behalf.

And it is a public confession that we do in the presence of many witnesses because it takes courage.

To stand up in front of other people and even on a live stream and proclaim that you are a sinner.

That you deserve nothing.

But God's wrath that you have done nothing to earn his favor that you can do nothing to earn his favor and all

you deserve is judgment and Then to also proclaim that you are because those things are true.

Placing your entire faith and confidence in somebody else who merited your

salvation and did everything necessary.

To earn not only your forgiveness, but your eternal righteousness and your eternal glory.

So as we prepare for baptisms, we're which we're gonna have coming up here shortly.

I want to give our attention to a passage that describes The kind of confident boldness that

should mark every believer in Jesus Christ.

This passage not only describes that confidence.

But also explains to us the grounding and the reason why we should have that kind of bold

Unashamed confidence in Christ and that passage is 2nd Timothy chapter 1.

We read it a few moments ago and you'll need your Bibles open to that passage this morning again.

So please turn there.

2nd Timothy chapter 1.

We're gonna read together verses 6 through 12.

We're gonna be focusing mostly on verses 8 through 12 and really kind of zeroing in at the

end on verse 12 itself.

And then this is going to be our passage this morning.

2nd Timothy chapter 1 beginning at verse 6.

For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

For God has not given us a spirit of timidity but of power and love and discipline.

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me his prisoner.

But join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God who has saved us and called us with a

holy calling.

Not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace.

Which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.

But now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus Who abolished death and

brought life in immortality to light through the gospel?

For which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher for this reason.

I also suffer these things.

But I'm not ashamed.

For I know whom I have believed and I'm convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until

that day.

Now that is our passage for this morning.

We're gonna be focusing as I said mostly on verse 12 any catching verses 8 and following as well but before we do a

bit of context because We haven't been in first Timothy and I haven't had an opportunity to lay a foundation of this book.

So just sort of bring us up to speed on what this passage is that we're dealing with in the context in which the book Was

written.

This is the last letter of the Apostle Paul to his young protege Timothy.

In fact, it is the last letter of the Apostle Paul period as he writes this.

He was in prison for the gospel and this is his second imprisonment in the cause of Christ the first imprisonment

We read of in the book of Acts at the end of the book of Acts and after that he was released for a period Of time and then he

was arrested and now he is in prison again.

No longer under house arrest where his where his people could come and visit him Frequently and freely and

bring him gifts and and things would be cared for.

It's not that kind of an imprisonment that was at the end of the book of Acts.

That was the first imprisonment.

This one is a hole in the ground and he is given nothing and if people don't bring him even food and water then he would End up

going entirely without Christianity.

By this point in history was becoming an illegal religion.

Christians who would not worship the state or say Caesar is Lord had become public enemy number

one and were becoming Increasingly unwelcome in the culture because their morals did not

fit with the increasingly darkening moral culture of the day.

So their morals were not welcome their ethics were not welcome and Christians were being Blamed for most of society's

ills.

In fact by the time Timothy got this letter We're only a couple years away From the Emperor Nero setting fire

to Rome and then fiddling on his rooftop as he watched Rome burn.

Only so that he could blame it on Christians and launch what would end up being a 250 year government

-sponsored persecution of the church.

That's the context in which this book is written and Timothy had been a longtime Traveling companion of the

Apostle Paul a trusted partner with him in ministry for years since Timothy was just an older teenager.

In fact Timothy was given the charge to Deal with the false teachers who were in the church at

Ephesus three weeks ago.

We looked at Acts chapter 20 where Paul called the elders of the church of Ephesus out to him at the shore at Miletus.

And he charged them saying beware there are among beware and Guard yourselves in the flock over which the Holy Spirit has

made you overseers and know Paul says that from among your own selves Men will arise speaking perverse

things twisted doctrinal things and now that had come to pass and After the release from his first

imprisonment Paul had left Timothy in Ephesus and wrote first Timothy to him.

And he says in chapter 1 verse 3 upon my departure from Macedonia Remain on at Ephesus so that you

may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrine.

So that warning of Paul to Timothy to the Ephesian elders that some among them would begin to teach perverse things

that had come to pass.

And now Timothy was there to deal with the false teachers in Ephesus fast forward a couple of years.

Paul is now in prison and he is writing to his young pastoral protege Timothy with these instructions

telling him Timothy While the culture is hostile against us do not shy away from this

gospel.

Do not shy away from this Lord this Messiah and do not be shaken amidst all of the

hostility of the world.

Do not be shaken away from your confidence in Christ and his gospel and do not be

ashamed of me the Lord's prisoner.

That's the context in which this is written and I want you to notice in our text verses 8 through 12.

Three reasons that Paul gives why we should not be ashamed.

First in verses 8 to 11. We have a saving gospel.

Second in verse 12. We have a securing God and then third also in verse 12. We have a sure glory.

We have a saving gospel a securing God and a sure glory.

We'll take each one of those three and beginning at verse 8.

In fact, I want to back up and just read verse 7 because it's as part of this context verse 7 Paul says to

Timothy God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but a power and love and of discipline.

The word that's translated timidity there means.

Cowardice or fear was used sometimes in an idiomatic way to describe somebody who had a fallen

heart.

Their heart had just fallen they had lost all moral or or conscience courage.

So they just had nothing inside of them that was strong.

So they were very weak and he is saying God has not given us that spirit of a fallen heart.

But one of boldness and strength one of power and love and discipline.

So he writes in verse 8 therefore because God has not given us that spirit of a fallen heart.

But instead given us a spirit of courage.

Therefore Timothy verse 8 do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of

me his prisoner.

But join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God.

Paul was Christ's prisoner.

He identifies himself as his prisoner in verse 8.

This is the first mention of Paul's sufferings in the epistle but it actually becomes a theme all the way through this epistle as

Paul mentions it from time to time that he was Enduring affliction and enduring imprisonment.

In fact, if you just look at verse 16 of the same chapter.

He says the Lord grant mercy to the house of Anyssa for us for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains.

Now this in verse 8 he says to Timothy do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me as prisoner.

Then in verse 16 He references a fellow servant who was not ashamed of the of the Lord

or of his prisoner Paul.

In fact, he was not ashamed of Paul's chains in chapter 2 verse 9.

He says I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal, but the Word of God is not in prison.

Chapter 3 verse 11.

Look what he says.

He describes his persecutions and sufferings such as happened to me at Antioch at Iconium and Lystra.

What persecutions I endured and out of them all the Lord rescued me.

2nd Timothy 3 12 indeed all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

Then you get into chapter 4 and not to read all of these verses.

But just to give you the highlights in chapter 4 verse 16 We find out that Paul had been on trial at least

one.

He had made at least one defense before Caesar.

Chapter 4 verse 11.

He had been abandoned by everyone except for one companion his friend Luke chapter 4 verse 13.

He was facing a winter in this prison.

And so he asked Timothy to bring his his parchments and his cloak so he could be warm before winter and asked

him Please come before winter.

He had been harmed by Alexander the coppersmith verses 14 and 15.

He had been abandoned verse 10 and he was expecting execution soon verse 6.

So he says to Timothy do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.

This is chapter 1 verse 8 or of me his prisoner and then look what he says to him join with me in Suffering for the

gospel.

That is an odd invitation, isn't it?

I Asked you to join me for a potluck of smoked tri -tip and delicious food this afternoon.

You think that sounds like an invitation that I can enjoy.

Take that up take you up on that.

But if I say join with me in suffering what type of a suffering.

That's type of suffering.

We've just seen Paul described in this epistle and he is saying to Timothy You must be willing if

called upon to join with me in suffering for the gospel.

Do not run away from that affliction.

Do not run away from that persecution.

Do not be ashamed of it.

Do not shy away from it.

Do not be shaken by the hostility of the world.

But instead join with me come with me and join me in this suffering.

Because Paul is saying to Timothy to be ashamed of Paul and his imprisonment was to be ashamed of Christ.

Since Paul was in prison for one reason and one reason only and that was his testimony regarding Christ.

Paul was not in prison because he was an insurrectionist.

Paul was not in prison because he had spoken ill about Caesar.

Paul was not in prison because he had violated any law of the Roman Empire.

Paul was in prison because he was preaching the gospel of Christ and He had become public enemy number one.

And so he says to Timothy join with me in suffering for this gospel.

Don't be ashamed of that.

Haven't done anything deserving of this this persecution this affliction in this imprisonment and therefore

gladly Joyfully boldly unashamedly align yourself with me and with this gospel

and join with me in suffering if necessary and The reason we are called to suffer is because of what Christ has done.

Look, he describes that in verses 9 and following we are to suffer for the gospel according to the power of

God verse 9 Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works.

But according to his own purpose and grace, which was granted to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.

But now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus who abolished death and brought life and

immortality to light through the gospel for which has appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher.

That's the details of a saving gospel.

We serve a God who has wrought salvation from sin and from death.

He has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel by redeeming sinners who deserve nothing but

judgment.

Nothing but God's wrath and he forgives them and justifies them not according to their works.

But according to his own grace, which he grants to his people from all eternity.

In other words This grace that is granted to those who partake of salvation is a grace that is given to

them before time begins.

It is from all eternity.

It's not a grace that is given for all eternity.

Paul saying it is a grace that was given from all eternity.

Go back as far as you can go back and there was a God there who has purpose to redeem and to justify

sinners.

And he grants grace to those people a select number of people a grace to be redeemed Forgiven of their

sins declared righteous and secured for everlasting glory.

That is a grace that was given to you before time began but now in time that grace has been

manifested when Christ steps into human history and Lives a perfect life in the place of

his people Representing them as he bears as he is he as he bears the weight and the burden of the

the law living it fully fully.

And obeying God in all things he actively obeys God in the

law so that he is righteous so that the righteous one then can be hung on a cross and

suffer and a Hideous cursed death on that cross in the place of his people.

So that now those who have placed their faith in Christ and turned from their sins Can be declared righteous not

because of anything that they've done But because of what Christ has done and their sins can be forgiven not because they don't deserve to be

punished.

But because they have been punished on the head of another their substitute who bears their wrath and pays their

penalty and pays their debt In their place so that now the guilty can go free.

Not because God winks at sin not because he ignores sin.

But because he is able by the grace of Christ a grace granted to us in him from all of eternity.

He is able to show both love and justice because it is at the cross that love and justice meet.

Where God is able to show love towards sinners by forgiving their sin because he punishes another in their place

one who came voluntarily and left the left the glories of heaven to step into time and space to live

a perfect life and then died that Death in the stead of his people.

It was it was his rescue mission and he did that.

That is the glorious gospel that we that we embrace.

That is the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ that we deserve to be treated as criminals for our law -breaking but

instead another who never broke the law stepped in and was treated as a criminal in our place and

Then that one who has never broke the law in But stepped in in our place that one who who

lived in the fulfillment of the law.

We get treated.

We lawbreakers get treated as if we have never broke the law and lived the perfect life that he lived.

That is the great exchange over which all of Scripture is written.

That is the great exchange of righteousness and sin which the gospel promises to those who repent and believe upon

Christ.

That is the saving gospel.

And that's what what's what is that is to be ashamed if I said anything that is to be ashamed yet nothing.

Second we have a securing God.

Look at verse 12.

Verse 12 for this reason I suffer these things.

But I'm not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and I'm convinced that he is able to guard what I haven't trusted to him.

Until that day the word that is translated believe there.

I know whom I have believed in verse 12.

It means trusted is sometimes translated in Scripture as faith.

In fact in this place, it would probably be.

It would probably be valid to translate it.

I know the one in whom I place my faith where I know the one whom I have trusted whom I have confidence

in.

And.

Notice that Paul is describing here a confidence that is placed in a person three times.

He says I know whom I have believed.

I'm persuaded that he is able to keep what I've committed to him against that day.

And who does that pronoun refer to he and him and whom?

It may refer to the father and it may refer to the Son to Christ and in this context It could refer to either

one of them or to both and I'm not sure that we need to pick between them because both the father his grace that he granted

to us and the work of the Son are both mentioned in the immediate context and Really truth be told to

trust the Son is in fact to trust the word of the father because the father says Place your faith in the Son.

I will forgive your sins and give you that righteousness and bring you to be with me and adopt you into my family.

So to place your confidence and faith in Jesus Christ and to commit everything to him is in fact to

take God the Father at his word and to place your faith in God the Father is to place your faith in God the Son for the

father says that the Son is the proper object of our faith.

So when we place our faith in him.

We are placing our faith in the word of the father and we are in fact doing something in obedience to the father when we place our faith in

the Son.

So I don't think we have to choose between who it is that we have committed these things to.

I think the Apostle Paul is Simply saying whether you're talking about the father or the son.

I know whom I have believed.

Notice.

He says I know whom I have believed and not what I have believed.

What I have believed is important enough.

What I have believed is important because you must believe.

Everything that I described to you in the first part of that regarding the gospel the saving gospel.

There's intellectual Doctrinal and theological content there that we must embrace and believe

and place our faith in these promises.

But our confidence ultimately is not in what we believe because we can believe in an intellectual sense all of

the right things.

Without ever entrusting ourselves to the salvation that is offered in Jesus Christ.

So he says I know whom I have believed.

And I'm convinced that he is able to keep what I have committed to him against

that day our confidence Objectively is in the work of a person it is in Christ

Jesus.

That is where our confidence rests not in a doctrinal statement as good and necessary as that is.

But in a person I'm actually looking to as a believer we are looking to a person

who stepped into time and space and made claims about himself and

his followers and the salvation that he is offering made those claims and Then did a

certain thing died on a cross and then rose again on the third day.

Victorious over death which is why Paul can said it can say that he brought life and immortality to life through the

gospel.

This is what the work of Christ has done.

He is a sovereign God who has abolished death.

He is a sovereign God who is sovereign over time.

He grants grace to us in Christ from all eternity.

He is sovereign over sinners.

Choosing to redeem them to save them to justify them and he is sovereign over salvation.

Able to abolish death and bring life to light through the gospel.

He is able to do that.

And so he is.

Paul is convinced that he is also able to keep whatever it is that we have committed to him.

Now if he is able to abolish death to suffer death and to rise again if he has shown himself

faithful to do all of that.

Then how difficult is it to trust him with this little thing of what I commit to him my individual soul and destiny.

It might seem like a lot to me.

It's really not a lot in the grand scheme of things, isn't it?

I mean if he has shown himself faithful to do all of this.

Then I can trust him to guard and to keep.

That's what the word means there to guard to watch closely.

To keep watch over the deposit.

That's what the word what I have entrusted to him to guard what I have entrusted.

The word is a word that we would translate deposit.

I've deposited something with him.

What is it that we have deposited with the Lord Jesus Christ?

When we place our faith in Christ, we are depositing to him.

We are committing to his care to his charge and to his keeping everything that could and

is precious to us.

We are entrusting him with our salvation our life our immortality our forgiveness

our righteousness our eternal destiny our Soul and spirit our hope of everlasting life and

any reward that we could ever hope to get from him.

That is what we are entrusting him with that is we are what we are committing to his charge.

Is Christ worthy of that hope and confidence?

Well in time he was manifested to abolish death and bring life and immortality to life through the gospel.

And he has done that died buried and rose again.

And therefore it is certainly justifiable that we would entrust him with anything that concerns us all that

concerns us and Romans 10 verse 11 says that whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.

We believe as Jude says that he is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory

blameless with great joy.

We will not be ashamed on that day because he is able to keep everything we have committed to him until that final day.

We have a saving gospel and a securing God and third we have a sure glory and this is at

the end of verse 12 Paul references what we have entrusted to him being kept until that day.

This signals a Forward -looking anticipation in the epistle and this is a theme that kind of goes all the way

through this epistle.

For a man sitting in a prison expecting his execution at any day.

The Apostle Paul is sure looking a lot to the future in those moments.

What day is he looking forward to.

He is confident that he has entrusted his soul and his safekeeping to a Savior who will ultimately

Keep and preserve and guard it until the final day.

The final day of the resurrection the final day of reward the final day of his eternal kingdom in eternal

glory.

Though he was expecting to step into the grave at any moment in Physical death in this world Paul

knew that he could trust that on that final day he would be raised and not forgotten and that his

Savior who is able to do all that he has done would keep him to glory and preserve him and deliver

on his word on that final day everything that he has promised and Ultimately, this is what the Christian looks forward to.

Paul is at the end of his life and he was aware that he was about to depart and be with Christ.

And so this this book is full of forward -looking Statements.

Look at 2nd Timothy chapter 1 verse 10.

He talks about the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light

through the gospel.

He's there talking about living forever never being able to die immortality.

Look at verse chapter 2 verse 10.

For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen so that they also may obtain the salvation

Which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.

He's looking forward to an eternal glory.

He's thinking about the appearing of Christ.

2nd Timothy chapter 4 verse 1.

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead by his appearing.

And his kingdom preach the word.

2nd Timothy chapter 4 verse 8 he talks about a future reward in the future.

There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness Which the Lord the righteous judge will award to me on that day and not

only to me But also to all who have loved is appearing.

That day is the day of Christ appearing and then in 2nd Timothy 4 verse 18 The Lord will rescue me from

every evil deed and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom to him be the glory forever and ever.

Amen, what a Confident statement.

What a testimony that this man sitting in a prison aware of his soon Execution has been abandoned and

forsaken by all of his traveling companions.

Some of his friends Demas forsook him others had left to go off in ministry at Paul's request.

But he has been left alone.

Only Luke was with him in the terms of most of the world.

He had been forgotten and this was a man who it would be safe to say that the Apostle Paul was one of the most if Not

the most recognized Christian figure in all of the world at that time

the most recognized and now this man who has served faithfully and Sacrificially

for decades is sitting in a Roman prison.

About to be executed his head about to be severed from him and there was nothing about his present circumstance.

Which would indicate any reason for optimism or hope?

There's nothing about his circumstance that would give him any reason to have confidence or conviction.

The culture was against him.

The government was persecuting him.

He had nothing to his name and as far as the world is concerned this troublemaker was about to be dispatched and then

forever forgotten and Yet he says that he is convinced that the one to whom he had

committed everything Would have would abolish death and give him immortality and not forget him

but instead raise him up on the last day and Enter bring him into safely into his

eternal kingdom and give him eternal life and eternal glory.

That is a confidence.

Sometimes it's difficult for us to just get to the end of the month and we need to have a Payment made and we're a little short on the finances.

We think is God going to be able to come through this month or how is this going to work out?

Compare that those circumstances to the Apostle Paul.

He has given everything to Christ.

He has done everything for Christ and now he's sitting in a prison and it seems as if he is getting Absolutely,

no return on that deposit or investment whatsoever.

But the Apostle Paul looks past the guillotine to the eternal glory and says he will usher me safely into his eternal

kingdom.

Friends we have a saving gospel a securing God and a sure glory and therefore we are not ashamed.

Baptism is a means by which we proclaim Before other people our confidence in that God and we display

in a physical way what it is that he has done for us spiritually speaking.

I'm gonna explain to you just quickly what you're about to see up here.

You're about to see 14 people.

We have 14 people being baptized this morning.

So you're about to see 14 people be baptized and we are going to do in the physical realm what Christ has done

for us.

He died he was buried and he rose again.

That is what baptism symbolizes.

The word baptized means immersed.

So we immerse we don't sprinkle we don't pour.

We immerse those who have given a credible profession of faith in Jesus Christ.

Demonstrating their union with him because Christ died in our place because he rose again in our place.

We have confidence and conviction that having repented of our sin and placed our faith in him that we died in him

that his death was our death that our sin he bore and that his righteousness we receive and that

because of what he has done and that it Has been accepted by the Father.

By demonstrated or evidence by virtue of the fact that he raised him from the dead.

We will be we are united with him and we also will be raised with him.

Not only to newness of life in this world, but also to eternal glory and to his kingdom in the next.

So that is what baptism symbolizes is a reminder of what our Savior did for us.

So I'm gonna get out of the way.

Each of the baptism candidates hold on settle down.

Each of the baptism candidates is going to step up here behind This microphone let's move this

over here and speak clearly into the microphone as

they give their testimony and Then I'm going to be down here and when they give their testimony, they're gonna come

up and step down into the tank.

And I'm gonna baptize them.

While Josh is setting that up.

Something that you should know this is not pertinent to it, but just because we need to burn some time.

Normally we fill up this tank.

I started on Saturday.

It fills up to a certain point.

Then there's a recirculating pump that pumps through that and warms it up because it's cold water.

For some reason the recirculating pump didn't kick on didn't circulate it or warm it up.

So it's nearly as cold as yesterday when it came right out of the spigot.

So we've got some bags of ice you guys can bring those in now.

All right, Ed is going to step up behind the screen and help Distribute towels to him as they come up

and Rick is going to be up here to give a hand to any of the ladies Who need a hand stepping down into the tub?

Are you ready?

Josh.

You've never been here before you should be able to see it up here projected just in case you can't see it down below.

All right, JT.

You're up.

Oh hold up.

All right

JT oh.

For those of you who don't know me, my name is JT.

I've spent the majority of my life pursuing the ways of the world.

I Lived a life characterized by lust greed anger and all -around falsehood that manifested itself in the form of

depression Narcissism and addiction.

I was sinful and wicked.

Last year, I was invited to attend Kootenai Community Church and a little into that time I was struck by the severity of my sin.

And I could do nothing to shake this truth.

God was making himself known to me.

Through scripture and interaction with members with the members of Kootenai I was strengthened in my knowledge of truth and began to

understand Christ's sacrifice on my behalf.

Through their love and devotion to God and God's miraculous work in my heart and mind.

I'm no longer a slave to sin.

I've placed my faith in God and will live for him as a vessel for honorable use.

There's no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me not by my doing but by the grace of God.

I'm pursuing baptism out of obedience to the Lord because I'm no longer a slave to sin, but a servant of God.

I've died and my life is hidden with Christ in God.

I'm devoting my life to Christ and to living by faith as an implement for honor and ministry for his glory.

JT have you repented of your sin and place your faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation?

And you desire to be obedient to him and believers baptism.

Based upon that Credible profession of faith in Christ.

I baptize you in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit.

My name is Randy Gadbury.

I'm the sinner.

Five years ago my wife Marilyn and I decided we were going to attend CUNY Community Church when I

retired.

That didn't happen because my wife became sick and the doctors didn't find the cancer until it was too late.

After my wife's passing in 2020, I decided that I would continue with our plans of attending church.

It only took a couple of services when I realized that I hadn't accepted Jesus Christ into my life.

And my by confessing my sins to him was my only way for redemption.

I am now proud to say that I have accepted Jesus Christ My Savior

and my life has been changed for the better.

Thank you.

Yep,

no second to catch your breath.

Randy have you repented of your sin and place your faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation and Your desire to be obedient to

him and baptism.

Based upon that credible profession of faith in Christ. I baptize you in the name of the Father the Son the Holy Spirit.

My name is Cody Hughes.

Me standing here is a bigger miracle than I can ever describe to this body.

Christ saved me from the brink of death countless times until a good work in me could start.

I Was born in the dark hardened by it and I am deserving of nothing.

Some of my first memories were bedtime stories that were written by Stephen King and Dean

Koontz.

My childhood was a thing of nightmares and something I wanted to escape from.

By the time I was an adult I'd already gone through 18 years of hardening.

I was spiritually and morally bankrupt and sin had taken root in my life.

I Was more lost than I could ever understand.

I Sought help in all the wrong books all the wrong psychologists all the wrong gurus and all the wrong

religions.

I didn't know where to find God.

I was knocking on the wrong doors.

What is worse is that I didn't understand the cost of sin nor did I understand the suffering I would cause

Christ our Lord.

The cost of my purchase must have been great to our Lord and for that I am sorry.

I Believe that Christ found me and began a good work in me after hobbling into a church with a broken

leg a broken heart and a broken spirit.

I Was arguably even found in a broken church.

God in his glory led me to repentance to contrition impossible victories over

sin regeneration and sanctification.

Out of love for him and all that he has done for me.

Especially his propitiation at Calvary.

I want to live for him care for his desires and be subservient to his will.

I In his sight, I praise God in all his mercy

forgiveness Grace and first glory.

I am ever grateful to our Lord my Lord Jesus Christ.

Cody have you repented of your sin and place your faith in Christ alone for salvation?

You're gonna be obedient to him and believers.

Baptism.

Based on the credible profession of faith in Christ to baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Grab

my wrist.

Hello.

My name is Sylvia Anders.

This is my faith journey.

I was baptized in the Catholic Church as a baby and I attended Catholic school for the first through

third grades.

Our family attended Mass regularly.

As a teenager I was confirmed in my faith and acknowledged Christ as my Savior.

I believe then as now that Jesus is God's only Son, that he was born of the

Virgin Mary, that he suffered, was condemned, and that he died on the cross to take away the sin of all

men who believe in him.

I believe he arose on the third day that he is ascended into heaven.

I believe no one comes to God in heaven except through faith in Jesus Christ.

A few years ago we moved to Naples, began yet another search for a church home.

We attended a couple of different congregations before the mother of a dear friend recommended Kootenai Community

Church.

Since then it has become the only church we are interested in being a part of.

With the help of scripture readings and explanations by Pastor Jim, I've come to doubt my

baptism as a baby and I now feel the need to proclaim my faith and participate in

this important ceremony in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you.

Sylvia, have you repented of your sin and placed your faith in Christ alone.

For salvation and desire to be obedient to him in baptism?

Based upon that credible profession of faith in Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father.

And the Son and the Holy

Spirit.

My name is Marsha Van Eaton.

I was baptized at a.

Young age after asking Jesus into my heart.

Though I understood the basics of sin, salvation, Jesus, and the cross, it wasn't until much later in life

that I understood that salvation is more than just a belief.

He isn't just my Savior, he is also Lord.

If Jesus is Lord, there will be a radical transformation and there will be evidence.

I didn't have that.

Therefore, I suspect my early conversion was a false one and that my true conversion didn't happen until

decades later when my life began changing.

I'm getting re -baptized today because I want to proclaim that I'm a follower of Christ, he is my

Lord, and I want to be.

Obedient to him.

Marsha, have you repented of your sin and placed your faith in Christ.

Alone for salvation and your desire to be obedient to him in baptism?

Based upon that credible profession of faith in Christ, I baptize you in the name of the.

Father and the Son and Holy Spirit.

Grab my wrist.

My name is Calder Cates.

I grew.

Up going to church and have heard the stories my entire life, but I've always known that I don't get

salvation from that.

Salvation was something that always worried me because of the obvious reason that I didn't want to

burn in hell.

For a long time, I claimed to be a Christian and didn't believe it.

I would read my Bible for a week and then be living in sin for a month.

It wasn't until about six months ago that I really understood the gospel.

Now the way it is lifted and I no longer have to fear hell because God chose me to be a part of his kingdom.

I repented from my sin and was reconciled to God.

I started hunger and thirst for righteousness.

I started to want to learn more about God and his character by reading his word, and I started to mourn over my

sin.

It is still impossible for me not to sin, but the difference is that now I strive to be more like Christ, and when I sin,

I ask for forgiveness and thank Jesus for making it possible for me to be righteous in God's eyes.

Jesus Christ, the creator of the world, humbled himself and took on the form of a servant, lived

a perfect spotless life which no one else could have done, and then he took the punishment that I deserved and

was crucified on a cross.

Then after three days in a grave, he rose from the dead, defeating sin, and now when the Father looks at me,

all he sees is the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

In getting baptized, I am identifying with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection and proclaiming my faith to

all my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Colter, have you.

Repented of your sin and placed your faith in Christ alone for salvation?

You want to be obedient to him in baptism?

Based upon that profession of faith in Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Grab my wrist.

Hello everyone, my name is Carson Hayman.

I was born and raised in a.

Christian home, and I don't have some crazy conversion story, but this I know I am a sinner.

I was born a sinner, and up till the day I die, I'll be a sinner.

I am not, however, a slave to my sin, because Jesus Christ came, lived a perfect and blameless

life, and died the most gruesome death, yet death did not conquer him.

He rose again on the third day, and in so doing crushed the head of the serpent, and I

know that in Christ I am free from my bondage to sin, and I'm here to publicly proclaim my faith.

I am a slave to Christ, and there is no better master.

I stand before you today because I wish to obey his command to be.

Baptized.

Carson, have you repented of your sin and placed your faith in Christ alone for.

Salvation?

You desire to be obedient to him in baptism?

Based upon that credible profession of faith in Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father,.

The Son, and the Holy

Spirit.

Hi, my name is Malachi Duco.

I'm 18.

I've grown up in a.

Christian home and been exposed to sound doctrine my whole life.

That being the case, it was very easy for me to go along with what I was taught, believing it on a surface level

because it was what I was told was true, never questioning whether or not it was what I genuinely believed, or if I was actually saved.

I would go to church on Sunday, and Monday it was back to the unrepentant sin and defiance that controlled my

life.

I had dug a grave for myself and happily jumped in, and if not for God's mercy,

when he sent his son Jesus Christ to live the perfect life that I couldn't and to die on the cross for the sins of all who

repent and believe, I would still be there today.

I don't know the exact date when God saved me, gave me a new heart and new desires.

Looking back at my life, it is evident to me that I'm not who I was.

I no longer love my sin, but I hate it.

I no longer seek it out, but flee from it.

I've done nothing to deserve his saving grace, nor could I.

But I praise and thank God for the sobering reality that he even still grants it to me.

Now God, have you repented of your sin and placed your faith in Christ alone for salvation, and you desire to be obedient to him in baptism.

Based upon that credible profession of faith in Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Hello.

Okay, my name is Lucas Creel.

I used to think being a Christian was just going to church, just getting through the sermon, then going to talk to my friends.

This was a consistent thing for me because I didn't strive to learn more about God and what it meant to be a Christian.

But as God started opening my eyes, I realized there were a lot of things I thought were fine that actually weren't fine.

I realized I really tried to impress people and cared more about pleasing them than pleasing God.

Also, I was scared of death and what would happen after I die.

I realized if I died that night, I wouldn't go to heaven but to hell.

I'd always heard that Jesus died for my sins, but it always went way over my head.

But sitting there in fear, I realized Jesus is the only way, truth, and life.

Because he died for my sins, he wore my punishment, which was due to the fall of Adam and Eve.

When I repented, my fear was taken away.

But as a growing Christian, I realized that it is a lifelong fight with sin, and there are things I have to do and also

called to do.

One of these things I'm called to do is baptism.

Not only is this a commandment I need to obey as a Christian, but this is something I want to do as it is a public confession of my faith.

Lucas, have you repented of your sin and placed your faith in Christ alone for salvation?

Yes.

And you desire to be obedient to him in baptism?

Yes.

Based upon that credible profession of faith in Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father,.

The Son, and the

Holy Spirit.

Hello, I'm Ryan Razor.

I don't know when I became.

Saved.

I had a profession of faith when I was seven or eight years old, but I didn't understand the gospel.

Bit by bit, my understanding of the scriptures and the gospel grew, and somewhere in my teenage years, I

learned that I had to repent and put my faith in Jesus' death on the cross to be saved.

And by God's grace and the Holy Spirit's work in me, I did.

However, between then and now, I had a lot of doubt that made me afraid to be baptized.

Today, though there are still doubts and fears that I will have to fight, I'm finally ready to obey God's.

Command and be baptized.

Ryan, have you repented of your sin and placed your.

Faith in Christ alone for salvation, and you desire to be obedient to him in baptism?

Based upon that credible profession of faith in Christ, I baptize.

You in the name of the Father, the Son, and the

Holy

Spirit.

If you can see me, my.

Name is Caitlin Koshuba.

I have had a long journey before coming to Christ.

I lived decades of my life lost and defiant.

Although I had attended church only a handful of times as a child, I was never presented with the true

gospel or had any born -again Christians around to influence me.

Eventually, I found myself immersed in New Age doctrine and was terribly deceived believing I was spiritually

enlightened.

I lived unapologetically for myself.

I lived with my heart hardened towards God.

Six years ago, my husband and I found ourselves in church for the first time as adults.

It wasn't long before I knew I needed to be saved.

While attending our first church, I felt biblically starved as if I wasn't being fed the truth.

I made it my mission to read as much scripture as I could, and after many tearful prayers, I had found some

wonderful Bible teachers to follow, such as John MacArthur and Justin Peters.

Our family has been in the process of moving from Montana, and the first sermon I attended here in person was

on baptism, and I knew what I needed to do.

I have been convicted of my sins, and I have, and I repent for all that I have done and all that I was.

I know that I was a wretched sinner who only by the blood of Christ have been given a chance at a new life,

an eternal life.

I know very well how painful and dark a life without Jesus is, so I have run to him.

He is my Lord and Savior, and I want to.

Proclaim that to all.

I should have let some water out.

You almost baptized.

Yourself right there.

Caitlin, have you repented of your sin and placed your faith in Christ alone for salvation, and your desire to be obedient to him in

baptism?

Based upon the profession of faith in Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and Holy Spirit.

Hi, my name is Hazel, and I was born into a Christian home, but it wasn't until I was around 12 that my family started to do

family worship together, and to watch and participate in the way of the Master.

When we started, I thought it was just a waste of time.

I also thought that just because I was born and raised in a Christian home, that automatically made me a Christian.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

After a while, I became scared because I came to understand that you had to be chosen by God, and

that nothing I could do would change the fact that I was a sinner destined for hell, because as Romans 3 23 says,

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Through the process of being discipled at home, church, at youth group, and at Cocoa Lake Bible Camp, I have

repented of my sins and have put my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who saved and justified me by

life, death, and resurrection.

I desire to live my life in obedience to him.

In his word, Escalations 2 20 says, I have been crucified with Christ.

It is no longer I live, but Christ who lives in me.

In the life I now live, in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Hazel, have you repented of your sin and placed your faith in Christ alone for salvation, and you desire to be baptized in obedience to the command of

Christ?

Based upon that profession of faith in Christ, I baptize you in the name of the.

Father, the Son, and the Holy

Spirit.

My name is Micah Lynch.

When I was 10 years.

Old, I was told that I was saved.

I believed this for years, but I never thought much about it.

Three years ago, I started to think about what would happen if I was not saved and Christ came back.

For a long time, I struggled with the thought that what if I wanted to get saved, but somehow I did not get saved?

What if I missed something?

At first, I wanted to get saved so that I would escape God's judgment.

This went on for about a year and a half.

The next year, I went to Coquihall Lake Bible Camp and had the opportunity to talk to someone there about what was

going on inside me.

The person I talked to showed me how simple salvation is, and that it's not complicated.

I am a sinner in need of a Savior.

Christ is that Savior, and if I put my faith in Him, I will be saved.

It was at that moment that I desired to be saved, not so that I would escape God's judgment, but because I was a sinner who

needed the Savior.

I had fully grasped the reality of my sinful nature and my need for a Savior, because there was nothing I could do to earn my

salvation on my own.

I felt a change in my life.

I no longer wanted to sin and had longing and hunger to read God's Word.

Now I want.

To obey God's command and be baptized.

Micah, have you repented of your sin and.

Placed your faith in Christ alone for salvation, and you desire to be obedient to Him in baptism?

Based upon that credible profession of faith in Christ, I baptize.

You in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

My name is Sarah.

Lynch, and when I was younger, I went to church and Sunday school because that was just what we did on

Sunday, and I didn't really realize that the reason we were at church was to worship God, and I did not really care.

When I was at home, I would sin, and I did not really bother me.

I only hoped I would not get caught.

As I got older, I began to realize I was a sinner.

Though first, I didn't really care, but after a while, I started to care.

I knew I needed a Savior, and I knew Jesus was the Savior I needed, but I did not understand the goodness and faithfulness

of God for a long time.

The fear of Him not saving me because I was not one of His elect held me back from accepting His free gift of salvation.

This went on until someone told me that God was good and would not give someone the desire to be saved if he did not plan on

saving them.

After hearing that, my doubts slowly went away, and I finally was able to turn away from my sins and place my hope in

eternal life through Christ, my King and Savior.

After that, I still had small doubts coming from time to time, often along the same lines as the first, but

by reading my Bible, I found greater assurance in God's faithfulness.

Sarah, have you repented of your sin and placed your faith in Christ alone for salvation?

Yes.

And desire to be obedient to Him in baptism?

Yes.

Based upon that credible profession of faith in Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father,.

The Son, and the Holy Spirit.

I've already been baptized, so let's pray together.

Father, we're just so thankful for the great gift of the gospel.

For those of us who have repented of our sins and put our faith in you, that is the greatest gift, the greatest love that anyone's ever shown.

So we're grateful, Lord, that you have convicted these 14 people, that you've regenerated

them, brought them into your kingdom and into our family.

And so I pray, Lord, that we would be helpful to them, that we would help to edify them and to grow them in their faith.

These things in the name of our Savior, Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you for listening to the latest podcast from Kootenai Church.

If you'd like to learn more about Kootenai Church, or to donate to our church ministry, you can do so online

by visiting KootenaiChurch .org.

We hope you enjoyed this podcast, and pray you'll join us again next time.

Once again, thank you for.