Context Makes All the Difference

Baptism Aiyolo Camp, Northern Uganda

Context Makes All the Difference

 We have all heard the saying "context is king."  It is one employed when teaching followers of Jesus who are new to the faith in matters pertaining to interpreting the Bible.

Many cults have arisen over the years which claim to be Christian, but in reality their teachings involve biblical texts which they have wrested out of their original context.  They do this so they can claim biblical authority for presuppositions and practices which in reality have no true biblical basis.

Many popular public figures have, to their dismay, discovered that a TV news outlet has edited an interview they granted in such a way that the final version appears to make them supportive of viewpoints or opinions to which they do not hold.  Only the original version or context could disprove the distortion.  Yes, context is king, and can make all the difference in how a text, an act or statement is interpreted.

The above picture was taken by me in 2016 in a refugee camp located in northern Uganda.  It was conducted openly and those who witnessed the event were supportive.  Hymns were sung, people applauded as those baptized emerged from the water, and overall it was simply a celebrated event.

Baptism is one of the first steps of obedience a new follower of Jesus should take.  It supplies his/her public testimony to the fact that God has done a work of saving grace in their lives.  As Christ died, was buried, and rose triumphantly from the grave, even so baptism represents the reality that this new believer has also died to their old life, buried it, and is now risen to new life in Christ. Baptism is one of the ordinances Jesus gave to His church which represents the believer's union with Him.  When undertaken in contexts which are majority Christian, or at least neutral to the practice of religious faith, the act generally does not immediately result in persecution and rejection.

 However, when conducted in contexts which are openly hostile to the Gospel, the act of baptism can result in immediate hardship.  Thus a person who has been raised in a Muslim context will see the act of being baptized in the light provided by such a context.  The potential and actual dangers sure to follow taking this step of obedience generally force all involved to exercise precautions not necessary in more friendly contexts.

Our work with refugees has now expanded to those who at some point fled Sudan.  Almost %100 of those who now follow Jesus came out of Islam.  Yet, even though the contexts in which they witness to the truth of the Gospel message present dangers foreign to Americans, they still joyously baptize, celebrate the Lord's Supper, and witness to the power of their Risen Lord to forgive sin and transform lives.  Their boldness and determined resolve to reach their own people has in turn challenged us to be more faithful and courageous in our ongoing attempts to empower them by providing scripture resources.

If you want to help us empower those whose natural context would deny them access to the Bible and to a local church then visit www.calvaryroadministries.com and use the "donate" tab.  Heaven will provide our ultimate and eternal context.  Until we reach that environment, may our use of our time and money reflect that "make disciples of all nations..." is indeed our number one priority.

David