Reason #7: They question the credibility of the person who led them to Christ or the person who baptized them.

During a previous pastorate, in another state, some close friends attended another church in town. The family included a daughter in her early twenties. A time came in the life of this young lady when she realized a walk up the aisle at an earlier time in her life was not a real salvation experience. At an invitation time, she went forward in that church. The pastor of the church counseled her. She gave her life to Christ. Several days later, the pastor baptized her.

Things were going just fine until the pastor of the church was exposed for living a double life. The previously unknown side of his life consisted of years of serious moral failures, the details of which we will leave unspoken. His moral failures cost him his life a few years later.

The mother of the young lady called me and asked if I would counsel her daughter because the daughter doubted her salvation. My wife and I went over to the house and talked with them. You can probably guess the problem. The young lady questioned the validity of her salvation because of the credibility of the person who introduced her to Christ and later baptized her. I am glad to report the counseling session was successful.

We need to remember people do not save us. The pastor did not save her. God saves based on the finished work of Christ on the cross and the power of the resurrection. The moral failure of the pastor did not change her salvation. Even though it is devastating for a man of God to fall spiritually, that situation did not change her salvation.  Our salvation is by the grace of God and His declaration about us.

As we stated earlier, salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Let us also remember what Jesus said in John 10:28-29. “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”  Read those verses again and see how they apply in this very real situation and others we may experience.