Father Snort

Baptism is like a second chance, a new start, and it brings us into a life of new starts which God offers as we continually do the wrong things, learn from those missteps, and try again to live well. These second chances, however, should not be taken lightly or wasted. When we intentionally turn our lives back toward a harmful way we had been living, we are turning our backs on God's forgiveness and God's second chance. When we do so, there is often hell to pay...not eternal damnation, but hurt and damage in this life. Living in the way of Jesus, on the other hand also has a cost. While God's forgiveness and second chances are freely given, the cost is how we live afterwards. While not very catchy, I'd say there's "heaven to pay." The cost of baptism, of following Jesus, is intentionally living as he taught, intentionally living so in such a way that if something is harmful to self or others, we won't do those things. We live the Kingdom Way, God's life of light and love.