By Hemlata Mohan
I believe God’s purpose in every person’s life is to present Jesus before them.
His Mind and Will and His plan of salvation for the world through Jesus.
He does that in strange and mysterious ways.
When I said yes to my Christian husband, I also laid down the condition that my children will never be Christians meaning neither would I.
I was born into a conservative Brahmin Hindu family in South India. Brahmins, being the highest caste in the Hindu religious order, have already received salvation. They just need to live out their present life well.
So, the verse that Paul takes from Isaiah in Romans …I was found by those who did not seek Me, I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for me…is very real. It describes me perfectly. A believer in Jesus because of God’s Grace. That’s my greatest blessing…to see Jesus as God’s way of salvation for all mankind.
God knew what did not appeal to me in presenting Jesus before me. My education from kindergarten to high school was in a Catholic school and I was also exposed to the traditional Protestant ways, Anglican and others.
My husband introduced me to a small Christian sect that his mother followed for some time. The simplicity of a ministry that went out as a calling, and small group meetings appealed to me.
My mother in law passed away and when I attended the annual conventions in her memory, God revealed Jesus to me. He was no longer just the leader of Christians but my personal Saviour to me. I followed Jesus.
The group believed in exclusivity, strict Christian Iegalism and worshipped in homes. The celibate ministry made up of both men and women, proclaimed itself divine.
I believed in all of it. My heart and home was open to them and the church. My children were raised in it. I gave it my all for 40 yrs.
Our personal lifestyle of sailing with my husband kept us from having a role in the church. Our travels, however, introduced us to people in the same church in other countries as we sailed throughout the world.
I believe the Holy Spirit senses when your soul and salvation is in danger and yanks you from all that has been your lifestyle and your comfort. At first, He uses what offends your sensibilities, your sense of righteousness in Christ and then He reveals more truths as you as you listen to Him.
CSA and SA in the ministry and elders hit us first. Coverups that had been going on for years. It offended our sense of righteousness as
Christians and we raised our voices against it. The indifference, unrepentant and rigid stance of the ministry against the accusations made us realise that there was no Christ-like spirit there. We were appalled. When we pointed out the cases with evidence from victims and witnesses, we were labelled as Judas.
We decided to come out of it all. We couldn’t walk in fellowship with this ministry and church anymore for fear of losing Jesus. We came out of it devastated, spiritually abused and spiritually deceived in many ways.
A kind friend, Cherie Kropp, put me onto BSF and I jumped right into the study of John’s gospel.
The Holy Spirit revealed more truths.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth and Life.
I believe Jesus is fully man and fully God.
I know I will be in heaven with Him.
I believe in the 3 facets of the Triune God.
God, the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
I believe that each one of us as a disciple is empowered to show all what Jesus means to us and in doing so, glorify God.
I believe that just as Jesus ascended, He will descend on earth with all His Glory on the final day.
I understand now the terminologies of justification and sanctification.
I believe that in the last days, God will fulfill His promise to Israel.
So much has been revealed to me.
My husband puts it very well. He said, “Hema, in 1982, your revelation was that Jesus is your personal Saviour. In 2023, your revelation is that Jesus is divine, fully man and fully God.”
Jesus said in the 9th chapter of John’s gospel. We must carry out the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. (John 9:4) That verse has been on my mind ever since we left the meetings. The urgency of time.
Mohan and I searched diligently for churches and people around us to walk in fellowship with Jesus. We found our rest in Crossings Christian Church, Mark Ingmire and Margeret, a good pastor and wife and a core group of mature, spirit-led couples. We knew we didn’t need to look any further.
Why do I want to be rebaptized even though I have already had a full immersion baptism?
Mark Ingmire never fails to remind us of what Peter says in his first letter, 3v.21, whenever we’ve spoken about baptism.
Baptism which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Christ….
The same voice 40 yrs ago, that called me in the clearest of tones to follow Jesus, has said in the loudest of voices to change my ways and beliefs in Christ. I have no bitterness when I think of our previous church. Jesus was placed before me and my greatest blessing is that Jesus is still placed before me in all His glory. God’s grace has saved us from false doctrine in the most kind manner. He has not left us alone.
This is a new beginning, new changes in my thinking and beliefs. A newness in my walk with Jesus. I’m glad most of my family are here. Our children and grandchildren. I also want them to know that it is good to admit openly that we were wrong in many things. That now, as I set things right before God, baptism is the best way to reset my conscience before Him through Jesus.
That’s why I am taking this step of rebaptism.
Hemlata Mohan
India/Florida
August 17, 2024
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