What Hinders?

Acts 8:36 "And as they (Philip and the eunuch) went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?"

 Always... always... what hinders is always other people!  There was water, there was a preacher and there was a believer. What could possibly hinder?

The water wasn't polluted. The eunuch confessed belief. There was a preacher there. What could go wrong? What could hinder? Ideally and scripturally nada, nichts and nothing!

Baptism is a testimony. By the ordinance of immersion the Christian says "I am buried with Christ!" That's a good thing! How could anyone provide an obstacle to a Christian testimony.

The eunuch asked that immediately upon believing. He was anxious to let the world know that he was a new person. The old had been buried and up from the water came a new person who was proud to claim Christ as Savior!

He was enthused as a new creature. His desire was to make a public profession of faith so that others who knew him would see the spiritual change as the flesh has died and new desires have taken their place.

What if Philip had said "I'm not going to do it!" What would happen to this enthused Christian's enthusiasm? It would be dampened. Philip is the only person who could have hindered since the water had no choice, but to wash what is immersed!

Did Philip disappoint the eunuch? No! did Philip shirk his responsibilities? No! Did Philip disappoint God? No!

Philip never knew the eunuch previous to this so there was no preconception nor bias. He proceeded to do what was right to do. It is never right to discourage a Christian. That's the devil's job.

Never hinder an enthused Christian. Nothing should ever hinder a convert when the convert is desirous to obey.